Kinnaur district

Kinnaur is one of twelve administrative s of,. The district is itself divided into three administrative areas –, , and – and has five  or counties. The administrative headquarter for  is at. Due to the network of motorable roads all the essential facilities can be availed. According to ancient Hindu texts Kinners are the halfway between humans and gods. From here valley, and district headquarters, , , considered to be the abode of Lord , can be viewed.

Geography
A mountainous area, ranging in altitude from 2,320 to 6,816 metres, Kinnaur is one of the smallest districts in. It is famous for the, a mountain sacred to , close to the an border.

Climate
Most of Kinnaur enjoys a temperate climate due to its high elevation, with long winters from October to May, and short summers from June to September. The lower parts of the and the  receive monsoon rains. The upper areas of the valleys fall mainly in the rain-shadow area. These areas are considered to be arid regions, similar to the climate of.

Flora and fauna
Portions of Kinnaur are situated high in the, where vegetation is sparse and consists primarily of hardy grasses. Alpine species such as, , , , and can be found at elevations between 3,500 and 5,000 metres, primarily in Middle Kinnaur. At lower altitudes, temperate-climate trees are found, including, , , , , , , and.

s and s are reared by local farmers in the higher areas. Scattered populations of the and small  may also be found.

People
"It is said that two great Rishis(Saints) from satyuga will reincarnate in kalyuga in kinnaur to spread goodwill and some wits in kinnauri people. These two saints will have birth near Nichar Valley and Akpa. Though these two saints will be devoid of any wits in this yuga but one of their "mitra" will take care of them and help them to shape the life of kinnauri people."

Noted Historian Mr Kamal Thakur has asserted that "kinner" means like "horse like". And thats why kinnauri people have faces resembling to horses. Other meaning of kinner is "ashwa" which means the same. Some others fraud people do day like this : The local people, known as Kinner or Kinnauri, are of and Indo-Caucasian origin, mixed in varying degrees depending on region. Those in Lower Kinnaur possess more Caucasian features, while those in Upper Kinnaur possess predominantly Tibetan features. Racial mixing is greatest in Middle Kinnaur.

According to myth, the Kinners are descendants of the : beings halfway between men and gods that possess supernatural powers. They also claim descent from the , Khosias, and Beru castes.

The Kinners speak a dialect of the family known as Kinnauri or Kanauri. The distinctive feature of Kinnarui dialect is the use of Hindi elements. The Tibetan Jangram dialect is spoken by the Kinners living in Pooh and.

Two thousand speakers of the old dialect in the  still remain today.

Lifestyle
Generally, Kinner houses have storerooms for keeping grain and dried fruits, and separate wooden grain-storage structures, called kathar. Pakpa, a piece of sheepskin or yakskin, is often placed on the khayarcha mat.

Traditionally Kinners use utensils made of brass and bronze. Modern influences have included the introduction of Chinese crockery, and utensils made of stainless steel and aluminium.

Clothes are mainly of wool. The thepang, a grey woollen cap, is worn with a white velvet band. The Tibetan chhuba, a long woollen coat which resembles an achkan, is worn as well, with a sleeveless woollen jacket. While men wear woollen churidhar pajamas, and tailored woollen shirts such as the chamn kurti, the women wrap themselves up in a dohru. The first wrap of the dohru is based on the back, with embroidered borders displayed throughout its length, which stretches to the heels. Darker shades of colours are preferred for the Dohru, although other beautifully coloured shawls may be worn, usually draped over the shoulders. A choli, another type of full sleeved blouse worn by women, may serve as a decorative lining as well.

The Kinners are classified mainly into two castes: Lower and upper caste. Again both of these categories are divided into sub classes. The caste system is more prevalent in the Lower and Middle Kinnaur regions.

Religion
Hinduism and are the main religions in the district, although  is also practised. These three religions have undergone religious mixing, along with some indigenous shamanistic practices. One can see some Buddhist influences on the Hindu religion in Lower Kinnaur, the mixing of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs in varying degrees in Middle Kinnaur, and even the influence of Hinduism on Buddhism in Pooh of Upper Kinnaur. However, Buddhist Hangrang remains largely untouched by Hindu influence.

One can see Hindu gods being worshipped side by side with Buddhist deities in Buddhist and Hindu temples, especially in Middle Kinnaur. Dabla, one of the major Bön deities, is greatly revered by the Kinners in the area. Folk Hindu gods are also worshipped in Middle and Lower Kinnaur. These include the (locally known as Chandi,, ) and many other folk Hindu–animist gods. Folk deities play a major role in the daily life of the Kinners.

Superstitions concerning animist ghosts such as Banchir,, and Khunkch also play an important role in the belief system of the Kinners. s and horns of domestic animals are used to ward off the evil spirits, in order to bring good luck.

Buddhist s play an important role in the daily life of the Kinners, and young monks of Upper and Middle Kinnaur are trained from a young age in conducting religious ceremonies, devoting their lives to and learning to read Tibetan scriptures and Buddhist doctrines. When they become s(male monks) and Chomos(female nuns), they are given religious duties, which include presiding over the religious and secular affairs of the Kinners. They are generally divided into two groups, namely, the celibate Gyolang, who shave their heads, and the non-celibate Durpu, who do not shave their heads.

The is the most sacred mountain for most Kinners. Every year it is visited by thousands of locals on religious pilgrimages known as Yatra, Hindu and Buddhist alike.

History
Little is known about the history of Kinnaur, except for the fact that it was once known as Kanaurra or Kinnaura. There are, however, legends and myths among the inhabitants.

It is known that the area was placed under the control of the kingdom, followed by the  during the, which was then inhabited mainly by the Kirata, , Panasika, and Valhika. Kinnaur also came under the influence of the kingdom of Tibet between the  and  centuries.

Kinnaur was later divided into seven parts, known as Sat Khund. Conflicts in the region eventually gave rise to the formation of many small chiefdoms, which fought amongst one another for power. These struggles also included the neighbouring Bhotes. Several forts from this time, including Labrang, Moorang, and Kamru, serve as evidence of the region's history of conflict, which lasted until Emperor  conquered the area. Akbar's conquest resulted in the incorporation of the Kinnaur valley into the.

After the collapse of the Mughal Empire, the Kinnaur valley, then known as Chini Tehsil, played an influential role. When its dominant r&ocirc;le in the region lapsed, it was merged to form part of the then Mahasu district. By, political, ethnic, and cultural considerations led to the area being reorganised, forming the present Kinnaur district.