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ABSTRACT:
The royal family that has ruled the kingdom (now the former kingdom) of Mustang from the 15th century are well known to be devout and generous patrons of the Sakyapa and Ngorpa schools of Buddhism. Until about 1960, religious services had been provided by a family named Drangsong, a lineage of Bonpo lamas who served the kingdom for some six centuries until the last priest died without male issue. The library of the priests has survived largely intact, and thanks to this collection of some three thousand folios, we are able to reconstruct the fortunes of the Drangsong family and the rituals they performed for the protection and prosperity of the rulers and their subjects.
SPEAKER’S BIO:
Charles Ramble is directeur d’études in the History and Philology Section of the École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL University, Paris, and director of the Tibetan Studies research team of the Centre for Research on East Asian Civilisations (CRCAO). His publications include several books and over a hundred articles on the religion, anthropology and history of Tibet and the Himalaya.