Now comes, the string of bulbs which is exclusive to the land of KINNAUR, opening a stream of light to the tourists and residents.

The Kinnauri Tea (also commonly known as the Butter Tea/Chaa Chah/Thang Chai/Namkeen Chai) is a specialty of Kinnaur. But, never go by its name, this beverage is not made from tea leaves. It is a concoction of milk, yak butter, dry walnut kernel, black pepper and salt with an infusion of Chathang leaves or Yamdal bark, which is the main ingredient of the tea & is limited to the Himalayan region.  

Kinnaur is well known as the “Fruit Bowl of Himachal”. The striking thing you notice while passing through every valley is the fruit laden trees! While the apples rule over, it’s not difficult to trace out the plum, peaches, apricots and cherries that grace the orchards.

More over Washington apples and New Zealand kiwi, apples from Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir are on the rise; and specially the Kinnaur Apples, grown at an altitude above 10,000 feet. Kinnaur lies in the apple belt of the Himachal region and the apples are extremely juicy, succulent and sweet. They are one of the premium grade apples in India. A particular variety of Wild Apricot, primarily identified with Kinnaur, is famous not only for its taste, but for its kernel oil known as the Chuli Oil or otherwise locally known as “Gutti Ka Tel”. It is almost used in all the households for domestic consumption. Similarly, the Wild Peach and peach kernel oil, popularly known as the Behami Oil is also a native produce. With all the stone fruits in support, come into play the Cherries of Kinnaur, which has recently grown as a popular choice of crop among the farmers.

Dry fruits and hills & vallies go hand in hand. But, if you haven’t seen orchards full of dry fruits, you need to get to Kinnaur soon. Kinnaur owns baskets of dry fruits, including the Almonds (Kagzi Badam, try eating it when it’s green and still raw and not dried hard), Walnuts (looks like pretty round green balls hanging in bunch when raw, serves not only brain shaped nuts, but is a great wood for making furniture), Pine nuts (Chilgoza, is one of the most important cash crops of Kinnaur, also Kinnaur has the largest Chilgoza forests), Chestnuts (have a unique flavor and aroma & also have medicinal values due to the climatic condition & chemical free environment of Kinnaur), cashews, dates, raisins, pistachio, hazelnuts, etc. to name a few.

Adding on, there are a few star produce of Kinnaur, listing the

• Sea Buckthorn (also known as Chharma/Seaberry, are orange-yellow berries, which have been used over centuries as food, traditional medicine and for skincare treatment)
• Morrells (commonly known as Gucchi mushrooms are edible sac fungus easily available in the region)
• Honey (natural, pure white honey comes from the traditional beekeeping of Kinnaur)

This unique tribal district of Himachal Pradesh, due to its geographical position and climatic perks, has the distinction of being pioneer district in the state having a rich natural resource of medicinal and aromatic plants. It is the largest producer of Atish, Salampania, Dhoop, Kutki, Bankakari, Talispatara, Chora, Revandchini and Somlata in the country. Kala zeera, which is known to have medicinal and herbal values are also grown in the region. The present paper highlights a total of around 103 species from 79 genera belonging to 39 families, having medicinal and aromatic values. The natural produce of Kinnaur holds a keen interest for the tourists, which is not only vast but peculiar to itself. If you still haven’t added it to your bucket list, then you are surely going to miss out a treasure!

Now, let’s look into the meal plan of the local residents:

Meals during the day

Ken or Tshema is eaten as the morning breakfast. This usually consists of flatbreads served with some accompaniments.

The breakfast is followed by Shod in lunch. Chicken forms an important part of the staple diet.

The dinner is Yangskin or Gongal. Different meats are served in different regions depending on preferences. For eg, in upper Kinnaur, quite a few communities consume yak meat.

Native Flatbreads

The special flatbreads of Kinnaur are now becoming famous all over India. Parathas (flatbreads) made of barley, buckwheat or amaranth are a staple diet. Tsampa is a baked cake made from the barley flour. Chilta is made from buckwheat flour. This is a bit bitter in taste and its sweeter version is known as Olga.

Main Course and Accompaniments

Phanting is a special gruel or porridge made of wild apricots which are later cooked in water and salt. There are various vegetable preparations made with the local produce and spices. The vegetables include cabbage, peas, pumpkin, turnips, and potatoes.

