Nepal Building and Darchula Bazaar

About Nepal Building and Darchula Bazaar

Nepal Building is situated in the north of Purang County. Unlike other concrete architectures, Nepal Building is actually made up of countless caves in a hill, some of which used to be temples. Now, many Indians and Nepalese cross the international border to make a business in Purang. That’s why local people tend to call this hill Nepal Building. 　　　

It is now a trading center comprising a number of distinct settlements separated by the Hunla Karnali River, known in Tibetan as Mabja Tsangpo (Peacock River). Nepali traders come up from the Humla and Darchula regions in the extreme west of Nepal to trade a variety of goods, including rice, carried up from Nepal in huge trains of goods-carrying goats. Indian traded for Tibetan salt and wool in the Darchula Bazaar, a 15-minute walk south of Purang. 　　　

This bazaar consists of 6 or 7 rows of shops. In Darchula Bazaar, most vendors are Nepalese, bringing clothes, jewellery, coffees and perfumes in, and taking wools and sheep back to Nepal. There are also some sellers from India, Tibet and even inland China. 　　　

Purang is also the arrival point for the annual influx of Hindu pilgrims from India, intent on making a kora of Mount Kailash, which devout Hindus consider the abode of Shiva.