Marpha is a village in northern Nepal's Dhawalagiri Zone, which is part of the Mustang District. Trekkers and tourists are drawn to Marpha, a charming village with a lot of stone walls, as it has adapted to modern times. It is a popular overnight stop on the Annapurna Circuit, providing a less crowded, more calm alternative for Jomsom to the north.
The name Marpha is derived from "mar," meaning hardworking, and "pha," meaning people. The village's economy is based on mule rearing and tourism. Even though Marpha once had a Safe Water Drinking station, it currently has numerous guest houses and small hotels.
Marpha is often referred to as the apple capital of Nepal, producing Marpha brandy and jams from locally grown fruits.
As part of the trekking industry, Marpha is home to a nearby Tibetan refugee camp. The Tibetans from this camp contribute to the local economy by working in the village, particularly in the tourism and trekking service sectors. Marpha is renowned for its scenic beauty and is known for its apple cultivation, a significant crop in the region.
Historically, Marpha was classified as a Village Development Committee (VDC), a local-level administrative unit. However, in 2017, the government of Nepal restructured local governance in accordance with the 2015 constitution, leading to the discontinuation of VDCs.
The main feature of the community is a Nyingma monastery with breathtaking views over the Gandaki River valley and Marpha. A chorten painted on the rock face above the monastery is joined by a few smaller stone chortens on the ledges below. Legend has it that the people formerly had leprosy and that no treatment could be found for it. A local monk from Tukuche, which lies south of Marpha, gave them the go-ahead to erect the chorten and hold religious ceremonies there. By following this instruction, Marpha's prosperity returned and the leprosy was eradicated.
A Tibetan refugee camp and the first Nyingma monastery built in the Mustang District, Chhairo Gompa, are located on the southern outskirts of Marpha, across the Gandaki River. The people who run a large number of Marpha's souvenir businesses are Tibetan refugees from the camp.
Marpha has a cold, semi-arid climate (BSk), with moderate, somewhat moist summers and cold, dry winters. At a height of 2,566 meters (8,419 feet), climate data for Marpha (Thakmarpha) was collected between 1976 and 2005.
Photo Credit: Redhouse Kagbeni, Flickr, Reddit, The rising Nepal
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