Yolmo
Encyclopedia
The people of Hyolmo or Hyolmopa are ethnically Buddhist people whose ancestors migrated in Hyolmo region at some 13/15th centuries from the Kyerong region of Tibet
to the forested foothills of the Hyolmo region.
, just inside Nepal
but bordering on Tibet. In Nepal the region is called Hyolmo (spoken by Buddha/ Guru rinpoche/ Marpa/ Milarepa etc.) or (Helambu by most of Nepalese). The name of Hyolmo is widely used by buddhas and Bodhisattavas from centuries ago and is still in use by great Tibetan Masters and great practitioners, although most of Hyolmo persons and others call the name of region as Helambu, it is believed to be the nickname for Hyolmo given by mistake or lack of knowledge by some of the unlearned Hyolmo persons. They speak a Tibetan-derived language called Hyolmo language (which is totally different than Nepali language
), the Hyolmo language are mostly understood by Tibetans from central Tibet(Lhasa) and some other parts of Tibet. One can find the most of hyolmo words in almost every Tibetan dictionaries.
, Thanka painting, carpet weaving and farming are common occupations of Hyolmo. Long ago, Hyolmo people were Yak
herding people and main source of income was based on Herding. The number of Hyolmo peoples in Nepal is disputed. The Hyolmo Community itself claims their population to be in excess of 150,000. The word ‘Yolmo’ is mentioned in many religious manuscripts of Tibetan Buddhism
and is considered as a holy region which in Tibetan or Hyolmo is called "Bhe-yul Hyolmo" or Hidden Valley. Many great Buddhist masters practiced in Hyolmo, including the Tibetan yogi Milarepa
, Guru Rinpoche and Hyolmowa Terton Ngagchhang Sakya Zangpo. Hyolmo is famous for innumerable holy and sacred sites. Among the famous caves there are Tag-phug Sen-ge Jong (The Tiger Cave Lion Fortress) just below the village of Tar-kye Gyang, where Milarepa sang his "Song of a Yogi's Joys", Yang-dag Tsoe-ki Drag-phug (Completely Pure Supreme Cave) which is locally known as "Drub-phug" (Cave of Accomplishment) at an altitude of 14,000 feet, where Guru Rinpoche stayed. Nearby there is a small cave called "Khandro Sang-phug" (The Dakini's Secret Cave) where his consort Shakya Denma (Shakya Devi) stayed. Another cave of Guru Rinpoche is found in Pema-thang (Tibetan: Zema-Thang= Sandy Flats) a small hidden valley within Hyolmo. There is another cave of Guru Rinpoche in Hyolmo, re-discovered by Jyadral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche in 1984, which is called Yanglashel (not to be confused with a renowned cave of the same name in Pharping, Nepal). Near the village of Milimchhim is yet another cave in which Padmasambhava
stayed named "Nyida Rang-zung" (Naturally Appearing Sun and Moon). So on, just below Tarkeghyang Chiri Monastery, said to be the primitive old and historic Buddhist Monastery in all over Hyolmo region is the Dzo-dril or Chudi Monastery or Chiri Chuklakhang foundd by Hyolmo Terton Ngagchhang Sakya Zangpo It is situated just at the basement of holy mountain in the north of monastery called Ama Jomo Yangri.
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
to the forested foothills of the Hyolmo region.
Origins
History shows that hyolmo peoples are from different communities of Nepal and Tibet. Hyolmo is almost directly north of the Kathmandu ValleyKathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley , located in Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and the Buddhists. There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites within this valley.-Etymology:The city of...
, just inside Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
but bordering on Tibet. In Nepal the region is called Hyolmo (spoken by Buddha/ Guru rinpoche/ Marpa/ Milarepa etc.) or (Helambu by most of Nepalese). The name of Hyolmo is widely used by buddhas and Bodhisattavas from centuries ago and is still in use by great Tibetan Masters and great practitioners, although most of Hyolmo persons and others call the name of region as Helambu, it is believed to be the nickname for Hyolmo given by mistake or lack of knowledge by some of the unlearned Hyolmo persons. They speak a Tibetan-derived language called Hyolmo language (which is totally different than Nepali language
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
), the Hyolmo language are mostly understood by Tibetans from central Tibet(Lhasa) and some other parts of Tibet. One can find the most of hyolmo words in almost every Tibetan dictionaries.
