Merchants of the Roof of the World: The Lhasa Newars and a Century of Trade
Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Lhasa 1946 Lhasa Newars" designates the Newar people from Kathmandu who carried on business in Tibet, mainly trading between Bengal and Tibet. These Lhasa Newars lived for the most part in Lhasa, Shigatse, Gyantse, and Purang. They were a bridge for cultural and economic interchange between South Asia and Central Asia. Besides the merchants, artisans involved in creating Buddhist art were also present; these individuals were key to the circulation of artistic styles throughout the entire Himalayan region.
Circa 1950s, a Newari merchant and a Tibetan guide are seen traveling to Lhasa, in a photograph credited to Tutu Man Tuladhar. A 1950 image supplied by Harsha Bir Singh Tuladhar shows the Nepalese trading caravan in Tibet. Around the same decade, a Tibetan merchant stands in Shigatse. Newar merchants are seen celebrating Bhyaybu Lhosar on a street in Lhasa in the late 1950s, in a photo courtesy of Harsha Bir Singh Tuladhar. Ratna Man Tuladhar, Tutu Man Tuladhar's son, is photographed at their Dhapchishyar store in Lhasa in the 1950s, with the image provided by Chandra Man Tuladhar. The Qiangbalin Temple Trade Fair also dates to the 1950s.
From Punya Ratna Tuladhar come two photos: one showing Tibetan Newar period architecture, and another of Barkhor Street, Lhasa’s main market area. A 1940 photograph by Pratek Man Tuladhar captures a wooden boat with a horse-head statue at its bow, which according to legend represents the divine horse that helped Singha Sartha Aju cross the Brahmaputra River. Sangha Jeeb Tuladhar provided a 1940 image of Bijuli Man Kansakar (left) and other Newar traders in Tibet.
The photograph of the Nyewar caravan, taken in 1940 near Phari in Tibet, was supplied by Samanta R. Kansakar. In the same year, Pratek Man Tuladhar provided a photo showing Babu Ratna Tuladhar and his companions traversing the snow-covered Jelep La Pass (4,880 m) on the Sikkim-Tibet border. A separate image of the Barkhor Street Market in Lhasa City, dating from 1904, was contributed by Biswo Ratna Tuladhar.
According to historical records, the Lhasa Newar people trace their origins to the 7th century, when Princess Bhrikuti—the daughter of King Amshuvarma of the Lichhavi dynasty—married Songsten Gampo. That marriage led to the establishment of trade between Nepal and Tibet. A large number of merchants and artisans accompanied her to Lhasa, where they engaged in trade and were recognized as the pioneers of the Lhasa Newar community. Eventually, their descendants settled in the region, adopted Tibetan clothing, grew their hair long, and intermarried with Tibetan women.
Bhrikuti established the initial route connecting Tibet and Nepal through Kyirong, a border town in the north. Kyirong functioned as a commercial hub where merchants from Nepal bartered rice for Tibetan salt. Another significant pathway began at Sankhu, located on the valley's edge, with travelers passing through Melamchi, crossing numerous hills, and ultimately reaching Tibet via Kodari. Afterward, the opening of the Sikkim route compelled traders to journey through Tatopani, and this newer pathway handled the bulk of trade merchandise originating from Kolkata.
Trade development among Tibet, Nepal, and India was slow. Kolkata was the source of goods exported to Lhasa; goods purchased there were transported to Kalimpong before being transferred to Lhasa. The Newars from Kathmandu acted as middlemen, with their own companies set up in Kalimpong and Lhasa. A member photo of the Tibet Lhasa Nepal Chamber of Commerce, including Triratna Man and Gyan Jyoti Kansakar, dates to 1947. A trade organization was established, and the Lhasa Chamber of Commerce was founded.
TriRatna Man, whose family was in Kathmandu around the mid-1930s, belonged to the older generation of Larsa Newar merchants. His family had owned a trading firm called Chhusingsyar in Lhasa as early as 1790, which facilitated trade between Nepal, India, and Tibet, dealing mainly in musk, silk, gemstones, textiles, and daily necessities. Many of these Newars, meanwhile, also established trading companies in Kolkata, which developed into large professional organizations, and in 1943 they founded the Nepal Chamber of Commerce in Lhasa.
Triratna Man first went to Lhasa in 1928 to manage the family business. He lived in Tibet from 1935 to 1941 and again from 1947 to 1953, a total of 13 years. In addition to their Lhasa shop, the company had branches in Gyantse and Shigatse, and also in Kolkata and Kalimpong, India. In 1947, Triratna Man became the president of the Nepal Lhasa Chamber of Commerce. Gyan Jyoti Kansakar was on the way to Tibet.
