Jomsom is more correctly known as Dzongsam or New Fort. It spreads over both the banks of the Kali Gandaki. The towering peaks of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri form an attractive backdrop. Being the district headquarters, it is primarily an administrative and commercial center with government officials and merchants rubbing shoulders with the local inhabitants of the region, known as the Thakalis. It has a wireless station, a police station, a bank, a hospital and a veterinary hospital. A company of the Nepalese Army is stationed here. Nearby is an airfield, from where flights operate regularly. However, due to the strong winds that buffet the area in the afternoons, the airfield is functional only in the forenoon.
The Thakalis living in the Jomsom region and in the nearby villages of Marpha and Tukuche have been known for their trading skills. They occupy an important village on the traditional trade route between the Gangetic plains of India and Tibet.
No comments:
Post a Comment