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Lahul and Spiti
The district of Lahul and Spiti in the state of Himachal Pradesh comprises of two former districts, Lahul and Spiti. The present capital is located at Keylong in Lahul. Prior to the formation of Lahul and Spiti, the Kardang village was the former capital of Lahul, while Dankar was the former capital of Spiti.
GeographyLahul and Spiti are cut off from the rest of the world by its high valleys. The Rohtang Pass, located at 3,978m, divides the Spiti-Manali valley leading up from the plains of India from the much dryer country, and largely Buddhist culture of the inhabitants of Spiti and Lahaul. The district shares an international border with Tibet to the east, another border with the Ladakh sub-dividsion within the state of Jammu and Kashmir to the north, and Kinnaur and Kullu to the south. The Lahul sub-dividsion consists of the Chandra, Bhaga and Baralacha valley and the Lingti plains, while the Spiti sub-dividsion consists of the Pin valley. TransportationThe Rohtang Pass has a bad reputation for avalanches and many travellers were killed while crossing the pass. A newly built paved road across that leads to Ladakh is kept open for most of the year because of its strategic importance. Potatoes have now become the major crop of Lahul and Spiti and large quantities are transported over the Pass into Manali each year, with foreign tourists travelling to Ladakh each year. There are also passes from Spiti into southwestern Tibet but these are now shut as the border between India and Tibet is closed. There is another road leading south to Shimla. Lahul and Spiti are also cut off from each other by the higher Kunzum Pass , located at 4,550 m, although it now has a motorable road, but cut off in winter and spring by landslides and flooding. The condition of the main road is very poor and can be quite treacherous to travel.
ClimateLahul and Spiti experiences a very cold climate, owing to its high elevation. Between October and early June, it is cut off from most of the world due to the heavy snowfall. This results in roads, telephone and electrical wires to malfunction. The arid climate of Spiti is too cold to even support much Tundra vegetation, and much of its land is barren and wild, especially Kaza. It is a rare phonomenon to see temperatures rising above 20 °C during the summer months, even in the lower elevations. Flora and FaunaThe population of Spiti had to deal with two problems. Arable land was one problem, and not much of it is available in this barren region. The harsh conditions of Lahul only permits scattered tufts of hardy grasses and shrubs to grow, even at elevations below 4000m. Glacier lines are usually found at elevations of 5,000m, where only the strongest and hardest people could travel. Animals such as yaks, dzo roam across the wild Lingti plains under the guidance of their masters. However, over-hunting and competition of herbivore food has led to a great reduction of the population of the Tibetan antelope, Tibetan argali and the Tibetan wild ass in Spiti, making them endangered species. People
The people of Lahul and Spiti are similar in terms of language, culture and race. Generally, the Lahuli are of Tibetan and Indo-Caucasain descemt, while the Spiti Bhotia are more inclined to the Tibetan strain, owing to their close proximity of Tibet. Fairer skin and Hazel-colored eyes is commonly seen among the Lahula. Both the languages of the Lahuli and Spiti Bhotia belong to the Tibeto-Burman family. They share close similarities with the Ladakhi and the Tibetans culturally, as they have been placed under the rule of the Guge kingdom and the Ladakhi at occasional intervals. Among the Lahula, family acts as the basic unit kinship. Most of them usually follow the extended family system, evolved from the polyandry system of the past. The family is headed by a senior male member, known as Yunda, while his wife is known as wife the Yundamo, who attains authority the ultimate virtue of being the oldest member in the senior generation. The clan system, also known as Rhus, play another major role in the Lahula society. The Spiti Bhotia community has a inheritance system unique to the Tibetans. Upon the death of parents, only the eldest son will inherit the family property, while the eldest daughter inherit the mother's jewellery, and the younger siblings will inherit nothing. Men usually fall back on the social security system of the Trans-Himalayan Gompas. The Losar festival, also known as Halda in Lahuli, is celebrated between the months of January and February, and the exact date of commencation is decided by the Lamas. It also shares the same significance with the Diwali festival, owing to the fact that it is also a festival of lights. Losar, however, is celebrated in a Tibetan fashion in Spiti. Upon the arrival of the festival, two or three persons from every household will appear by holding burning joss sticks. The burning sticks are then piled into a bonfire, which is subsequently thrown in the direction of the Goshal and Khardung villages. The festival will subsequently pray to Shiskar Apa , the goddess of wealth in the Buddhist pantheon. LifestyleThe