LAHUL AND SPITI

The district which has Tibet on the Eastern border, Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir to its North and Chamba and Kulu districts of Himachal Pradesh on the West and the South respectively is unique for various reasons-topography, people, color ful and with an indigenousculture-complex, the incidence of the two religious systems of Hinduism and Buddhism coalescing with each other, fading mythical, legendary and historical associations etc.

The meandering rivers Chandra, Bhaga, etc., all have a sacred entity to the inhabitants as the rivers are the only means for irrigating their very small uneconomic holdings. They become violent torrents in a particular season while in winter they freeze. Gods are taken to reside at particular banks of the rivers and where ancient bridges exist. The snow fields, glaciers, ice-caves, numerous mountain peaks, valleys are other features. In spite of some fauna and flora of unusual specimens and all the characteristics the area is rightly described as a mountain desert.

The Hindus slightly outnumber the Buddhists.- The males outnumber the females. There is a sprinkling of Muslims, Sikhs and men of other religions particularly due to immigration after the district was created in 1960, Lahul sub - division has more of the Hindus while in theSpiti sub-division Buddhism prepon- derates. But for all practical purposes the two faiths have coalesced and together have eroded the previous Animism and deep faith in the Evil and malignant Spirits lurking almost everywhere-trees, stones, peaks and river-banks.

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