History
The origins of the people of Spiti go back to Vedic period 1500BC. Later nomadic tribes – the Aryans – settled in the area and called it “hima” “alaya” which means “abode of snow”. Spiti was once part of the Kingdom of Guge. In 1846, by the Treaty of Amritsar between The Sikhs and the British East India Company, Spiti became British.
The Nono or Raja was given responsibility for the administration of the region until 1941 when Spiti became part of the sub-Tehsil of Lahaul & Spiti. In 1960 it became a scheduled area as it was close to the Tibetan border. In 1966 Lahaul & Spiti districts were merged with the newly formed state of Himachel Pradesh.
The Chinese aggression of 1962 saw the Spiti Valley closed to the outside world as a military restricted area, and a buffer zone between the two great powers of India and China. This was to last until 1993 (31 years) when the situation eased. During those years the local people had their livelihood curtailed and they suffered greatly. There is still a military presence in the lower border area of the Spiti Valley.