Non-vegetarians are really adventurous and enjoy a long list of delicious meats. The natives of Kinnaur are generally non-vegetarians relishing on goat meat cooked with Himachali spices. But, there’s also another group of residents who are religiously vegetarian.

Beverages

In the locals, Tibetan lemon-ginger and honey tea is also famous.

The most common beverage drunk by the locals is Cha or Tea with barley sattu. It is sometimes also known as butter tea. The tea is made by boiling a large amount of water with tea leaves, salt, butter, milk almonds, walnuts, and other spices. This special slightly salty tea is fairly common all over the Himalayan regions and traces its origin back to Tibet’s famous buttered salty tea.

Local Beer

Home-brewed beers are a home way out in the Himachal regions. Kinnaur also has some fascinating local brewed drinks. A variety of different ingredients are used to make the delights like apples, apricots, grapes, barley, or any locally produced fruit.

Angoori is a brilliant supplement to red wine. Nesang, the brandy manufactured in Kinnaur is also very popular.

Having looked into the major staple dishes we can predict that the maximum impact on the Kinnaur cuisine is from Tibet. One of the most common and tasty foods is the momos. The authentic momos that you will get in the Himalayan regions is rarely found round the world. The stuffings depend on the various occasions and festivals. You can try various other authentic Himalayan recipes like the thukpa.

The most relished items is a dessert of apricots. It is cooked by tribal men and women folk in open-air kitchens, and the dishes became a superhit. Siddu is a steamed stuffed burger made of wheat flour base, to which yeast and butter and ghee are added.

Thus, Kinnaur and its food provide you with some really adventurous ride on the taste buds. While you go trekking or skiing and enjoy some adrenaline, feed your body too with these heavenly and delicious local delights.

Cuisines are therefore more specialised in the Hilly regions and thus, Sangla offers a great variety of options for food.

The historians believe that Kinnaur and its surroundings were a part of the Magadha and Mauryan kingdoms. After which the Kushanas and Guptas took place. The forts of Kamru, Morang and Labrang reflect the history through its art. The forts of Kinnaur and adjoining regions show a rich effect of the wars and culture.

The temples of Kinnaur show the typical Pahari style with significant fusion of the Buddhist influence on architecture as the pent roof and the pagoda roof. They have chisel shaped wooden tops and ornamental motifs finely carved into the wood. They are made with alternating stones and wood that makes the building earthquake resistant. The Bhimkali temple at Sarahan is perhaps the most spectacular example of this fusion. The entire upper section of the temple has exquisitely carved cedar wood panelling. The traditional houses have wooden carved doors which serve the way of up road.

The remote Himalayan region of Kinnaur in northwestern India is known for its carved wooden homes with decorative features. Relatively recent environmental policies have prompted limitations on wood collection. This, coupled with an increase in access to modern building materials, has resulted in dramatic changes in vernacular housing styles. Landscape analysis and interviews reveal that house form, building methods, and construction materials are all changing. However, decorative features are among the last remaining characteristics of the traditional house. This paper argues that small‐scale architectural features are a significant part of an enduring vernacular landscape and allow a region to preserve traditional styles and identity, while also moving forward as a modernizing society.

The Kamru Fort looks similar to a tower which has been made with the help of stuffing stones on the top of one another. The fort appears like a dignified architectural piece and is known to be quite a remarkable structure. The fort comprises of five floors and is often compared to a multi storied building made of wood. The fort consists of an elegantly styled balcony made of wood and is considered to be quite a distinguishing work of wood art. The fort is regarded as the result of exceptional architecture as the fort is known to have been standing strong and straight even in such severe weather conditions of Himachal Pradesh. The fort is situated on the top thus, ensuring pictorial views of the whole valley along with the gushing Bapsa River. The fort is entered by passing through a sequence of gates. Another interesting architectural feature is the picture of Kamkhya Devi and the goddess that is Kamakshi Devi is believed to dwell in the upper third floor. A shrine dedicated to Lord Badrinath can be seen in the fort and it is believed to be from the period of 25th century. Next to the fort, tall snow covered mountains with thick forests and orchards full of fruits can be observed. There are several outbuildings within the premises of the fort which are capable of being accessed with the help of the walled courtyard, though, none of the building apart from the temple remains open. The tower of the fort also remains closed as well. The Kamru Fort is a classic instance of Kinnauri form of architecture and the blend of both Buddhism as well as Hinduism further validates the actuality.

