Lahul and Spiti

The district of Lahul and Spiti in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahul and Spiti. The present capital is Keylong in Lahul. (Before the two districts were merged, the village of Kardang was the capital of Lahul, and Dankar the capital of Spiti.)

Geography

Lahul and Spiti are cut off from the rest of the world by high mountain ranges. The Rohtang Pass, at 3,978 metres, separates the Kullu Valley, which leads up from the plains of India to the much drier regions, and the largely Buddhist culture of Lahul and Spiti.

The district borders Tibet to the east, the Ladakh sub-division (within the state of Jammu and Kashmir) to the north, and Kinnaur and Kullu to the south.

The Lahul sub-division consists of the Rangoli, Bhaga, Pattan, and Lingti valleys, while the Spiti sub-division consists of the Sham, Pin, Bhar, and Tud valleys.

Transportation

The Rohtang Pass has a bad reputation for avalanches and road-slides, and many travellers have been killed while crossing the pass. A newly built paved road that leads over this pass to Ladakh is kept open for most of the year because of its strategic importance. The building of a tunnel below the Rohtang Pass is under way, and is expected to be completed by 2012. Large quantities of potatoes, now the major crop of Lahul and Spiti, are transported over the Pass into Manali each year.

There are also passes that lead from Spiti into southwestern Tibet, but these are now shut as the border between India and Tibet is closed. There is another road leading west to Kishtwar,Srinagar, and Jammu.

Lahul and Spiti are also cut off from each other by the higher Kunzum Pass, at 4,550 metres. A road connects the two villages, but is cut off in winter and spring due to landslides and flooding. The condition of the main road is very poor and can be quite dangerous to travel.

Climate

Lahul and Spiti have a very cold climate, because of their their height. Between October and early June they are cut off from most of the world due to the heavy snowfall. This results in impassable roads, as well as telephone and electricity disruptions.

The arid climate of Spiti is too cold to support even tundra vegetation, and much of the land is barren and wild. It is a rare phenomenon to see temperatures rising above 20°C during the summer months, even at the lower elevations.

Flora and fauna

The harsh conditions of Lahul permit only scattered tufts of hardy grasses and shrubs to grow, even below 4,000 metres. Glacier lines are usually found at 5,000 metres, where only the strongest people can travel. Animals such as yaks and dzos roam across the wild Lingti plains under the guidance of their masters. However, over-hunting and a decrease in food supplies have led to a large decrease in the population of the Tibetan antelope, Tibetan argali, Kiangs, musk deer, and snow leopards in these regions, making them endangered species.

People

The language and culture of Lahul and Spiti are closely related, as are the people. Generally, the Lahulis are of Tibetan and Indo-Caucasian descent, while the Spiti Bhotia are more similar to the Tibetans, owing to their close proximity to Tibet. Fairer skin and hazel-colored eyes are commonly seen among the Lahulis.

The languages of both the Lahuli and Spiti Bhotia belong to the Tibeto-Burman family. They are very similar to the Ladakhi and the Tibetans culturally, as they had been placed under the rule of the Guge and Ladakh kingdoms at occasional intervals.

Among the Lahulis, the family acts as the basic unit of kinship. Most of them usually follow the extended family system, evolved from the polyandric system of the past. The family is headed by a senior male member, known as the Yunda, while his wife, known as the Yundamo, attains authority, the ultimate virtue, by being the oldest member in the generation. The clan system, also known as Rhus, plays another major role in the Lahula society.

The Spiti Bhotia community has an inheritance system quite unique to the Tibetans. Upon the death of both parents, only the eldest son will inherit the family property, while the eldest daughter inherits the mother's jewellery, and the younger siblings 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. The date of celebration is decided by the Lamas. It has the same significance as the Diwali festival, but is celebrated in a Tibetan fashion.

At the start of the festival, two or three persons from every household will come holding burning joss sticks. The burning sticks are then piled into a bonfire. The people will then pray to Shiskar Apa, the goddess of wealth in the Buddhist religion.

Lifestyle

The lifestyles of the Lahuli and Spiti Bhotia are similar, owing to their close proximity. Polyandry was widely practiced by the Lahulis in the past, although this practice has been dying out. The Spiti Bhotia do not practice polyandry any more, although it is accepted 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, this is uncommon among the Lahulis.

Agriculture is the main source of livehood. Occupations include animal husbandry, working in government programs, government services, and other businesses and crafts that include weaving. Houses are constructed in the Tibetan architectural style, as the land in Lahul and Spiti is mountainous and quite prone to earthquakes.

Religion

Most of the Lahulis follow a combination of Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism of the Drukpa order, while the Spiti Bhotia follow Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa order. Within Lahul, the Baralacha-La region 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.

Before the spread of Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism, the people were adherents of the religion Lung Pe Chhoi, an animistic religion that had some affinities with the Bön religion of Tibet.

While the religion flourished, 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.

History

(disputed — see talk page)

The first inhabitants of Lahul and Spiti were a mixture of the proto-Tibetan Khampa and Aryan people, who eventually intermarried and settled down. At that time, the region and people were still very wild and barbaric, and human sacrifice was not uncommon.

It was not until when Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism arrived that the local people became civilised. Local rulers, known as "Nono", served as the main political administrators for certain regions. It was speculated that, in the 10th century, the local people killed the Tibetan king Lang-darma, who had severely suppressed Buddhism.

Lahul and Spiti came under the influence of Tibet sometime during the 9th and 10th century. With the downfall of the Tibetan administration in Lhasa, Ladakh eventually took political control of Lahul and Spiti until the early 17th century, when they took 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 conquered Lahul and Spiti in subsequent invasions. Although Spiti came under the control of Ladakh from the 18th century until 1846, the governor only held loose control over Spiti. It was therefore controlled by 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. This was done with the help of an appointed Wazir, led by the Kolong family. This pattern continued until World War I, when it was subsequently abolished.

Owing to their cultural and ethnic similarities and close proximity to each other, Lahul and Spiti were merged to form a single district in 1960, with headquarters re-established at Keylong.

Tourism

The natural scenery and Buddhist monasteries, such as Ki, Dhankar, Shashur, Guru Ghantal and Tayul Gompas, are the main tourist attractions.

One of the most interesting places is the Tabo monastery, located in the village of Kaja bordering Tibet. This monastery rose to prominence when it celebrated its thousandth year of existence 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, this monastery houses a large library of Buddhist, Kangyur and Tangyur scriptures.

The treacherous weather in Lahul and Spiti permits visitors to tour only between the months of June to October, when the roads and villages are largely free of snow. However, strong winds often blow, and it is easy for someone living in tropical regions to get a bad cold in Lahul and Spiti.

Avalanches and poorly tarred roads are other problems, and cases of tourists getting killed or injured while making their way to villages have already occurred.

References

• Kapadia, Harish. 1999. SPITI: Adventures in the Trans-Himalaya. 2nd edition. (1st edition 1996). Indus Publishing Co., New Delhi. ISBN: 81–7387–093–4

External Links

• Official Website of the district
• Hindubooks of Lahul and Spiti (28pages)
• The Himalayas-Lahul and Spiti
• Unknown Faces of Tibet
• Tibetan antelope
• Lots of Pictures of Spiti