Response to 'Chhantyals: The Forgotton Miners of Nepal' on the blog link http://nepaliaashish.wordpress.com/2006/07/31/chhanthyals-the-forgotton-miner

Dear Netaliaashish.

You have a great article about the chhantyals. It seems it is some kind of academic or research paper. Anyway it's great in itself. I have some comments on you.

Accourding to your writing: Unfortunately alternate ways of finding a clue about their past is to no avail because Chhantyals were nomadic and took farming only about half a century ago. Chhantyals were miners; since the twelfth century the Chhantyals have been mining copper ore and paying taxes to the Nepali government. Interestingly, they used no tools while mining; they would survey the area, taste the soil and rocks to pinpoint the exact location of the mine! Being miners they lived around the mines. Thus, the traditional Chhantyal villages in Myagdi and Baglung still have a suffix-“khani” meaning ‘mine’ in Nepali. Although traditional miners, they did not have the ownership of the mines but they were mere workers. The hard working Chhantyals used to mine for seven months per year beginning on the full moon day in Mangshir (November-December) and ending on full moon day of Jestha (May-June). There were a total of 44 mines in Baglung and Myagdi which were mined by the Chhantyals and Magars as well.

Here you stated that chhantyals mined since 12th century. But there is wonderful tale about the mining. There was war and compitition of powers between state to state before unification of Nepal. When chhantyals lost battle with some kings whuch caused them to hide on hills. They started to make holes where the iron ore originally discovered. So, chhantyals must had started to mine too much later than u stated.

There were a total of 44 mines in Baglung and Myagdi which were mined by the Chhantyals and Magars as well.

Obviously there were total 44 mines. But it was not mined by magars. They mined in the present day Okharbot VDC, Myagdi. But it was later than chhantyals mined. When chhantyals left their brave and wonderful profession, magars started to mine and continued for a while.

These are the matters I have found that must be discussed on my quick read. I am still pondering on many claims you made on the article. I will post later. Anyway, you have again very respectable writing and research. Keep posting. Hope debate, discussion and help will follow between us.

For readers see original post:

http://nepaliaashish.wordpress.com/2006/07/31/chhanthyals-the-forgotton-miners-of-nepal/