Lifestyle of the Lahula and Spiti Bhotia are similar, owing to their close geographical proximity. Polyandry was widely practiced by the Lahula in the past, although this practice has been dying out. The Spiti Bhotia do not practice Polyandry, although it is accepted by in a few isolated regions. Divorces are accomplished by a simple ceremony performed in the presence of village elders. Divorce can be sought by either partner. The husband has to pay compensation to his ex-wife, if she does not remarry. However, it is uncommon among the Lahula. Agricultural activities are the main source of livehood. Occupations include animal husbandry, daily wage earning as labourers in government programs, government services, shopkeeping business and crafts that include weaving. Houses are constructed in the Tibetan architectural style, as all of the land in Lahul and Spiti are mountanious, which makes them prone to earthquakes. Religion
Most of the Lahula follow a combination of Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism of the Drukpa order, while the Spiti Bhotia follow Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa order. Among the Lahula, the Barachala had the strongest Buddhist influence, owing to its close proximity to Spiti. Especially in Lahul, one can see temples such as Triloknath , where pilgrims worship a certain god in different manifestions, notably in the form of Shiva and Avalokiteshvara. Prior to the influence of Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism, the people were adherents of the religion Lung Pe Chhoi, an Animistic religion that suggest some affinities with the Bön religion of Tibet. During its flourishing times, bloody animal and human sacrifices were regularly offered up to the 'Iha', a term that refers to evil spirits residing in the natural world, notably in the old pencil-cedar trees, rocks and caves. Vestiges of the Lung Pe Chhoi religion can be seen in the behaviour of the Lamas, who are believed to posses certain supernatural powers. HistoryThe first inhabitants of Lahul and Spiti was an amalgam of the proto-Tibetan Khampa and Aryan people, who eventually intermingled with one another and settled down. At that time, this region was a very wild and barbaric place, and humans would be mericlessly sacrificed to Iha. It was not until when Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism did the local people began to settle down for civilisation. Especially in Spiti, local rulers, known as Nono, serves as the main political administrator within a certain region. It was speculated that the local people killed the Tibetan king Lang-darma in the 10th century, who severely suppressed Buddhism. Lahul and Spiti came under the sphere of influence from Tibet during the 9th and 1oth century. With the corruption of the Tibetan administration government in Lhasa, Ladakh eventually held political control of Lahul and Spiti until the early 17th century, following which in came under the control of Kullu and Chamba. Pattan Valley , Chamba and Upper Lahul came under the control of Raja Biddhi Singh from Kullu in the years of 1672 to 1688. Other Rajas reign Lahul and Spiti in successive conquests. Although Spiti came under the control of Ladakh from the 18th century until 1846, the governor only held loose administration over Spiti, leaving its adminstartion under the Wazir and Nono. Spiti came under the rule of the Dorga in 1846, while Lahul came under the control of the British East India Company, with the help of an appointed local Wazir, led by the Kolong family, whose salary comprises about one-quarter of the entire revenue to Lahul. This pattern continued until World War I, which was subsequently aboloshed. Owing to its cultural, ethnic and border considerations, Lahul and Spiti were merged to form a single district in 1960, with its headquarters re-established at Keylong. TourismOne will not regret upon seeing the cultural diversity of Lahul and Spiti. Centuries of colonization and cultural influence has shaped this once-wild place of Lahul and Spiti into a place where the local populace could exist in harmony. Buddhist monasteries such as Ki , Dhankar , Shashur , Kungri and Thagyug Gompas serves as the the main tourist attractions. One of the best places is the Tabo monastery, located in the village of Kaja bordering Tibet, has rose to prominence ever since it celebrated its thousandth year old in 1996. It houses a collection of Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist statues and Thangkas. Another famous monastery, Kardang Gompa, is located at an elevation of 3,500m. Built in the 12th century, Kardang houses a large library of Buddhist Kangyur and Tangyur scriptures. The treachrous weather of Lahul and Spiti only permits visitors to tour between the months of June to October, when the roads and villages are largely free of snow. However, strong winds will always blow, and it is easy for one living in the tropical regions to get a bad chill in Lahul and Spiti. Avalanches and poorly tarred roads are other problems, and cases of tourists making their way to villages are killed or injured is not uncommon. Further reading
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