A three-day ritual Tiji (Tenchi festival) celebrated in Upper Mustang (Lo Manthang) has become famous among the foreigners as well. A large number of visitors from USA and Australia reached Lomanthang to observe the festival this year. 

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project informed that as many as 441 foreigners have reached here to observe the festival this year. 

The festival is known as "chasing of the demons" explained on the Tiji Myth. 

Different cultural programmes including pooja ceremony are organized on the occasion. According to the myth, Tiji narrates the story of a deity named Dorje Jono who fights against his demon father to save the kingdom of Mustang from the destruction. 

The demon father wreaks chaos in Mustang by creating water shortage in the arid land but Dorje defeats him and banishes him from the land. 

The festival is celebrated to conjure the Dorje expecting to remove all kinds of obstacles. The foreigners were less in number in the festival last year as the country was jolted by the devastating earthquake and border blockade. 

The festival has been observing since 15th century and is famous among the locals, said a local of Lomanthang Phurba Gurung. 

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) had organized the festival on June 3, 4 and 5. RSS