Spiti valley is where I fell in love with mountains. Do you want to know how this land became a part of our country and who ruled this beautiful land? Let’s find out.

Lahaul and Spiti cover an area of 5,341 sq mi, and Spiti valley is one of the most pristine regions of India. Over the years, it has been the home to many different tribes and cultures and is still a stronghold of Buddhism. In this blog post, we will explore the history of Spiti valley and its origins to the rulers. We will also look at the power and significance of the local chieftains of Spiti. So if you’re interested in learning about Spiti’s rich history or planning a trip to Spiti, read on!

The origins of Spiti

Spiti Valley is one of the most mysterious regions in India. It’s home to some of the country’s most pristine landscapes and stunning mountain ranges. And it has a long and fascinating history that is mostly undocumented. In 1055 AD, Spiti was under Lhasa’s rule. Powerful rulers surrounded the valley. 

As the population was less, they hardly resisted any attack. Sometimes, the neighboring rulers plundered Spiti for pleasure. The simple people of Spiti valley kept to themselves and barely had an army of their own.

The rulers of Spiti

Only with known history and documentation, we can say that the original rulers of Spiti Valley were the rulers of Lhasa, Tibet. Spiti Valley has always been a pivotal part of Ladakh, and its history is laden with hardship. The rulers of Spiti throughout the years have been key players in the politics of Ladakh and Tibet. In 1262 AD, Emperor Kubla Khan conquered Spiti when he took over Tibet. With the fall of the Tartar empire, Spiti was a part of Tibet till the 17th century. Later, Gyalpo Jamya ruled Ladakh.

When Baltis from the west defeated Jamya, Spiti and other provinces revolted and became independent. That is when Jamya’s son Singe Namgyal took control of Spiti, defeating the Baltis. Ladakh was back into rule with Singe. 

On the contrary, the Spitian people were busy with daily living and hardly interfered in the kingly politics.

The power of local chieftains – Nono

For most of the valley’s history, the local chieftains were known as Nono’s. They had simple administrative powers to deal with local thieves and small-time criminals. Any unmanageable criminal cases or disputes were usually passed on to the state rulers. 

But Spiti was an isolated place, and taking this to their advantage Nono gradually became powerful. Nono, is a derived from greek, meaning king of kings. A variant of Nono is Nana which is in use in Maharashtra.

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How did the valley become a part of India?

It all happened in 1846 when the British East India Company ruled India. The then Governor of Leh, G. Trebeck, had already visited Spiti in 1821. The British thought that Spiti must not remain in isolation considering the trade with the Pashmina-producing districts of Chang Thang (Ladakh). Hence under the Treaty of Amritsar with Raja Gulab Singh, Spiti became part of the British Empire and now India.

Conclusion

Though Spiti has been in isolation for most of its history, the beauty of this place is unbeatable. The recent past has seen a spike in tourists visiting the Spiti Valley and exploring these places. Thanks to British and Indian past explorers, and insights from Harish Kapadia, Spiti is now a beautiful tourist place for all.