Bajhang traders resume Taklakot trade after seven years
Summary
Traders from Bajhang have resumed the centuries-old journey to Taklakot in Tibet after a seven-year suspension, selling baskets, handicrafts, spices and other local goods at higher prices. Despite the reopening, customer traffic is thinner and several traditional activities linked to Lake Manasarovar and livestock movement remain restricted.
Key Points
- Forty-three residents from Saipal and Talkot rural municipalities crossed the Urai Pass to reach Taklakot with traditional goods for sale.
- The trade route had been closed for nearly seven years after China restricted entry into Tibet during the Covid pandemic.
- Prices for items such as dokos, dalas and lyakchya are higher in Taklakot, but traders say demand is weaker than before.
- Restrictions on bathing in Lake Manasarovar and seasonal livestock grazing across the border remain in place.