All in all the architecture of Kinnaur has a different ambience for the complete region and is authentic to itself. The wooden carvings and crafting are an eye catcher for majority of the tourists. Never forget to visit the renowned forts, temples as well as the houses of the residents. Along with the architecture, they have the culture which is worth knowing about!

Let’s look into the various climate approvals of Sangla, followed by the complementary seasons:

The climate as a whole is quite pleasant throughout the year, though the winters are a bit rough. Summers are comparatively less hot, ranging from 8-30℃. The hilltops are warm and the Sun shines great in the morning. Monsoon season brings in a lesser amount of rainfall and are moderate. The winters are generally not recommended as a visiting tenure because of the extremely cold temperature between (-10)-10℃ and a substantial amount of snowfall. The best prescribed seasons are during summers and monsoon.

If we start looking through the months in particular, we would notice:

March-April

This season sees the start of snow melting and the flowers in apple orchards. This is the perfect time to see snow-caped peaks of Kinnaur and enjoy the colors of the beautiful landscapes of the Himalayas. By second week of March, the road to Chitkul also opens, and the Baspa River emits some beautiful colors of itself. Before the starting of May, the place is more likely to be free and thus, a good step out for tourists.

May-June-July

The road from Manali to Spiti Valley opens during the months of May-July and thus are the peak months to visit Kinnaur and Spiti Valley. Majority of the link roads to the sightseeing places in the region and also, since, it is the time of summer holidays, maximum families get attracted to the hilly regions. Tourists travel to the Himalayas in search fresh cool breeze to get relieve from the scorching heat of the Sun.

One of the major concerns while traveling to Spiti Valley is to leave early morning to avoid the heavy water flow in water crossings.

August

August is the major monsoon period and hence, the roads are in a bad state as compared to the rest of the year. Spiti Valley falls in the Trans Himalayan region, which is generally covered with rain and quite often gets drizzles and overcast skies. While planning a trip during monsoon, always keep buffer time in hand to sudden delays and easy modifications.

The Apple season in the lower Himachal and Kinnaur starts in the end of August and September starting. One may just get some cartons loaded with Kinnaur apples to serve a feast.

September-October-November

The road starts to heal up by these months and one of the best times to visit the Kinnaur Valley. The valley spreads amazing calmness with the shades of orange on trees, and to compliment that are the shades of blue and sparkle in the rivers.

December-January-February

The winter falls in from the month of December and the road to Chitkul closes down for 4 months due to heavy snowfall and sometimes, it even extends. If you’re planning for higher Kinnaur Valley like Nako, Hangrang, etc. then you need to go through a lot of ice on the roads, power cuts and at extreme freezing conditions. Kinnaur Valley is a better choice than Spiti Valley in winters.

All in all, if you are in love with snow, colours and blooming flowers then visit in March-April. If your reason for visit is the scorching heat of the Sun, then move in May-July and camp on the river sides. Apples of Kinnaur may also be an important interaction for the tourists and thus, September-November and ending with snow in winters.

But, to add on to the recommendations, it’s always better to check weather updates before starting the jouney.

Festive Seasons in Sangla, are celebrated religiously with great delight. The colourful framework of events act as a major attraction for the tourists and exudes a sense of unity and brotherhood among everyone.

• The festival of Holi brings together people from all the surrounding places and is one of the biggest events for the natives.
• Lohri in Sangla is celebrated with great enthusiasm and with culturals it adds in more fun.
• Ukhyang/Phulaich is the “Festival of Flowers” celebrated for 3 days in Sangla, planned to promote tourism and local culture.
• Sazo is the festival of Kinnaur with exotic rituals, grand cultural celebrations and delicious feasts.
• There are many more festivals naming the Losar, Phagli, Dakreni/Dakrain, Jagro which are native to Sangla and are colourful in nature.

Crop Seasons on the other hand are a major eye catcher for global demand, which includes the apple season which starts by the end of September. Buckwheat, pea, rajma add on to the major crops. The spring season sees apricot blossoms.

Adventure Season of Sangla includes the Ruptin Trek which is best to be carried out between March-October excluding the monsoon season.

These seasons summarize the whole essence of Sangla Tour and tourists respectively choose their visiting seasons depending on climate, festive, adventure or crops. Next time you choose a season, don’t forget to get a read.