Braga Settlement and Milarepa Caves
Braga:
Wonder and fear fill the hearts of those who visit Braga. Built into a wall of towering cliffs, the settlement has been tightly structured for protection against all possible dangers of the Himalayan frontier. Inhabited by 600 people, its aged monasteries tell the tale of a warm and pious people who have survived the odds.
Milarepa Cave:
The Saint Milarepa is known to many Himalayan Buddhist and Bonpo communities. As he wandered across the mountains, Milarepa came across a cave where he meditated for many days. A hunter of the Nyeshang people, Gompo Dorje brought food and comfort to the saint, who, in turn, gave Dorje and his people much wisdom. Milarepa’s cave is honoured with an annual festival. Locals often meditate and make offerings to the saint.
Chongkar Viewpoint, Gangapurna Glacier, Papachong Meadow:
Gangapurna Lake is the collected glacial melt of Mount Gangapurna. The lake is a well-known landmark and easily approachable from Manang village, the largest of six villages that make up the upper Manang district. Its milky waters are in close proximity to the yak grazing grounds.
Chongkar Viewpoint:
An hour away from the Manang settlement is a place to lie down and relax, view the villages below, stare at the skies and mountains above, and build peace within the soul. Chongkar View Point was discovered by the Nyeshang people many ages ago as they started to build their settlement and watch what was going on in the valley below.
Papachong Meadow’s gentle breeze, wildflowers of many hues, were abandoned by the Nyeshang people for greater shelter from the hazards of the Himalayan frontier. Locals still remember abandoned farmland, cattle sheds and warm homes once occupied. They point to the ruins in the meadow and speak of the people that lived there with longing in their voices.
