In summer, there is hardly any place that can match up to the beauty of Lahaul. Agricultural fields set within a carpet of wild flowers, waterfalls of every size, the majestic Chandrabhaga river flowing in all her majesty with villages along the valley. It was no wonder then that the eyes of invaders fell on this beautiful valley. They were secretly hoping to establish themselves in one village and then mount an attempt to establish themselves across the entire valley. But where could they start from?
A small group of spies set out to find a suitable village that could serve as their base. After much scouring they agreed on the village of Gushal. This village had table lands with fields of agriculture that could feed an entire army. Water was bountiful and the village received good sunlight in both summer and winter. The spies decided that the army could sneak in from the peaks across the village, and take everyone by surprise. The plan was finalized and a handful of soldiers set out to mount an attack on foot, establish themselves and then bring in the rest of their forces.
Gushal, like most other villages, was richly covered by wild plants and grasses. Among them were dense patches of stinging nettle. While nettle leaves are a delicious addition to thukpa, one has to be very careful when handling them. The plant can leave you with an ugly rash should you accidentally touch its spiny leaves. While this was well known to the locals, the invaders had no clue of this. They tried to sneak into the village while it was still dark.
This small group of men marched straight into the patch of stinging nettle. They crouched and crawled in order to remain out of sight. In the bargain, they’d rub themselves entirely against the nettle bushes. It was only a matter of time before rashes erupted. In a matter of minutes, the entire group was on the floor scratching to soothe their itch.
Their leader was particularly distressed. He made an exasperated comment that ‘if the plants here are so feisty, imagine how dangerous the people might be’. No sooner had he made this remark, his men turned back and beat a hasty retreat. He was left with little choice but to follow them, even as he was struggling to soothe his itch. The men went back and narrated the incident after which their headman decided that it was best to leave Lahaul and go looking for a less challenging place to conquer.
The villagers of Gushal woke up completely unaware of what had transpired in the early hours of that morning. Life seemed normal, as usual. Little did they know that their stubborn nettle army had bravely diffused the plans of invaders who were eyeing their beautiful valley.
Chandrabhaga river, also known as Chenab, emerges from the confluence of the waters emerging from the Chandra and Bhaga valleys of Lahaul. Their confluence is at Tandi in Lahaul.
Gushal is a beautiful village on the banks of the Chandra in Lahaul.
Stinging nettle is a plant variety that grows widely across the world, including the Himalaya. It is known to possess several medicinal values. It is also famous for causing burning sensation of skin when accidentally touched.
Thukpa is a Tibetan noodle soup, which is prepared and relished in several Himalayan regions including Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti.