Kaza & Tabo, District: Lahaul & Spiti, H.P.

Route 1: Delhi - Chandigarh - Shimla - Rampur - Recong Peo - Sumdo - Tabo - Kaza (8 hours from Kalpa/ Recong Peo)

Route 2: Delhi - Chandigarh -Kullu - Manali - Rotang Pass - Batal - Kumjum Pass - Kaza ( 8 hours from Manali)

Location : Click here for Road Map. Kaza is situated on National Highway 21 at an altitude of 3660 M in Spiti Sub-Division of Lahaul & Spiti District i.e. the north eastern part of Himachal Pradesh. The river Spiti flows quietly by the side of this small hill town. It accessible from Kinnaur as well as Manali side via Kumzum Pass. Tabo: (altitude 3050 M) It is 47 KM east from Kaza towards KInnaur and on the same highway from Shimla to Kaza via Rampur, Powari, Sumdo, etc.and 64 KM. from Nako.

General description : It is the Sub-Divisional HQ. The town although very small, has two parts i.e. new Kaza and old Kaza. The new Kaza is comprising of Govt. offices, a few hotels, bus stand, Petrol Pump ( at highest altitude in the world), local market, etc. The old settlements are in old Kaza. The town remains covered with snow in winter months. The tourists visit this town in summer months. The area receives snow, not much rain. The climate is dry and vegetation is scanty. Afforestation work has been started experimentally by the side of the Spiti river. The breathtaking scenic beauty around Kaza is beyond any description.

The population in Spiti are principally consisting of the Bodh community. They are generally from Mongoloid stock and speak Bhoto language. The Bodhs are Buddhist by faith. As reported in the Dist Gazetteer (1975), among the Thakurs (Farmland owners) of Lahaul, the customs of primogeniture still prevails and the eldest son gets the whole property of his father in succession. In Spiti, the eldest son, after his marriage becomes the Khang-Chenpa or owner of the big family house and parents move to the smaller house known as Khang-Chung. The grand father has then to move to smaller house called Yang-Chung. The Spitian custom of primogeniture does not restrict the younger boys to get married or family life. If any of them get married in their own effort, their descendents are called Survas. The Survas are to occupy the unoccupied / ownerless `1lands and develop that for cultivation.

Safety : Safe. The tourists from plains should not venture for much physical work on their arrival or before acclimatization. Roads : Motorable road. Occasionally remains closed to traffic due to land slide and snow in winter. Road traffic: Careful and slow driving in hill roads suggested. Bus service: Yes; Medical support: Hospital; Fuel Pumps: Yes; Car repairing: No; Market & Shopping Center: No except local market; Tourist Information Center: No; Railway & Air Ticket: No; Hotels & Restaurants: A few; Sports & Game Centers: No. Cellular service: BSNL; Car rental: No.

Places of interest : Key Monastery: At 4120 M and 12 KM from Kaza on Kaza - Libber road. the car stops at the foot hill and the tourists are to 5 min's. trek to the Monastery. The Monastery has a good collection of ancient paintings and scriptures. Dhanker Monastery: The 16th Century monastery is situated in mid way between Kaza and Tabo. It is slightly off the route on the top of mountain.To visit the monastery and a fort at Dhanker, the tourists would require a couple of hours. Dhanker is the old capital of Spiti. Kibber- Gette village (4270 M) - the highest inhabitated village in the world, The tourists can visit Kibber after seeing the Key Monastery within an hour. Green Peas grown at Kibber in summer months are of very sweet in taste and fetches very high price in Delhi market. Pin Valley National Park - the land of ibex and snow leopard. Tabo Monastery: The Monastery is more than 1010 years old. The entire monastery covering 6300 Sq .mt. is made of earthen walls with the marvelous colorful frescoes inside. These ancient paintings depicting the life cycle of the Buddha (Jataka tales) were made in the Tibetan style by the artists from Kashmir. UNESCO has enlisted this monastery in the world heritage series. It is also called as "Ajanta of Himalayas". Besides the paintings, there are several antique articles, musical instruments and manuscripts in Pali and Bhot languages are in the monastery. It is also regarded as the most important learning center of Buddhism. There are many caves on the high mountain walls opposite to the monastery. These are also used for meditations of the lamas. In 1996, The Kalchakra (Time Cycle) was celebrated at Tabo Monastery on its 1000th anniversary. In the breathtaking view of Spiti valley between Tabo and Kaza, it is hard to believe that the Himalayan mountain can be made of clay and mud at an altitude of 3000 M. The spherical or oval shaped pebbles are visible embedded in the mountain walls of clay and columns of clay with a heavy stone on its top are standing like ghosts in the barren valley. It indicated that this part was once under the sea. As such Tabo is on the land of different geomorphological importance. The river Spiti flows by the side of Tabo. The chilled and high wind comes from the Tibatan plateau.

Transport : The State transport bus service is available to and fro Chandigarh, Shimla, Recong Peo and Manali, subject to road condition.

Accommodation facilities:

Special mention: Tourists must carry heavy warm clothes, sun-glasses, sun screen lotion and proper shoes. Tabo can be visited from Kalpa in a day with 14 hours by car including visit to Nako Lake. The tourists staying at Tabo may search for marine fossil with necessary equipments.

The advance booking can be made directly or through www.arraytours.com Please call +91 9433001192, (Phone) +91 33 24427635. The above data are indicative as provided by the respective hotel or collected from various sources. The author is not responsible for any difference with the actuals.

Last Updated on Sunday, 24 January 2010 17:12