Culture
The Hyolmo peoples have close cultural and linguistic affinity with the inhabitants of the Kyerong and Rongsyar areas of Tibet. Trade, tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, Thanka painting, carpet weaving and farming are common occupations of Hyolmo. Long ago, Hyolmo people were Yak
Yak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
herding people and main source of income was based on Herding. The number of Hyolmo peoples in Nepal is disputed. The Hyolmo Community itself claims their population to be in excess of 150,000. The word ‘Yolmo’ is mentioned in many religious manuscripts of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
and is considered as a holy region which in Tibetan or Hyolmo is called "Bhe-yul Hyolmo" or Hidden Valley. Many great Buddhist masters practiced in Hyolmo, including the Tibetan yogi Milarepa
Milarepa
Jetsun Milarepa , is generally considered one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets. He was a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and a major figure in the history of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.- Life :...
, Guru Rinpoche and Hyolmowa Terton Ngagchhang Sakya Zangpo. Hyolmo is famous for innumerable holy and sacred sites. Among the famous caves there are Tag-phug Sen-ge Jong (The Tiger Cave Lion Fortress) just below the village of Tar-kye Gyang, where Milarepa sang his "Song of a Yogi's Joys", Yang-dag Tsoe-ki Drag-phug (Completely Pure Supreme Cave) which is locally known as "Drub-phug" (Cave of Accomplishment) at an altitude of 14,000 feet, where Guru Rinpoche stayed. Nearby there is a small cave called "Khandro Sang-phug" (The Dakini's Secret Cave) where his consort Shakya Denma (Shakya Devi) stayed. Another cave of Guru Rinpoche is found in Pema-thang (Tibetan: Zema-Thang= Sandy Flats) a small hidden valley within Hyolmo. There is another cave of Guru Rinpoche in Hyolmo, re-discovered by Jyadral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche in 1984, which is called Yanglashel (not to be confused with a renowned cave of the same name in Pharping, Nepal). Near the village of Milimchhim is yet another cave in which Padmasambhava
Padmasambhava
Padmasambhava ; Mongolian ловон Бадмажунай, lovon Badmajunai, , Means The Lotus-Born, was a sage guru from Oddiyāna who is said to have transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet and neighbouring countries in the 8th century...
stayed named "Nyida Rang-zung" (Naturally Appearing Sun and Moon). So on, just below Tarkeghyang Chiri Monastery, said to be the primitive old and historic Buddhist Monastery in all over Hyolmo region is the Dzo-dril or Chudi Monastery or Chiri Chuklakhang foundd by Hyolmo Terton Ngagchhang Sakya Zangpo It is situated just at the basement of holy mountain in the north of monastery called Ama Jomo Yangri.
Language
The Hyolmo language is close to the Tibetan language and consists largely of classical Tibetan terminology as used in Religious scripts-'Pechas'. The Hyolmowa dialect belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language group and uses the same script as the Tibetan people, which is widely used in their religious books. It is spoken by most of central Tibetans but the difference is only in the way of speaking the words.Festival
The people of Hyolmo celebrate Sonam Losar but different time,One month earlier then Tibetan and customs differ to Tibetan Buddhists. Sonam Losar is all over in Nepal also celebrated by anoth ethnic group of Nepal like Sherpa people from Khumbu region of Khunde Khumjung, Thame, Phortse, Thame, Tamang people from Rasuwa, Langtang, Gurung people from Manang, Mustang etc. Apart from this great new year festival Hyolmo people also celeberates other relieous festival such as Nhara, Tse chu, Buddha Jayanti and Manu Bum. In th Hyolmo community traditionally the men wear Tshuba (alike Tibetan male dress) and Ladies wear Tshuba and Burisurku.See also
- Limbu peopleLimbu peopleThe Yakthung or Limbu tribes and clans belong to the Kirati nation or to the Kirat confederation.They are indigenous to the hill and mountainous regions of east Nepal between the Arun and Mechi rivers to as far as Southern Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim....
- Tibetan AmericanTibetan AmericanThe history of Tibetan-Americans in the United States is relatively short, as the United States had limited contact or involvement with Tibet before World War II expanded to the Pacific.Tibetans began to immigrate to the United States in the late 1950s...
- BaltisBalti peopleThe Balti are an ethnic group of Tibetan descent with some Dardic admixture located in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan and Ladakh, a region in Jammu & Kashmir, India; as well as scattered in Pakistan's major urban centres of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad/Rawalpindi. The Balti language belongs to the...
- BurigBurigThe Burig, or Purik, are another group of Tibetan Muslims with small Dardic admixture, who live south of the Balti in Ladakh. Most of them live in Ladakh and Baltistan, especially in Kargil, although significant numbers reside in Leh....
- Monpa Tibetan
- Baima Tibetan
- Bhotias
External links
- http://www.yolmo.com.np/: Article on Yolmo people (in English)