Himachal Pradesh - Tribal Valley Circuit - My Dream place

 

The Spiti valley is a desert mountain valley located high in the Himalaya mountains. It possesses a distinctive Buddhist culture similar to that found in nearby Tibet and the Ladakh region of India. The valley and surrounding region is one of the least populated regions in India and is the gateway to the northernmost reaches of the nation. Along the northern route from Manali, Himachal Pradesh or Keylong via the Rohtang Pass or Kunzum Pass respectively, the valley lies in the North East of the Indian hill state of Himachal Pradesh, and forms part of the Lahul and Spiti district. The sub divisional headquarters (capital) is Kaza,
Himachal Pradesh
[1] which is situated along the Spiti River at an elevation of about 12,500 feet (3,800 m) above mean sea level.Lahul and Spiti is surrounded by high mountain ranges.

 

A picturesque collection of Tibetan style buildings set on a small hill is the largest in Spiti. Along the road, it is 14-km from Kaza, but the best way to get here is on foot, a 10-km hike along the path. The 'KI (KYE) MONASTERY' serves the western part of Spiti and the most prominent feature of the valley. It lies about 14-kms north of Kaza and holds the honor of being the oldest and biggest monastery of Spiti.It is a well-known religious training centre for the Lamas, whom one will find dancing, singing and playing on their pipes and horns. One will also find murals, books, scriptures and paintings of Buddha and other Goddesses.

This monastery is an outstanding example of the monastic architecture, which developed during the 14th century in the wake of the Chinese influence. The Mongols plundered the monastery in the middle of the 17th century. In the 19th century, it again suffered three brutal attacks.The successive trails of destruction and patch-up jobs have resulted in a haphazard growth of box-like structures, and the complex now resembles a defensive fort. Among the other important monasteries in the Spiti valley are an ancient temple at Lha-Lun, and another temple complex at Dhankar. The temples at Dhankar seem to be precariously dangling between heaven and earth

 

The Rohtang Pass, at 13,054 feet (3,979 m), separates Lahul and Spiti from the Kullu Valley. Lahul and Spiti are cut off from each other by the higher Kunzum Pass, at 15,059 feet (4,590 m)[1]. 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.

 

Note : Picture collected from Online about this place (These are not taken By me).