This photo is the cover image of the book "Syamukapu," which is primarily an account of the lives of Gyan Jyoti Kansakar and his father, Bhajuratna Ratna Kansakar, and their trade activities in Tibet. Bhajuratna Ratna Kansakar, the father of the highly trusted Lhasa Newar Gyan Jyoti Kansakar, was born into poverty and rose to become a prominent Lhasa Newar figure. He moved to Darjeeling in his younger years to earn a livelihood. In 1898, using the money he had saved in Darjeeling, he and his brother established a textile business in Kathmandu; however, a fire unfortunately destroyed the shop.
Bhajuratna rose to become a central figure in Lhasa trade and eventually opened his own trading office in Kolkata. Before that, he had started a shop in Kalimpong, where he carried goods into Tibet and offered artisan-made copperware, gaining recognition as one of the most trusted Lhasa Newars. Afterwards, he manufactured metal utensils in Kathmandu and rallied other Newar merchants to move goods to Tibet. In 1939, his cousin helped him found the Lhasa Trading Company.
Regarding the lifestyle of the Lhasa Newar people in Tibet, some of them, including Kyan Jyoti Kansakar and Harkhavir Shakya, reside in Kaghen Colony. In 1942, his son Gyan Jyoti Kansakar came to Lhasa to manage business affairs, thereby becoming a true Lhasa Newar. Bhim Shakya, son of Dev Dev Shakya, traveled to Tibet with Bhajuratna and other craftsmen. At age 15, they made their way through Kuti, Shakye, Tingre, and Shigatse before reaching Lhasa
Reflecting on their experience, Bhim Shakya recalled that, following a four-month stay in Shigatse, they had picked up the Tibetan language well enough to communicate with residents. From there, they proceeded to Lhasa, where their work involved crafting silver utensils. "Picnicking is a way of life for Tibetans; they love to eat, drink, and play mahjong outside. The scarcity of electricity in Tibet creates a strong demand for Rolex watches, Parker pens, and torches, which is why markets there are stocked with a wide range of flashlights," he remembered.
In the remote city of Lhasa, the Newar community comes together for local celebrations, burial rites, and various social gatherings, living as one close-knit family. Acting as traders, these Newars hold an annual eight-day event, which also features a marketplace attended by nomads, Tibetans, and Newar merchants. This celebration, named Mohani, was first established by Singha Sartha Aju, the pioneer among Lhasa Newars, and stands as their most significant festivity, accompanied by outdoor picnic leisure.
In Tibet, trade has not only enriched the lives of the Lhasa Newars but also fueled economic development for both regions. Beyond commerce, the lives of both peoples have been further enriched through the exchange of art and culture. A key outcome of this mutual exchange is the engagement between Newar Buddhist and Tibetan Nyingma (Rinpoche) practitioners. Moreover, Lhasa Newar merchants are also skilled dancers. A photograph supplied by Harsha Bir Singh Tuladhar, taken in the late 1950s, captures Newari merchants celebrating Mohani on a street in Lhasa.
In the late 1950s, a photo provided by Prem Bir Singh Tamrakar shows Nepalese merchants in Lhasa singing "Dapa", with the "khin" double-headed drum positioned on the right. A separate photo from 1961, supplied by Bekha Lal Maharjan, depicts a stage performance in Lhasa dancing to "Hanan chhakah ha wale jhangah-cha". The End of the Golden Age of Trade: most trade in Tibet centers on everyday items made of copper and brass, such as the silver and bronze butter lamps found in temples.
On their return trip, they bring back yak wool, silver bars, gold dust, Tibetan tea, carpets, thangkas, silk, and ceramics. Indian textiles, gold, wool materials, cotton textiles, watches, tobacco, matches, and felt hats are also in high demand among Tibetans. Gold dust is used for painting statues, altars, and thangkas. A photograph taken by Heinrich Haller in the 1940s shows tie-dyed woolen ponchos being sold. In 1940, Heinrich Harrer photographed a tea vendor on Barkhor Street. On the old Barkhor Street, Somba shoes are being sold.
In 1940, Heinrich Harrer photographed scripture sellers on Barkhor Street and a food stall, with Heinrich Harl also taking pictures in the 1940s. Trade came to a stop due to the Sino-Indian War of 1962, bringing the golden era of commerce with Tibet to an end. The Lhasanival people gathered their possessions and went back home, taking their accumulated wealth with them. At the same time, Nepal was developing swiftly, and Bhajuratna founded 'Jyoti Brothers', rising to become one of the country's largest merchants.
For centuries, thousands of Nepalese merchants have walked the same path on the road to Lhasa. Over time, the trade stories of the Lhasanival people with Tibet became a mark in historical memory. In 1955, after the annual general meeting of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce in Lhasa, Nepali businesspeople assembled for a group photo.