Friday 27 May 2011

ADVENTURE IN LAHAUL SPITI

Lahaul & Spiti is a big district having international boundary with Tibet. It  attained the status of a district in the year 1960. Till then it was merely a tehsil of Kullu Sub-division. The valleys. mountains, glaciers, rivers, forests, pastures, gompas (monastries) and ancient buildings of the former ruling dynasty are the principal objects of study.
The Spiti Valley is a desert mountain valley located high in the Himalaya mountains in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The Middle Land", i.e. the land between Tibet and India..Lahul and Spiti is surrounded by high mountain ranges. The Rohtang Pass, at 13,054 feet (3,979 m), separates Lahul and Spiti from the Kulu Valley. Lahul and Spiti are cut off from each other by the higher Kunzum Pass, at 15,059 feet (4,590 m). A road connects the two divisions, but is cut off frequently in winter and spring due to heavy snow. The valley is likewise cut off from the north up to eight months of the year by heavy snowfalls and thick icing conditions. A southern route to India proper is periodically closed for brief periods in the winter storms of November through June, but road access is usually restored a few days after storms end via Shimla and the Sutlej valley in the Kinnaur district.see more...
Tradition and fact file -The enriched cultural and traditional life of the local inhabitants of Himachal Pradesh is reflected through the Lahaul Spiti Dance. The Lahaul Spiti Dance is the traditional folk dance of the beautiful district of Lahual Spiti. The vibrant and energetic dance forms of the Lahaul Spiti region portrays the artistic caliber and creative imagination of the tribal people of the district. A number of fairs and festivals are celebrated in Lahaul Spiti i.e. Ladarcha fair, Pauri fair, Tribal fair, Tsheshu fair, Festival of light, Fagli festival and Gochi festival. Tourism in Lahaul Spiti offers a number of beautiful temples to visit around i.e. Trilokinath temple and Mrikula Devi temple. There are a number of Monasteries in Lahal Spiti i.e. Kie Monastery, Tabo Monastery, Yang Yud Gompa, Kungri Gompa, Guru Ghantal Gompa, Gemur Monastery, Sashur Gompa, Kardang Gompa, Dhankar Monastery etc. which provide tourists with a completely different tourism experience in Trans Himalaya.see more...
Tourism-Lahaul Spiti offers something completely different to all the tourists who visit here. It is another important tourist destination in Tribal Voyage of Himachal. The lush green valley on one side and the cold desert on the other side, curious mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism make Lahaul Spiti a place worth a visit.
 Tandi Tourism in Lahaul Spiti offers a number of famous places to explore around i.e. Keylong, Tandi, Khoksar, Gondhla, Jispa, Udaipur, Darcha in Lahaul Valley and Kaza, Dhankar, Spiti, Kunzum, Lossar and Kibber village in Spiti valley. As the two places Lahaul and Spiti are far different from each other, they provide completely different tourism experience. The curious mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism is the main feature of tourism in Lahaul and Spiti.see more...
National park-Created in January 1987, Pin Valley NP stretches over an area of over 675 sq km in the uninhabited areas of the Pin and Paraiho river catchments; altitudes range from 3,500 to 6,000m. The landscape is typically ‘cold desert’ — high-altitude terrain with sparse vegetation — and boasts of fauna and flora characteristic of cold deserts. Pin Valley, along with most of Spiti, receives an annual rainfall of about 17.7 cm; the area does not get any monsoon rains. Western disturbances in winter and spring cause snowfall and the wind chill factor is high even in the daytime in winter. The minimum temperature may go down to minus 32 degree C in January-February. July and August are the warmest months, with temperatures rising to 30 degree C in August.Herbaceous and shrub growth dominate here. The main woody species is juniper, which has become almost extinct in the park area. Shrubs, which are of the dry alpine variety, include wild rose, sea buckthorn and juniper. There is remarkable variety in the herbaceous vegetation, with columbine, kingcup, potentila and primula being the dominant species. Around 400 plant species are said to thrive in the area, among them many varieties of medicinal plants. In summer, wild flowers create a riot of colours in some areas. The glacial heights of the National Park are devoid of vegetation.The incidence of grazing of goats, sheep, yaks and other domestic animals in the park is a matter of deep concern. In the prevailing geographical and climatic conditions, the rearing of these animals is indispensable. But what is causing the most damage is not the relatively smaller numbers of sheep and goats owned by the locals, but the large herds of animals brought in by shepherds of the neighbouring district of Kinnaur from June-October. Another area of concern is the collection of firewood. The severity of the winters here necessitates plenty of fuel to keep warm. In summer, locals use their yaks to collect any available plants in the area, often digging out entire plants, roots and all, for use as winter fuel. The process of deciding on the rights of locals is ongoing, and should be completed within the next couple of years, to help curb the pressures on the park.
Spiti’s populace is Buddhist and does not kill animals, resulting in the relative preservation of the wildlife of the area. Large herds of ibex and bharal or blue sheep can be easily spotted; the density of ibex is reported to be 2.29 per sq km. Well known as one of the last remaining habitats of the snow leopard, the park is believed to have 12 members of this highly endangered species. Several other rare and threatened species are protected in the Pin Valley, including the snow partridge and Himalayan snowcock.see more....
 "http://kinnaurtour.blogspot.com/