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Deep
inside the inner folds of the Himalayas, behind the greater Himalayan
ranges lies the valley of Spiti. The sheer starkness of its beauty
with its dramatic rock shapes and colours and its distinct cultural
identity gives it a unique character that makes it stand apart from
most of the other valleys of the Himalayas.
The
valley derives it name from the Spiti river which rises just below
the 16,000 ft high Kunzum Pass. After flowing for about 60 miles, it
joins the Sutlej river near the village of Namgiya in Kinnaur
district. You can enter the valley either at the lower end,
travelling via Shimla, Narkanda and Rampur, Bushair to Namgya, or via
Manali. From Manali, you would enter the valley at its upper end
after crossing the Kunzum Pass. The latter route is scenically more
striking and would perhaps be the first choice.
The
Spiti valley lies at an altitude of about 11,000 ft with the mountain
ranges on either side rising to a height of 20,000 ft to 24,000 ft.
Because of this, it is under snow for much of the year. To enter the
valley at the upper end, you have to cross the 13,500 ft high Rohtang
Pass, about 50 km beyond Manali. The Pass is opened to traffic by
around the middle of June although this date can vary from year to
year depending on the amount of snowfall during the winter. In a year
of heavy rainfall it may open as late as the first week of July.
Beyond the Rohtang Pass is the Kunzom Pass which, owing to its
greater altitude, opens about two weeks after the Rohtang Pass.
Therefore, the best time to plan a visit to Spiti is between early
August and mid-September. After the middle of October, the
possibility of an early snowfall makes the roads somewhat
unpredictable.
Driving
up from Manali, you climb steadily upwards leaving the forested
slopes of the Manali ranges below you as you rise above the tree line
at about 10,500 ft. Beyond this point, you will hardly see any trees
till you leave the Spiti valley and return to lower altitudes. From
the top of the Rohtang Pass, you will get a clear view of the Lahaul
ranges with their snow-covered peaks stretching from left to right.
You descend to a tiny encampment called Gramphu and then turn right
to drive upstream along the Chandra river. As you proceed, you see
the ranges of bare mountains rise up in front of you with their
snow-covered jagged tops with rocky edges in mauve, red and brown
hues.
You
reach Batal which really is a cluster of tents where you can get tea
and snacks before you start the climb up to Kunzum Pass. As you climb
up, snow peaks in dramatic colours and shapes of rock surround you.
On the top of the Pass, you will find a stone chorten. You must be
careful to go round it in the correct way after which you descend to
Losar, the first regular habitation after descending from Rohtang
Pass.
As
you travel further into the Spiti val-ley, the landscape undergoes
another change. The valley broadens out and the erosion produces
dramatic effects. The tops of the mountains are jagged with fluted
columns, vertical drops and deep indentions. About a third of the way
down from the crest, there is suddenly a long gentle slope of loose
rock and rubble all the way down to the foot of the mountain. The
colours of the rocks change from brown and grey to golden yellow,
mauve and pink, and you suddenly understand what the Russian artist
Roerich saw when he painted the remoter Himalayan mountains. There
are no trees anywhere because the greater Himalayan ranges which you
cross at Rohtang block the monsoon clouds. As a result, this area
receives almost no rain throughout the year and vegetation exists
only where the occasional stream comes down from the mountains.
The
headquarters of Spiti district is Kaza. From here you can visit some
of the most remarkable monasteries in the valley, marvel at their
architectural beauty, their ancient thangkas and exquisite murals and
the beautiful silver vessels used in their religious rituals. You
will observe the unique way of life of the people of Spiti, their
culture and traditions ó all set against some of the most
dramatic landscapes in the country.
About
five kilometres from Kaza is the Kyi monastery ó one of the
largest in the Spiti valley. It is built over a conical peak with the
active monastery right on top headed by a Tulku or reincarnate lama
with a fairly large population of monks. Its distinctive
configuration in the middle of the valley makes it stand out from as
far as you are approaching Kaza. Further down the valley, you will
find the Dhankar monastery dramatically located on the edge of a
craggy precipice high above the Spiti river which flows below the
valley. As you proceed further, you will come across the
thousand-year-old Tabo monastery. Unlike most other monasteries which
are located on commanding heights, Tabo has been built on the valley
floor, and though it does not have the dramatic location of some of
the other monasteries, it houses some of the most remarkable wall
paintings and thangkas in Spiti.
A
visit to Spiti is no longer the arduous undertaking that it was
earlier. The valley has a jeepable road running through it and a
regular bus service operates on it. But to savour something of what
Spiti was like, you can still do so by climbing up the mountains on
either side of the valley. There you will find villages where life is
still the same as it was in earlier decades, and even though there
are now contacts with the outside world, the pattern of daily life of
the people is hardly different from what it was in earlier years. For
those who are willing to make the effort of exploring the ranges
surrounding the central valley, there is still a reward in a
distinctive and unique way of life and the most extraordinary
kaleidoscope of colours in the mountain ranges around them.
Changing
Lifestyles
The
monasteries are the centre of a unique way of life that is sadly
dis-appearing with the growing influence of the outside world.
Traditionally in Spiti the eldest son inherited all the property
while the younger sons entered the monasteries and became lamas. The
family contributed a share of its produce to the monastery which
helped support the sons who joined the monastic order. Through this
simple device, the fragmentation of the already small holdings was
prevented as also undue growth in the population. Cultivable land in
Spiti is extremely limited. Since there is no rain in the valley,
crops can be grown only where a mountain stream comes down from the
melting snows. Because of the limited amount of arable land, the only
way the valley could remain reasonably self-sufficient was through a
system that limited the growth of population and the fragmentation of
holdings. At the same time, it ensured that the monasteries had
resources to support a life of meditation and study for their
inmates.
This
system provided a reasonably comfortable living for the eldest
brother though a somewhat austere life for the younger brothers. It
worked because the younger brothers were prepared to accept it and
there were no real alternatives. With the opening up of the valley to
outside influence and the advent of development schemes in the area,
this way of life is disintegrating. Younger brothers are no longer
willing to accept the austerity and celibacy of the monastic way of
life. They prefer to get educated and look for employment.
Development projects are providing opportunities for earnings which
are making the life of the people more comfortable though not
necessarily more contented. The influence of the monastery is
declining as also its resources. The tradition of donations to the
monastery is also disappearing as with it the role of the monastery
as a centre of Buddhist religion and culture. This process was
accelerated with the cutting of links with Tibet which had always
been the fountainhead of the flow of religious knowledge to the
monasteries of Spiti as also to those in the neighbouring valley of
Lahaul.
Nevertheless,
the comparative isolation of the valley and its rigorous climatic
conditions continue to mould a somewhat distinctive way of life.
There are about five months of the year when the valley is free of
snow. As soon as the snow melts in June, the fields are planted with
wheat, barley, potatoes and buckwheat. The animals are taken out to
graze and the available fuel and firewood collected. Houses are
repaired and any journeys to the outside world undertaken. By
September, the crops ripen and every hand in the family including
school going children is mobilized to help with the harvesting,
threshing and winnowing. The food grain is stored for the winter,
fodder is gathered and by the end of the month when all is done, the
monasteries celebrate their festivals just before winter sets in.
This is the time they weave their pattoos, shawls and namdas which
keeps them occupied till next year when the summer returns.
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