Historical research of James F. Fisher published in 1978 provides valuable information about the people of Dolpo Region. A cluster of 13 villages on the Thuli Bheri River, an area known as “Tichurong” (Tibetan), lies isolated from other inhabited regions. In his studies Fisher kept the area as a secret location calling it Tarangpur. Years later, it was revealed that the area of this valley coincides with the valleys of Thuli Bheri River, Barbung Chu, and Tarap Chu (Khola) in the vicinity of the villages Tarakot and Khanigaon.
Tichurong Region is isolated from villages outside the valley by long stretches of uninhabited territory. It’s a two-day walk up the Bheri River to the nearest Buddhist, Bhotia villages and it is a day’s walk downstream to the nearest Hindu, Nepali-speaking village. Heading south connecting Tichurong with the rest of Nepal, it is a three-day trip to the nearest villages.
In Winter many Tichurong people go south on trading expeditions and are replaced by Bhotias who come from north to the relative warmth, so that some of the villages acquire a distinctively Tibetan aura during the winter months.
Tichurong people produce grain but must supplement their predominantly cereal diet with salt. The Bhotia traders from the north carry rock salt to the village in exchange for the surplus of grain produced in the valley. Some Tichurong families acquire more salt than they consume. The surplus is transported further south to the middle mountain region, where it is exchanged for rice. Rice is considered as luxury food item and used on festive and ritual occasions to serve their prestige.