The Lhomi region is where the Arun river enters Nepal from Tibet.The upper Arun valley in the district of Sankhuwa-sava, east Nepal’s perhaps one of the roughest and most difficult regions of the entire northern border where altogether 18 more scattered villages are inhabited by a mountain tribal group they are called themselves by the term Lhomi. The names of Lhomi villages are Seksum, Sembung, Namuchhyi, Chhigulung, Damdamamuk, Pangdok, Thangmuchhyi, Rukama, Gomba, Damdangma, Chhumisur, Lingang, Khimpuchen, Satchye, Dhiga, Ghukmu, Ikmowa etc.  These villages cling to the steep mountain slopes above the Arun River and Barun Glacier which has cut a deep narrow gorge through the mountains. The settlements are often completely cut off from one another and effectively blocked from easy communication with Tibet. After crossing the border there are half dozen small villages in Tibet are found Lhomi people.  The many Lhomi people migrated towards Darjeeling hills of West Bangal in India. Some are migrated into many cities like Katmandu, Khandbari, Pokhara and Dharan within Nepal.  Altogether their total populations are 40,000 to 50,000 in Nepal, Tibet and India.

The meaning of Lhomi refers that “Lho” means southern part of Tibet and “Mi” means people in Tibetan language and it means the people came from south of Tibet.  Nepal government recognizes the Lhomi as highly marginalized official Indigenious nationality. Lhomi people have alternative names like Kath Bhote and Singsapa. They had migrated into Darjeeling of India as far back as circa 1914 and where they had begun to introduce themselves as term of Singsaba. The Lhomi troubal community has the practice of writing Bhote, Lama, Sherpa and Lhomi in their citizenship and official document.

The Lhomi has their own separate language called Lhoket (Lhomi language), similar with Tibetan or Sherpa language but distinct from other languages and has its own phonemic, lexical and grammatical system.

They enjoy cultural and social affinity and geographical proximity with the Sherpas and other northerners. They adhere to Bon and Buddhism. The head of village and social organizations is called Goba and Gempoo. They undertake various functions of the village like administration, protection, collecting of taxes, punishment, etc. Although the Lhomi are Bon (Buddhists), they believe in ghosts and spirits and have deep faith in shamans. They practice animal sacrifice in all ritual. When people and cattle die, they call upon shamans believing that the deaths occurred because the ghost became angry or the dead became inflicted with ghosts and spirits. There are monasteries in every village, and collect tax in the village. They collect taxes from bridges, land and honey hunter.

The occupation of Lhomi is farming and raising livestock, which includes the raising of sheep. They are not till now involved like the Sherpas and others in the tourism profession, wherever some of them have been able to become porters, guides to tourists and Everest summiteers. Their socio-economic status are poor and there are no electricity, no transportation, not available of educational and health facilities and no opportunities.

The Lhomi people go down in lowland to the southern districts like Sunsari, Saptari and Sarlhahi during the winter months to engage in trade.  

Social structure includes a division into several clans called rhyee: Thikapa, Nuppa, Pongsuwa, Khumbuwa, Lobanga, Bhechyapa, Monanga, Saringaptakpa,Changpa, Dhaktokpa, Chyaba,Yanba, Khamba, Sippa, Sinbua, Lingbua, Uringfekpa, Sirpa, Chhapa, Ghukmule and Gangdokpa, et cetera. Some of these rhyee are in turn subdivided into many exogamous extended family groups like Thikepa and Nuppa. The several subdivided clans of Thikepa are Pezapa, Seknepede, Sangdara, Bakhuchha, Pubukamma, Thujhiba, Uchentesi, Pechhiring, Bhisinchemma, Dhongmepa, Dhongdepa, Raptemba, Longmikma, Chhyepachyema, Thakuwa and Nuppa are Sonarinjen, Eyagokpa, Hamua, Gambukpa, Jhilaba, Zezaba, Setchya, Lhamuchhiring, Eagongma, Peruwa. 

The Lhomis do have special ceremonies prior to marriage, and the formal ceremony related to marriage. The wife's family and relatives offer gifts. If a husband takes another wife, he has to leave the household. The head of the village, Goba, also receives marriage tax. After death and during cremation the Lama and Loben have a considerable role to play. The women healer "Khendoma" is famous to use while people get sick and Torchak, Chhijyu is the greatest festival. The houses of Lhomis are made of stone, wood and bamboo. The Lhomis go down to the plains to trade during winter but do not have much trade contacts with the north.  

Representative Organization:
Lhomi-Shingsa Kalyan Kendra, Kathmandu, Nepal

Contact person:
i)    Wangdavi Bhote (Vechyaba) - Chairperson
ii)     Chhejap Thikepa Lhomi - General Secretary 
iii)    Kesang Doga Lama – Treasurer