Kaza, Himachal Pradesh

Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
Kaza
Karze or Karzey
town
Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
Kaza, Himachal Pradesh

Location in Himachal Pradesh, India

Coordinates: 32°13′N 78°05′E / 32.22°N 78.08°E / 32.22; 78.08Coordinates: 32°13′N 78°05′E / 32.22°N 78.08°E / 32.22; 78.08
Country  India
State Himachal Pradesh
District Lahaul and Spiti
Elevation 3,800 m (12,500 ft)
Population
 • Total 3,231
Languages
 • Official Hindi
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 172114
Telephone code 01906 - STD code
Vehicle registration H.P.- 42
Sex ratio 974 ♂/♀
Downtown Kaza, 2004
Public Hospital, Kaza, 2004
Family at home with visitors, Kaza, 2004

The town of Kaza, Kaze or Kaja is the subdivisional headquarters of the remote Spiti Valley in the Lahaul and Spiti district of the state of Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalayas of India. Spiti, which is a part of the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal, 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 metres (11,980 ft) above mean sea level, is the largest township and commercial center of the valley .

Description

The town is divided into the old, as Kaza Khas and new as Kaza Soma sections. The new town contains the administrative buildings. The Tangyud (Tang-rGyud) Gompa dates to the early 14th century and is built like a fortified castle with massive slanted mud walls and battlements with vertical red ochre and white vertical stripes. It is on the edge of a deep canyon and overlooking the town of Kaza, 4 km from the town.[1][2] Approaching it from the south one sees Kyu-ling (Skyid-gling), the stately palace of the Nono (king) on the other side of the river.[3]

Access

Kaza is overlooked by high mountain ridges on all sides. It has two access points : one from Kinnaur valley and the other from the Lahaul valley, 11 km from Ki Monastery, the famous Gelugpa establishment. The route through Kinnaur is open throughout the year, except for occasional short periods resulting from landslides or heavy snowfall. This road, starting from Shimla, follows the Sutlej river unto a little beyond Poo, thereafter turning northwards to follow the Spiti river all the way to Kaza. The other road starts from Manali and after crossing the 13,090-foot (3,990 m) high Rohtang Pass to reach Gramphoo where it joins the road from Keylong and proceeds south along Chandra River till Batal then climbs up to cross the 14,928-foot (4,550 m) high Kunzum pass, enters the Spiti valley to reach Kaza. It remains closed during winter months, normally from October end to June due to heavy snowfall on both the passes..[4]Kaza is among the coldest places in India. The temperature varies greatly in a different seasons and during a day, January is the coldest period of a year with an average temperature of -37 °C,while the July is hottest month with an average temperature of 13 °C.

Tourism

Kaza is known for its colorful festivals and the ancient Sakya Tangyud Monastery in a side valley, 4 km from the town. It is also popular with tourists and adventure seekers during summer months because of its central location and connections to rest of the valley and outside. This central location also makes Kaza an ideal base camp for trekking, mountaineering and tours directed to other parts of the valley.Some of the major tourist attractions in and around Kaza beside Tangyud Monastery are the Key Gompa, Kibber village at an elevation of 4205 m. above MSL, Gette Village at an altitude of 4270 m above MSL, Langza village famous for presents of marine fossils, the Pin Valley National Park, a protected area for himalayan high altitude wildlife and the Losar village 40 km to the north of Kaza at an altitude of 4079 m above MSL.[5]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Handa (1987), pp. 83-85.
  2. ↑ Kapadia (1999), p. 204.
  3. ↑ Francke (1914), p. 44.
  4. ↑ Himachal Pradesh Tourism official website
  5. ↑ [Lahaul and Spiti district official website]

References

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