Hinduism

[Stephen Hodge]

Ulrich T. Kragh wrote:

> Moreover, the Tibetan aristocracy commonly claim genealogical
histories back to the Indian licchavi or zAkya tribes, which mainly
seems to be for the sake of (religious) status. Legends abound about
how these links were established, but the historical facts seem rather
doubtful.

There is no inherent reason why this might not be so.  According to
legend, the first Tibetan king, Nyatri Tsenpo, first turned up in the
Yarlung Valley.   When he was asked where he came from, he pointed
upwards towards to mountain at the southern end of the valley.  The
locals interpreted this gesture as meaning that he came from the skies
but perhaps he was actually indicating the general direction from
which he came -- from over the the mountains.  The YarlungValley lies
almost directly north on the other side of the Himalayas to the region
formerly occupied by the Licchavis, with several important passes
crossing the mountains in that area.  One could surmise that Nyatri
Tsenpo was a expatriate adventurer who had himself made king of the
embryonic Tibetan stae.

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge