82-629: Spiti (pronounced as piti in Bhoti language) 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
164-555: A day resulting in erosion and landslides. The extreme temperatures are −25 °C (−13 °F) in winter and 15 °C (59 °F) in summer. Villagers in Spiti, especially those in higher villages like Komik, Kibber, Lhangza etc., claim that in recent decades, glaciers have been melting faster, and the quantity of snowfall has decreased. Villages in Spiti are dependent entirely on snowmelt water from winter snows and glaciers. Lesser snow and faster-melting glaciers endangers agriculture in
246-403: A grandson of the anti-Buddhist Tibetan king, Langdarma (r. c. 838 to 841), founded the kingdom. He conquered Western Tibet, although his army originally numbered only 300 men. Several towns and castles are said to have been founded by Nyima gon, and he apparently ordered the construction of the primary sculptures at Shey . "In an inscription, he says he had them made for the religious benefit of
328-744: A metalsmith's workshop downstairs, while upstairs lived the monk caretaker of the White Maitreya Temple (Byams khang dkar po), also known locally as "Street Maitreya". The White Maitreya Temple dates back to the reign of King Drakpa Bumd´e (Grags pa 'bum lde, r. ca 1410–1435), following the arrival of a mission sent to Ladakh by the Tibetan lama Tsongkhapa . Below this are the Chamba (Byams-pa, i.e. , Maitreya ) and Chenresi (sPyan-ras-gzigs, i.e. Avalokiteshvara ) monasteries which are of uncertain date. The royal palace , known as Leh Palace ,
410-518: A search was started for his successor. In November 2022, the Nyingma sect located a boy in Rangrik village, Spiti who they believed to be the reincarnation of the late Rinpoche. The four-year old boy, Nawang Tashi Rapten , was born on 16 April 2018. On 28 November 2022, his head was tonsured to induct him into his new position and he started his formal religious education. Every village in Spiti has
492-684: A short time succeeded in expelling the invaders and placing the Raja once more on his throne. The Raja embraced the Mahomedan faith, and formally acknowledged himself as a feudatory of the Emperor, who honored him with the title of Raja Akibut Muhmood Khan, which title to the present day is borne by the Ruler of Cashmere. In recent times, Muslim migration to Leh from neighbouring Kargil and Kashmir has increased due to better opportunities, and relations between
574-517: A small temple, or 'Lhakhang'. A well-known Lakhang in Spiti is the 'Serkhang', or 'Golden Temple', at Lhalung village. Traditionally, in Spiti, the society consisted of a hierarchy, with the Nonos (local aristocracy) at the top, the Chhazang (agriculturalists, practitioners of Tibetan medicine, and astrologers) in the middle, and the 'pyi-pa' (the separate endogamous groups of the 'Zo' blacksmiths and
656-490: A some villages. The main settlements along the Spiti River and its tributaries are Kaza and Tabo . Over millennia, the Spiti River and its tributaries such as the Pin River, have cut deep gorges in the uplifted sedimentary strata. As vegetation is sparse, the rock strata in the steep cliffs are easily visible to the geologist, without excavation or drilling. Thomson during his 1847 expedition noted three forms of alluvia in
738-507: A sub-branch in Khalatse. They stayed until Indian Independence in 1947. In spite of their successful medical and educational activities, they were able to make only a few converts. Every year Sindhu Darshan Festival is held at Shey , 15 km from town, to promote religious harmony and the glory of the Sindhu river. Many tourists come to Leh for this. In Leh Leh is connected to
820-569: A temple, is the main Buddhist centre in Leh. There are some older walls of fortifications behind it which Francke reported were once known as the "Dard Castle." If it was indeed built by Dards , it must pre-date the establishment of Tibetan rulers in Ladakh over a thousand years ago. The Sankar Labrang (Bsam dkar bla brang) is a small, two-storeyed building owned by Sankar monastery . Sankar monastery
902-424: A year can be grown there, while two can be grown at Khalatse . By the time crops are being sown at Leh in late May, they are already half-grown at Khalatse. The main crop is grim (naked barley , Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f., an ancient form of domesticated barley with an easier-to-remove hull. Tsampa , the staple food in Ladakh, is made from this barley. The water for agriculture of Ladakh comes from
SECTION 10
#1732772186219984-613: Is a Tibetic language spoken in Spiti valley , India. It is classified as one of the Lahauli-Spiti languages . This Sino-Tibetan languages -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Leh Leh ( / ˈ l eɪ / ) is a city in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region . It is the largest city and the joint capital of Ladakh. Leh, located in
1066-571: Is accessible throughout the year via Kinnaur from Shimla on a difficult 412 km-long (256 mi) road. The Spiti subdivision of Lahaul and Spiti District starts at Sumdo (74 km (46 mi) from Kaza) which is quite near the India–China border. In summer Spiti can be reached via Manali through the Atal tunnel and Kunzum Pass. Kaza, the headquarters of the Spiti subdivision, is 201 km (125 mi) from Manali. The road joining Manali to Spiti
1148-583: Is at an altitude of 3,524 m (11,562 ft), and is connected via National Highway 1 to Srinagar in the southwest and to Manali in the south via the Leh-Manali Highway (part of National Highway 3 ). Leh was for centuries an important stopover on trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet , Kashmir , India and China . The main goods carried were salt, grain, pashm or cashmere wool , charas or cannabis resin from
1230-594: Is categorised as a Scheduled Tribe by the Government of India. Nautor land rules have made it possible for those people to resort to law to get land, who by custom could not inherit and own land, just as in the neighbouring district of Kinnaur. Agriculture in Spiti has traditionally revolved around the cultivation of barley , and some amount of black pea. In recent decades, these crops have been supplanted by green pea cultivation. Animal husbandry, particularly in higher parts of Spiti, revolves around yaks . Pin valley
1312-626: Is currently under construction. Leh Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport has flights to and from Delhi , Jammu , Srinagar and Chandigarh . Air India , SpiceJet , IndiGo & Vistara operate Delhi to Leh daily with multiple flights at peak times. There is currently no railway service in Ladakh, however two railway routes are proposed: the Bhanupli–Leh line and Srinagar–Kargil–Leh line. List of functioning banks in Leh State-owned All India Radio Leh has
1394-461: Is renowned for the rearing of the rare Chumurti horse breed. Spiti is a summer home to many semi-nomadic Gaddi sheep and goat herders who bring their animals for grazing. They come to Spiti from neighbouring regions and sometimes from as far as 250 km (160 mi) away. They enter the valley during summer as the snow melts and leave just a few days before the first snowfall of the winter season. Some significant local festivities in Spiti include
1476-563: Is similar to those of its neighbouring regions such as Tibet , Ladakh, and the Hangrang valley of Kinnaur district. The Gelug , Nyingma , and Sakya schools of Tibetan Buddhism have a presence in the Spiti valley. Each of these schools has monasteries in Spiti. The Tabo, Key , and Dhankar monasteries of Spiti belong to the Gelug school. The Kungri monastery, and nunneries in Mud village in
1558-539: Is the Attargu suspension bridge, which was built in 1911 and formerly connected Spiti valley with Pin valley. After the formation of Lahaul & Spiti into a district in 1960, Spiti was formed into a sub-division with its headquarter at Kaza. Lahaul and Spiti district was merged with Himachal Pradesh on 1 November 1966 on enactment of the Punjab Reorganisation Act . The annexation of Tibet by
1640-527: Is the ascent up the 3,505-metre-high (11,499 ft) Zoji-la , a tortuous pass in the Great Himalayan Wall. The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular deluxe and ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route, with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey. Since 1989, the 473-kilometre-long (294 mi) Leh-Manali Highway has served as
1722-525: Is the seat of Bakula Rinpoche, immediately to the northwest of Leh. The monastery's Labrang building is located in the old town of Leh, in the Manikhang neighbourhood. Manikhang is the area between the main bazaar of Leh and the historic Stalam path that leads up to the royal palace. Four huge stūpas standing at this point mark the beginning of historic Leh. In recent memory, the Sankar Labrang had
SECTION 20
#17327721862191804-463: Is the second-largest religion with 35.4% adherents. Islam and Sikhism form 15.14% and 2.7% of the population respectively. Religion in Leh City (2011) Since the 8th century, people of different religions, particularly Buddhism and Islam, have lived in Leh. They co-inhabited the region from the early Namgyal dynasty and there are no records of any conflict between them. Meer Izzut-oollah wrote in
1886-637: Is thought to have been produced over a wide period of time, with the earliest examples dating back nearly 3,000 years. Spiti's rock art has been categorized, based on differences of the designs depicted, into the following periods: the Late Bronze Age (c.1500–800 BCE), the early Iron Age (c.800–500 BCE), the Iron Age (c.500–100 BCE), the Protohistoric period (100 BCE–650 CE), Early Historic Period (650–1000 CE), Vestigial Period (1000–1300 CE), and
1968-532: Is treacherous and in bad condition as compared to the Shimla to Spiti road. Due to the high altitude one is likely to feel altitude sickness in Spiti. The Shimla to Spiti route is advised for travelers coming from lower altitudes as it gives them enough time to get acclimatized to the high altitude. This is because the road runs parallel to the Sutlej river initially, climbing steadily to 2,550 m (8,370 ft) at
2050-632: The Karakoram Pass and Xaidulla . A couple of possible routes also ran from Leh to Lhasa . The first recorded royal residence in Ladakh, built at the top of the high Namgyal ('Victory') Peak overlooking the present palace and town, is the now-ruined fort and gon-khang (Temple of the Guardian Divinities) built by King Tashi Namgyal . Tashi Namgyal ruled in the final quarter of the 16th century CE. The Namgyal (also called "Tsemo Gompa" (Red Gompa), or dGon-pa-so-ma (New Monastery),
2132-765: The Leh district , was also the historical capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh . The seat of the kingdom, Leh Palace , the former residence of the royal family of Ladakh, was built in the same style and about the same time as the Potala Palace in Tibet . Since they were both constructed in a similar style and at roughly the same time, the Potala Palace in Tibet and Leh Palace, the royal residence, are frequently contrasted. Leh
2214-631: The Muth succession . This was later renamed as the Muth System by Hayden (1908) and as the Muth Formation by Srikantia (1981). Spiti valley is arid as it is situated in the monsoon rain shadow of the Himalayas. The average annual rainfall is about 50 mm (2.0 in) with snowfall less than 200 cm (6.6 ft). Sporadically, there may be up to 15 mm (0.59 in) rainfall in
2296-631: The Tarim Basin , indigo , silk yarn and Banaras brocade . Although there are a few indications that the Chinese knew of a trade route through Ladakh to India as early as the Kushan period (1st to 3rd centuries AD), and certainly by the Tang dynasty , little is actually known of the history of the region before the end of the 10th century, when Tibetan prince Skyid lde nyima gon (or Nyima gon ),
2378-592: The Tsanpo (the dynastical name of his father and ancestors), and of all the people of Ngaris (Western Tibet). This shows that already in this generation Langdarma's opposition to Buddhism had disappeared." Shey , 15 km east of modern Leh, was the ancient seat of the Ladakhi kings. During the reign of Delegs Namgyal (1660–1685), the nawab of Kashmir, then a province in the Mughal Empire , arranged for
2460-470: The 'Beda' musicians) at the bottom. Each of these groups tended to marry only among others of their own status. By custom, inheritance in Spiti has been through primogeniture , with the eldest son inheriting the estate. All younger sons would have to become monks. If the eldest son died, the younger brother would have to leave the monastery and become the husband to the widowed wife. This was a form of fraternal polyandry . Similarly, among women, by custom, only
2542-737: The 'Tribal Areas' of Himachal Pradesh, Spiti is administered under the Single-Line Administration system, which facilitates direct communication between the Kaza administration and the higher levels of administration in Himachal Pradesh. Electorally, Spiti is a part of the Lahaul and Spiti constituency for the state-level Vidhan Sabha, and of the Mandi constituency for the national-level Lok Sabha. The lower Spiti valley from
Spiti - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-577: The 18th century, control once again passed back to Ladakh. An official was sent from Leh as Governor, but he usually went away after the harvest time, leaving the local administration in the hands of the Wazir or Nono. There was a headman for a group of villages for day-to-day administrative affairs. Spiti briefly came under the Dogra rule (as part of the Sikh Empire ) between 1842 and 1846, after which it
2706-551: The 434 km Srinagar -Leh highway and the 428 km Leh-Manali Highway . Both roads are only open on a seasonal basis. Although the roads from Srinagar and Manali are often blocked by snow in winter, the local roads in the Indus Valley usually remain open due to the low levels of snowfall. Leh has a cold desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWk ) with long, cold winters from late November to early March, with minimum temperatures well below freezing for most of
2788-452: The Buddhist and Muslim communities have soured due to socio-political conflicts. Other religions such as Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism do exist in Leh. The small Christian community in Leh descend from Tibetan Buddhists converted by German Moravian missionaries, who established a church at Keylong in Lahaul in the 1860s, and were allowed to open another mission in Leh in 1885 and had
2870-540: The Guitor at Kyi Gonpa (July), Ladarcha fair (mid-August), Spiti Losar (around November), Thuckchu (winter solstice in December), Dachang (around February), and Sia Mentok (around February). All these festivals have been traditionally tied up with agricultural and seasonal shifts. The alcoholic beverages chhaang and arak are locally prepared and very popular, both in festivals and on various occasions like birth, marriage,
2952-528: The Indus, which runs low in March and April when barley-fields have the greatest need for irrigation. Grapes, apricots, currants, walnuts, and apples are also grown in the arid temperate climate. As of the 2011 India census , Leh had a population of 30,870. Males constituted 70% of the population and females 30%, due to a large presence of transient labourers, traders and government employees. The child sex ratio
3034-524: The Kashmir Valley, due to trade and recently to the transfer of tourism from the Kashmir Valley to Ladakh. Ladakh receives very large numbers of tourists for its size. In 2010, 77,800 tourists visited Leh. Visitor numbers have swelled rapidly in recent years, increasing 77% from 2005 to 2010. This growth is largely caused by an increase in domestic Indian travellers. Buddhism is the largest religion in Leh, followed by over 43.8% of people. Hinduism
3116-441: The Lahaul sub-division. The sub-divisional headquarters (capital) of the Spiti sub-division of the Lahaul and Spiti district is Kaza, which is situated on the bank of the Spiti River at an elevation of about 3,650 m (11,980 ft). The district headquarters lies at Kyelang in the Lahaul valley. But the Spiti valley is separated from Lahaul valley by These two divisions of Lahaul and Spiti district are connected by NH-505 over
3198-632: The Late Historical Period (post-1300 CE). There is some evidence to show that Spiti was a part of the western Tibetan kingdom of Zhang Zhung until the mid-7th century CE. Buddhism first came to Spiti, likely through the Second Diffusion of Buddhism into Tibet, and it was at this time that the Tabo monastery was built (996 CE). In the 10th century, Spiti was part of the kingdom of Ngari Khorsum, established by Kyide Nyimagon of
3280-575: The Mongol army to temporarily leave Ladakh, though it returned later. As payment for assisting Delegs Namgyal in the Tibet-Ladakh-Mughal War of 1679–1684, the nawab made a number of onerous demands. One of the least was construction of a large Sunni Muslim mosque in Leh, at the upper end of the bazaar in Leh below Leh Palace. The mosque reflects a mixture of Islamic and Tibetan architecture and can accommodate more than 500 people. This
3362-768: The Nogpo-Topko glacier, near Kunzum La 150 km (93 mi), the Spiti ends in the Satluj at Khab. The Pin , Lingti and Parachu as the major tributaries. The catchment area of the Spiti river is about 6,300 km (2,400 sq mi). Situated in the rain shadow of the main Himalayan range, Spiti does not benefit from the South-West monsoon that causes widespread rain in most parts of India from June to September. The river attains peak discharge in late summers due to glacier melting. There are two distinct parts of
Spiti - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-778: The People's Republic of China in 1951 turned Spiti into a sensitive region for the Indian government. Due to this, roads were built to Spiti over the 1950s-60s. By the 1970s, Spiti had road connectivity to Manali and Shimla . The Spiti valley is located between the Kunzum range in the NW to Khab on the Sutlej river in Kinnaur in the SE. The Spiti River originates from the base of the 6,118 m (20,073 ft) K-111 peak. The Taktsi tributary flows out of
3526-711: The Pin valley belong to the Nyingma school. The Kaza and Komik monasteries belong to the Sakya School. In the recent decades, nunneries have been established at Kwang, Morang, Pangmo, and Kungri. The Pin Valley of Spiti is home to the few surviving Buchen Lamas of the Nyingma school. After Taklung Setrung Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma sect and a noted scholar of the Tibetan Tantric school died on 24 December 2015,
3608-408: The Spiti valley is 7,828.9 km (3,022.8 sq mi) and the total population in 2011 was 17,104 persons. Administratively, most of Spiti valley falls under Lahaul and Spiti district with a small part coming under Kinnaur district. The upper Spiti valley and the lower valley up to Sumdo form one of the two sub-divisions of the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, the other one being
3690-524: The Spiti valley. In the upper valley from Losar to Lingti, the river is braided with a very wide river bed, though the water channel is narrow. The valley floor has ancient sedimentary deposits, and the sides have extensive scree slopes. The lower valley runs from Lingti to Khab. Here, the meandering river has incised channels and gorges about 10–130 m (33–427 ft) deep in the sedimentary deposits and bedrock . Tributaries and other streams join at right angles, indicating neotectonic activity in
3772-405: The Spiti valley. The first is deposits of fine clay. The second is triangular platforms that slope gently from the mountains to the river, usually ending in a steep cliff. The third are enormous masses of great depth, 120–180 m (400–600 ft) above the river bed. The river has cut deep gorges through these platforms. The latter two consist of clay, pebbles and boulders. Thomson speculated that
3854-438: The Sumdo bridge until the Spiti merges with the Sutlej river at Khab is called the Hangrang valley. This area forms the Hangrang sub-tehsil which is part of the Poo sub-division in Kinnaur district . The Hangrang sub-tehsil covers an area of 727.8 km (281.0 sq mi) with a population of 4,659 persons. The sub-tehsil is approximately 100 km (62 mi) from the district headquarters at Reckong Peo . Spiti valley
3936-401: The Tibetan royal lineage. After Kyide Nyimagon's death, Zanskar and Spiti were given to his youngest son Detsukgon, while the eldest son Lhachen Palgyigon became the King of Ladakh . After that, the history of Spiti was linked with the history of Ladakh for a long time. Local rulers had the title of Nonos. They were either descendants of a native family of Spiti or chiefs sent to look after
4018-407: The affairs of Spiti by the rulers of Ladakh . This region became autonomous whenever the rulers of Ladakh were weak. However the rulers of Spiti periodically sent tributes to Ladakh, Chamba and Kullu. Spiti became practically free after the Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal War of 1679–1683. This prompted Man Singh, Raja of Kullu, to invade Spiti and establish a loose control over this principality. Later on, in
4100-465: The celebration of some success, and death. Cash-crop agriculture (of the green pea and apples), employment in state departments and development projects, and tourism are the main sources of income in the Spiti valley. Road accessibility has been of central importance to all these livelihoods and developmental activities. Spiti supports only one crop/year, in the period May – September. An administrator in 1871 reported that yaks were used for ploughing and
4182-486: The confluence of the Spiti and Satluj near Khab. From Khab, NH-505 runs along the Spiti River, climbing steeply up to Nako (elev. 3,620 m (11,880 ft)) before continuing to Kaza. NH-505 enters Lahaul at Kunzum La. All foreign nationals require an inner line permit to visit the Spiti valley. Earlier, Indian citizens also needed an Inner Line permit to visit Spiti, but this was abolished in 1992. The local people of Spiti follow Tibetan Buddhism , and its culture
SECTION 50
#17327721862194264-497: The control of the Assistant Commissioner, Kooloo (Kullu). Kullu was a sub-division of the Kangra district, of the Punjab Province . In 1873 the Nono of Kyuling village, near Kaza, was delegated the responsibility of collecting revenue from Spiti for the British, and was also given some judicial powers. In 1941, Spiti was made part of the Lahaul tehsil (sub-division) of Kullu district, with its headquarters at Keylong. The only built structure in Spiti which reflects colonial architecture
4346-448: The early 19th century: This mosque was built by Ibraheem Khan (in the mid 17th century), who was a man of noble family in the service of the descendants of Timoor. In his time the Kalimaks (Calmuck Tartars), having invaded and obtained possession of the greater portion of Thibet [Ladakh], the Raja of that country claimed protection from the Emperor of Hindoostan. Ibraheem Khan was accordingly deputed by that monarch to his assistance, and in
4428-439: The eldest daughter would marry in earlier times. In some cases, younger daughters would become nuns. In others, they would stay at home either with their parents or the eldest brother, and were valuable additional work hands. In many cases, they died spinsters. Polyandry was prevalent until a few decades ago; its practice has almost disappeared now. Monogamy and nuclear families prevail nowadays. The entire local population of Spiti
4510-540: The ground-level observations that climate change due to global warming has been adversely affecting the environment of the Spiti valley. Spiti is a high altitude cold desert located above the tree line, with only a few stunted willows and scattered trees in some villages. There are shrubs on the valley floor. Despite this, Spiti boasts of more than 450 species of plants. These include Seabuckthorn , Dactylorhiza hatagirea , Aconitum , ratanjot (Khamad), Ephedra , Artemisia and other herbs. The alpine pastures on
4592-415: The high Kunzum Pass, at 4,590 m (15,060 ft). However, the Spiti sub-division is cut off from the district headquarters for 5–6 months in winter and spring as this road is cut off due to heavy snow. The Spiti sub-division is spread over an area of 7,101.1 km (2,741.8 sq mi). According to the 2011 Census, the population of the Spiti sub-division is 12,445 persons. Designated as one of
4674-457: The high plateaus of Spiti are home to a variety of small bushes and grasses including Rosa sericea , Hipopheae, and Lonicera among others. In terms of wildlife, among other species, the Spiti region is home to the Himalayan Ibex (Capra sibirica hemalayanus), the snow leopard ( Panthera uncia ), the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ), pika ( Ochotana roylei ), Himalayan wolf ( Canis lupus laniger ), and weasels ( Mustela spp). The avifauna of
4756-452: The main crops were a fine hexagonal wheat, peas, mustard and two kinds of barley. As the Spiti river has eroded channels well below the valley floor, crops are irrigated using long channels winding along the terrain, often for many miles, to bring water from streams. A survey of 10 villages in Spiti, ranging from Losar and Kibber in the upper valley to Tabo and Lari in the lower valley, was conducted in 2007–2009 by agricultural scientists. It
4838-481: The mid-19th century. The royal family moved their premises south to their current home in Stok Palace on the southern bank of the Indus River. In 2010, Leh was heavily damaged by the sudden floods caused by a cloud burst . The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) is in charge of governance in Leh. It has 30 councillors, 4 nominated and 26 elected. The Chief Executive Councillor heads and chairs this council. The Deputy Commissioner of Leh also holds
4920-402: The north, Tibet to the east, Bushahr to the south and Kullu to the west. Some believe that the name Piti is a contraction of Ashwapati, a legendary ruler of Pin Valley in the time of the Mahabharata . Ashwapati means "lord of horses" and Pin Valley was famous for its horse breeds. Others attribute the name to a Tibetan dacoit named Spiti Thakur. Based in Spiti valley, the Thakur gangs raided
5002-415: The past few million years. Steep mountains rise to very high altitudes on either side of the Spiti River and its numerous tributaries. The highest peak in the Parung range to the NE has an altitude of 7,030 m (23,064 ft) and on the SW side, is Manirang Peak at 6,598 m (21,646 ft). The mountains are barren and largely devoid of trees except for a few stunted willows and scattered trees in
SECTION 60
#17327721862195084-417: The popular treks in Spiti include the following: Spiti also has a number of peaks of interest to mountaineers . Some of the significant peaks in Spiti include: Cycling and running in Spiti's high altitudes are also undertaken by some visitors to Spiti. Driving cars and motorcycles on the roads leading to and within Spiti is considered an adventurous activity by many. Spiti Bhoti Spiti Bhoti
5166-474: The power of Chief Executive Officer of the LAHDC. The current Deputy Commissioner of Leh district is Santosh Sukhdeve. The old town of Leh was added to the World Monuments Fund 's list of 100 most endangered sites due to increased rainfall, due to climate change among other reasons. Neglect and changing settlement patterns in the old town have also threatened the long-term preservation of the site. The rapid and poorly planned urbanisation of Leh has increased
5248-462: 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 . Traditionally, agriculture
5330-406: The region includes the lammergeier ( Gypaetus barbatus ), Himalayan Griffon ( Gyps himalayensis ), golden eagle ( Aquia chryaetos ), Chukar partridge ( Alectronics chukor ), Himalayan snowcock ( Tetraogallus himalayensis ), and a host of rosefinches ( Corpodacus spp). Spiti is home to two protected areas, the Pin Valley National Park and the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. The total area of
5412-525: The rest of India by two high-altitude roads, both of which are subject to landslides and impassable in winter due to snows. The National Highway 1 from Srinagar via Kargil is generally open longer. The Leh-Manali Highway can be troublesome due to very high passes and plateaus. A third road is under construction. The overland approach to Ladakh from the Kashmir valley via the 434-km. National Highway 1 typically remains open for traffic from April/May to October/November. The most dramatic part of this journey
5494-466: The risk of flash floods in some areas, while other areas, according to research by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network , suffer from the less dramatic, gradual effects of 'invisible disasters', which often go unreported. The city is located on the bank of the Indus River. The mountains dominate the landscape around the Leh, as it is at an altitude of 3,500m. Peaks such as Nanga Sago can reach well above 5,500m. The principal access roads include
5576-417: The road from Manali is closed for almost 6 months due to heavy snowfall. Spiti is accessible during most of the winter from Shimla. Besides tourists, many film-makers visit Spiti in winter for shooting. Spiti valley is an emerging destination for winter and ice sports, trekking and mountaineering, and adventure sports. Winter sports in Spiti include ice-skating, ice-hockey, skiing, and ice-climbing. Some of
5658-421: The road that today crosses the Zoji La (pass) to Kargil , then up the Indus Valley to Leh. From Baltistan there were two difficult routes: the main one ran up the Shyok Valley from the Indus, over a pass and then down the Hanu River to the Indus again below Khalsi (Khalatse). The other ran from Skardu straight up the Indus to Kargil and on to Leh. Both summer and winter routes ran from Leh to Yarkand via
5740-484: The second land approach to Ladakh. Open from June to late October, this high road traverses the upland desert plateaux of Rupsho, whose altitude ranges from 3,660 m (12,010 ft) to 4,570 m (14,990 ft). There are a number of high passes en route among which the highest one, known as Tanglang La , is sometimes incorrectly claimed to be the world's second-highest motorable pass at an altitude of 5,325 metres (17,470 ft) As of 2024, this third road to Leh
5822-407: The success rate is low owing to the low temperatures. Road access has been noted as being vital to Spiti's cash crop economy, as the harvest is almost entirely sold in distant markets in the north Indian plains. Interruptions in road access caused by landslides during the post-harvest season, which overlaps with the monsoon season, can adversely affect the pricing of Spiti's cash crop produce. Spiti
5904-504: The upper parts of Kullu, before the Sen kings established their rule. Ancient Period Maharaja of Parmar Rajputs , had established Spiti valley, including settlement valleys in Lahaul, Spiti, and Tibet Autonomous Region. In 95 BC, invasions began which were unsuccessful even until 846 A.D. There is evidence of very early human habitation in the Spiti valley, primarily through its rich heritage of pre-Buddhist rock art. Spiti's rock art
5986-434: The valley appeared to have been a lake bed in the past though he could not conceive mechanisms to explain the phenomena. Now, we know that the valley was uplifted from the ocean bed due to the movement of tectonic plates . The Moravian geologist Ferdinand Stoliczka discovered a major geological formation near Mud village in Spiti in the 1860s. Stoliczka identified a number of layers or successions, one of which he named as
6068-416: The valley, which has only one agricultural season, being a high-altitude cold desert. Climate change is threatening the tradition of Gaddi shepherds' annual migrations to Spiti with their herds of goat and sheep. It is degrading the quality of the pastures, and the ice bridges that Gaddis with their flocks could earlier use to cross rivers while bypassing villages are now disappearing. Scientific studies back up
6150-445: The winter. The city gets occasional snowfall during winter, which is very cold by Indian standards, mainly due to its high elevation. The weather in the remaining months is generally fine and warm during the day. Average annual rainfall is only 35 mm (1.37 inches). In 2010, the city experienced flash floods that killed more than 100 people. Leh is located at an average elevation of about 3500 metres, which means that only one crop
6232-541: Was 987. Leh had an average literacy rate of 90%, higher than the national average of 74.04%; male literacy was 94.89%, and female literacy was 78.85%. In Leh, 5.5% of the population was under 6 years of age. The people of Leh are ethnic Tibetans who speak Ladakhi , a Tibetic language . The Muslim presence dates back to the annexation of Ladakh by Kashmir, after the Fifth Dalai Lama came to Ladakh from Tibet. Since then, there has been further migration from
6314-612: Was annexed to the British Empire. Under the Treaty of Amritsar (1846), Spiti alongside Lahaul was split off from the erstwhile kingdom of Ladakh, and came under direct British administration. Mansukh Das, hereditary Wazir of Bushahr, was entrusted with the local administration of this region from 1846 to 1848. The Wazir had to pay the British revenue of only Rs. 700 annually for the whole of Spiti. In 1849, Spiti came directly under
6396-565: Was apparently not the first mosque in Leh; there are two smaller ones that are said to be older. Trade routes have traditionally converged on Leh from all four directions. The modern-day highway follows the most direct route from the Punjab via Mandi , the Kulu valley , the Rohtang Pass , and Lahaul to the Indus Valley, then downriver to Leh. The route from Srinagar was roughly the same as
6478-504: Was built by King Sengge Namgyal (1612–1642), presumably between the period when the Portuguese Jesuit priest Francisco de Azevedo visited Leh in 1631, and made no mention of it, and Sengge Namgyal's death in 1642. The Leh Palace is nine storeys high; the upper floors accommodated the royal family, and the stables and storerooms are located on the lower floors. The palace was abandoned when Kashmiri forces besieged it in
6560-410: Was for subsistence, but has shifted to cash crops in the past few decades. Spiti is a popular destination for photography, snow leopard spotting, and adventure tourism of various kinds, including winter sports. The name "Spiti" is derived from "Piti", which means "the middle land" as the valley is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges that separate it from former empires. These include Ladakh to
6642-550: Was found that up to 1980, the important five crops were black pea, potato, barley (hulless and covered) and wheat. By 1990, farmers had diversified to nine crops. One of the new crops, garden peas, covered about 27% of the surveyed area, increasing to 47% by 2000. Some of the main reasons for adoption of new crops included better road connectivity and transport to reach markets, declining demand for traditional crops, and availability of hybrid seeds and favourable micro-climatic niches. A few farmers near Kaza have introduced apples, though
6724-497: Was opened to tourism in 1992. Since 2016, this region has witnessed a tourism boom. Over 2019, 64,700 Indian tourists and 3,612 foreign tourists visited Spiti via the Shimla route, while numbers were not available for the Manali route. Places in Spiti popular among tourists include the following: The best time to visit Spiti Valley is May to October. During this summer season, Spiti is accessible from Manali and from Shimla. In winters
#218781