Brief Introduction

Humla District, located in Karnali Province of Nepal, is recognized as a district with high potential. This district lies in the far-western region. Nepal’s northernmost point, the Yari border point, is also situated here. After Medini Burma became the ruler of Jumla in 1393 AD, Humla—then a province governed by Jumla—continued to remain under Jumla’s rule even after Jumla was conquered by the Gorkhali forces in 1846 B.S. during the reign of his son-in-law Baliraj Shah. The army led by Bhakti Thapa not only suppressed this rebellion but also incorporated the region extending up to Tibet’s Khocher into Nepal’s administrative territory. From the presence of a large Nepali population in Taklakot, Tibet, located northwest of Humla, it is also evident that other parts of Tibet were geographically linked to Nepal during Bhakti Thapa’s period. In 2018 B.S., during the political reorganization of the Kingdom of Nepal, Humla was established as an independent district. The naming of this district is associated with an interesting historical account. Surrounded by countless Himalayan ranges, the name of the district is believed to have originated from this environment. According to one belief, at the famous pilgrimage site Kharpunath in this district, a grand Koti Hom (a large Vedic ritual) was performed in ancient times. From the words “Hom” and “La” (meaning place), the name gradually evolved into “Humla.” Another belief suggests that the Huns entered Tibet through this region by crossing the Lha Pass (Lha Bhanjyang), leading to the name “Humla” derived from the words “Hun” and “Lha.”