The Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The present administrative center is Kyelang in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, Kardang was the capital of Lahaul, and Dhankar the capital of Spiti. The district was formed in 1960 and is the fourth least populous district in India. It is the least densely populated district of India, according to the Census of India 2011.
Spiti is a high-altitude region of the Himalayas, located in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The middle land", i.e. the land between Tibet and India. Spiti incorporates mainly the valley of the Spiti River, and the valleys of several rivers that feed into the Spiti River. Some of the prominent side-valleys in Spiti are the Pin valley and the Lingti valley. Spiti is bordered on the east by Tibet, on the north by Ladakh, on the west and southwest by Lahaul, on the south by Kullu, and on the southeast by Kinnaur. Spiti has a cold desert environment. The valley and its surrounding regions are among the least populated regions of India. The Bhoti-speaking local population follows Tibetan Buddhism.
Himachal Pradesh, although railways and airways serve very limited transport needs, the road network of the state serves the transport needs of the people. Although, the geography of Himachal presents considerable challenge to the development of transport infrastructure, it has the highest road density among all the Hill States of India. Himachal also has 3 airports, 2 narrow gauge rail tracks and couple of other under-construction broad gauge railway tracks, but roads remain the main mode of transport.
Kye Gompa is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Gelugpa sect located on top of a hill at an altitude of 4,166 metres (13,668 ft) above sea level, close to the Spiti River, in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti district, India.
Kunzum Pass, is a high mountain pass in the eastern Kunzum Range of the Himalayas. It connects Lahaul valley and Spiti valley. It is on the route from Gramphoo in Lahaul to Kaza the subdivisional headquarters of Spiti. Kunzum Pass on NH505 is 122 km (76 mi) from Manali, and 79 km (49 mi) from Kaza.
Nako is a village in the Himalayas of northern India, located near the Indo-China border in the Trans-Himalayan region of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh. Nako Lake is a prominent feature here where it borders the village. Nako Monastery, dated to 1025, is located in the village as well as several other Buddhist chortens.
Khab is a small village in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located in the Sutlej river valley near the India-Tibet border. National Highway 5 connects Khab with state capital Shimla. Khab sangam is the confluence of Spiti river and Sutlej river. The Spiti river flowing through the spiti valley here meets the Sutlej, which originates from Mansarovar Lake in Tibet. The ancient monastery of Tashigang Gompa is nearby. The peak of Reo Purgil, which rises to 22,400 feet (6,800 m), is visible and the cold desert of Spiti lies across the nearby bridge.
Kaza, also spelled Kaze, Karze, Karzey, is a town and the subdivisional headquarters of the remote Spiti Valley in the western Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Spiti is a high altitude or cold desert having close similarities to the neighbouring Tibet and Ladakh regions in terms of terrain, climate and the Buddhist culture. Kaza, situated along the Spiti River at an elevation of 3,650 m (11,980 ft) above mean sea level, is the largest township and commercial center of the Spiti valley.
The 1975 Kinnaur earthquake occurred in the early afternoon of 19 January. It had a magnitude of 6.8 on the surface wave magnitude scale and a maximum perceived intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale, causing extensive damage in Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. Its epicentre was in Kinnaur district in the southeastern part of Himachal Pradesh and caused 47 casualties. Landslides, rock falls and avalanches caused major damage to the Hindustan-Tibet Road. The earthquake affected many monasteries and buildings in the state and led to an extensive restoration work in the late 1970s and early 1980s in Himachal Pradesh. The Spiti and Parachu valleys in particular suffered the greatest damage being on the north–south Kaurik-Chango fault, causing damage to landmarks such as Key Monastery and Tabo Monastery.
Buddhism in the Himachal Pradesh state of India of has been a long-recorded practice. The spread of Buddhism in the region has occurred intermediately throughout its history. Starting in the 3rd century BCE, Buddhism was propagated by the Maurya Empire under the reign of Ashoka. The region would remain an important center for Buddhism under the Kushan Empire and its vassals. Over the centuries the following of Buddhism has greatly fluctuated. Yet by experiencing revivals and migrations, Buddhism continued to be rooted in the region, particularly in the Lahaul, Spiti and Kinnaur valleys.
The Jad people are a semi nomadic tribe living in great Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand states of India. They are primarily settled in the bordering region of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Tibet. They mainly practiced sheep rearing and were shrewd traders trading with the Tibet. They were also recognised as the rulers of the Gartang Garh. The famous tourist destination Gartang Gali is also found near their village. They were entrusted by the King of Garhwal, with the important strategic task of securing the borders of Garhwal Kingdom from the Bushahr kingdom of Himachal and the Tibetan Empire. The language they speak is critically endangered almost endemic to India. Although, the language share some similarity to the kinnauri and spiti language which also Is of Tibeto-Burman family.
Reo Purgyil, sometimes known as Leo Pargial and Leo Pargil, is a mountain peak at the southern end of the Zanskar Range in the Western Himalaya. It is located on the border between Himachal Pradesh, India and Tibet, China.
National Highway 505, commonly called NH 505, is a national highway in India. It is a spur road of National Highway 5. NH-505 traverses the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. NH505 a high elevation road, covers Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh, mainly running along Spiti river in Spiti valley. The highway from Kaza to Gramphu remains closed for 6–9 months in a year due to heavy snowfall and closure of Kunzum La pass at an elevation of 4,550 m (14,930 ft).
Gue is a village in the Lahul & Spiti district of the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. In this little village lays the perfectly well-preserved 593-year-old mummy of Sangha Tenzing. It was a Buddhist monk from Tibet. It was found in a sitting position, with his skin and hair intact. The village is about 40 km from the Tabo Monastery. The latitude 31.11 and longitude 77.16 are the geocoordinate of the Gue. Current Gue is controlled by India but claimed by Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, China.
The Parang River, also called Para River and Pare Chu is an upstream tributary of the Sutlej River, that originates in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and ends in Himachal Pradesh again, but flows through Ladakh and Tibet before doing so. The origin of the river is near the Parang La pass in the Spiti subdistrict. After its circuitous journey, it joins the Spiti River near Sumdo in Himachal Pradesh and the combined river then joins Sutlej.
Mud is a small village in the cold desert region of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, India. Located at an altitude of 3,810 m (12,500 ft) on the left bank of the Pin River, a right bank tributary of the Spiti River, the village nestles at the base of the Parbati range that towers almost vertically 1,600 m (5,200 ft) above. Mud is near the boundary of the Pin Valley National Park and is a convenient base for treks in the park, and to the neighbouring districts of Kullu and Kinnaur. It is the last village on the Spiti side of the Pin Parbati trek to Kullu and the Pin Bhaba trek to Kinnaur.
Mane Kogma and Mane Yogma are two small villages on opposite banks of a nullah in the cold desert region of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, India. The villages, at an altitude of 3,650 m (11,980 ft), are located on a small plateau about 200 m (660 ft) above the right bank of the Spiti River. Due to the lush green fields visible only after climbing the barren slope, the villages are referred to as the "hidden treasure".
Tsosib Sumkyil or Churup Sumkhel is the westernmost township of the Zanda County in the Ngari Prefecture, Tibet region of China. It borders India's Spiti region in Himachal Pradesh as well as Rupshu region in Ladakh. The region is watered by the Pare Chu river, a tributary of the Spiti River and an upstream tributary of the Sutlej river. China has ongoing border disputes with India for the southwestern border of the region near Kaurik and the northern border near Chumar.
Leo is a small village in Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh, India. The village is situated on a mountain ridge on the right bank of the Spiti River. It is located 116 kilometres (72 mi) from Kaza on NH 505.
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