Rongpo

Rongpo (ISO-639-3 code: rnp)

Rongpo is a language spoken by approximately 7500 speakers in the Niti and Mana Valley bordering Tibet in the state of Uttaranchal. Due to their trade with Tibet prior to 1965, speakers of this language are officially called Bhotia and they are recognized as one of the Scheduled Tribe by the Government of India. They call themselves Rongpa ‘people of the valley’ which is derived from /ruŋ/ ‘valley’ and /-pa/ ‘inhabitants’. Rongpa language is spoken in the Niti Valley, which is in the Joshimath subdivision of Chamoli district in the state of Uttranchal, India, at an altitude of between 2,100 and 7,817 MSL. Mana village is located in the Mana Valley which lies in the hinterland of Badrinath at an altitude of 3134 meters. Niti valley area falls within the buffer zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR).

Rongpo language has two dialects Marcha and Tolcha. The villages (also called summer villages) namely Niti, Mana, Bhampa and Gamsali has Marcha speakers. Marchas traditionally follow a vertical transhumance lifestyle, trade with Tibet, and pastoralism, which have been important modes of production for this community. The Marchas have summer villages such as Bampa, Gamshali, Niti and Mana; and winter villages that include: Chinka, Bhimtala, Koudia, Naigwad and Ghingran.

During the summer months i.e from June to October, the Marchas often move to their summer villages. Before 1962 when the Indo-Tibet border was open, the Marchas used to trade with Tibet through high altitude Niti and Mana pass, located at 3,6000 meters and 5,545 meters above sea level. Cereals and grains from the Indian side were bartered for salt, borax, wool, valuable stones, and herbs in the Tibetan trade centers. By the onset of winter they moved down to lower regions of the Himalayas and resold the Tibetan products in Gharwal and Kumaon region. This traditional trade with Tibet came to an abrupt end due to the 1962 Indo-China war and ever since, the Marchas have diversified their profession.

Today many Marchas have moved into government services and only a few continue transhumance lifestyle. For the few who follow traditional lifestyle, herding sheep to the rich alpine pastures in the summer and moving down to lower altitudes in the winter continues to be their way of life. Women stay in the villages weaving woolen clothes and tending the fields. Modern agriculture practices have also led to crop cultivation in these valleys. Rajma, potatoes, peas and different grains are grown in these high-altitude valley today