Garab Dzong

It is evident that the Kali Gandaki valley was in constant tension as it used to be the hustling and bustling salt trade route and given the human being's inclination towards money, Mustang constantly shifted powers. Everybody wanted a piece of the action and the way to go about it was brute force. Different families had different strongholds and Garab Dzong was one of the more powerful ones. Game of Thrones was being played in Mustang but if you delve into the matter you will come to know it was all for the Game of Salt. Many of the history books mention the name Serib which encompassed many areas of Mustang including the present day Panchgaon (Syang, Thini, Marpha, Tsherok/ Chhairo and Chimang). Serib was an important geographical region (a large one too) and its main center of power was Garab Dzong. Its strategic location on top of a hill next to a water source points to the importance of this fort. During an excavation in 1994, just by judging the visible walls in the site of the ruins researches estimated about 50 houses existed on the upper plateau alone. Further examining of the oldest wooden samples in the area brought to light that the fortified settlement was in existence at least since the first half of the 16th century. The research also revealed that rebuilding took place somewhere in the 17th century and in all likelihood, the settlement was abandoned in the 19th century. After the excavations were carried out, the ruins of Garab Dzong was classified as refugee castle, meaning they were used by nearby villages as protection against encroachments. However, the existence of a subterranean supply of drinking water within the castle indicate that this castle was intended for long term use before it became a refugee castle. The ruins of Garab Dzong will be an exciting place to visit if not for the ruins but for the amazing view of the Kali Gandaki valley from up here. It is also disheartening to see a place of such great historical importance left completely abandoned. After visiting this site you will realize how strategically located this fortified settlement was. Being situated on a hilltop gave the advantage of seeing the enemies from far out and launching an attack of their own quite easily. Garab Dzong wasn't the power center based only on brawn, they had brains too!