MANE VILLAGE IN LAHAUL-SPITI

Lahaul-Spiti is the largest district in Himachal Pradesh. It is a very mountainous district. Many people come to enjoy its beauty.

Spiti is tehsil of Lahaul Spiti. People grow barley, potatoes, tomatoes, peas and apples in Spiti. The number of females in Spiti is larger than the number of males. Spiti has five monasteries: Tabo, Dhankhar, Kungri, Kee and Tanggit. There are also three nunneries at Pangmo, Morang, and Kungri. Every village has a different dialect and style of dress. There are many kinds of dances in Spiti. Names of the some of these dances are Kar, Tashi, Balsay and Taksor. Some villages are famous for certain dances. Mane village in known for the dance Kar. These dances are enjoyed by the enthusiastic dancers and spectators. Spiti people are very hardworking and honest.

Now I want to tell a story about Mane village. It used to be a very big village. Then a flood come and the village was divided into two parts: Mane yogma (lower) and Mane gogma (upper ). Five kilometres uphill from Mane is a lake. Due to heavy rain and hot weather melting the mountain snows, the water level of the lake increased until it overflowed, flooding Mane, causing much damage, and creating the village nala between Mane yogma and Mane gogma.

In the foreground is Mane yogma, in the distance, beyond the nala gorge, is Mane gogma.