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{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
| native_name = Kaza
| native_name_lang =
| other_name = Karze or Karzey
| nickname =
| settlement_type = town
| image_skyline = Kaza - Losar Entry point.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Kaza Losar Entry Gate
| pushpin_map = India Himachal Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Himachal Pradesh, India
| coordinates = {{coord|32.22|N|78.08|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Lahaul and Spiti district|Lahaul and Spiti]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 3800
| population_total = 3231
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 172114
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 01906 - STD code
| registration_plate = H.P.- 41
| blank1_name_sec1 = [[Human sex ratio|Sex ratio]]
| blank1_info_sec1 = 974 [[male|♂]]/[[female|♀]]
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Gandhala-Kaza 28-6-04 082.jpg|thumb|240px|Downtown Kaza, 2004]]
[[File:Spiti 1-7-04 (1) 062.jpg|thumb|240px|Public Hospital, Kaza, 2004]]
[[File:Kaza 28-6-04 009.jpg|thumb|240px|Family at home with visitors, Kaza, 2004]]
[[File:Downtown Kaza. Spiti.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Downtown Kaza. Spiti]]
The town of '''Kaza''' or '''Kaze''' is the subdivisional headquarters of the remote [[Spiti Valley]] in the western [[Himalayas]] in the [[Lahaul and Spiti district]] of the [[North India|northern]] [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Himachal Pradesh]]. Spiti is a high altitude or cold desert having close similarities to the neighbouring [[Tibet]] and [[Ladakh]] regions in terms of terrain, climate and the Buddhist culture. Kaza, situated along the [[Spiti River]] at an elevation of {{convert|3650|m}} above mean sea level, is the largest township and commercial center of the Spiti valley.

==Description==
The town is divided into the old, as Kaza'' Khas'' and new as Kaza ''Soma'' sections. The new town contains the administrative buildings. The [[Tangyud]] (Tang-rGyud) Gompa dates to the early 14th century and is built like a fortified castle with massive slanted mud walls and battlements with vertical red ochre and white vertical stripes. It is on the edge of a deep canyon and overlooking the town of Kaza, 4 km from the town.<ref>Handa (1987), pp. 83-85.</ref><ref>Kapadia (1999), p. 204.</ref> Approaching it from the south one sees Kyu-ling (''Skyid-gling''), the stately palace of the Nono (king) on the other side of the river.<ref>Francke (1914), p. 44.</ref>

==Access==
Kaza is overlooked by high mountain ridges on the NE and SW sides. The [[Spiti River]] runs from NW to SE past Kaza. Kaza has two access routes: one from Kinnaur valley and the other from the Lahaul valley. The [[National Highway 505 (India)|route via NH 505]] through [[Kinnaur]] is open throughout the year, except for occasional short periods resulting from landslides or heavy snowfall. This road, starting from [[Shimla]], follows the [[Sutlej]] river unto a little beyond [[Poo, India|Poo]], thereafter turning northwards to follow the Spiti river all the way to Kaza. The other road starts from [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]] and after crossing the {{convert|13090|ft|m|adj=on}} high [[Rohtang Pass]] to reach Gramphoo where it joins the road from Keylong and proceeds south along Chandra River till Batal then climbs up to cross the {{convert|14928|ft|m|adj=on}} high Kunzum pass, enters the Spiti valley to reach Kaza. It remains closed during winter months, normally from October end to June due to heavy snowfall on both the passes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lahaul & Spiti - land of lamas OR little Tibet OR Country of the gods OR The Land of haunting and unforgettable beauty|url=http://www.himachaltourism.org/tourist-attractions/lahaul-spiti.html|website=Himachal Tourism}}</ref> [[Kaza]] is the one of the coldest towns in India. The temperature varies greatly in a different seasons and during a day, January is the coldest month of the year with an average temperature of -25 °C,while July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 10 °C.{{cn|date=April 2017}}

==Festivals & Tourism==
[[File:Kaza-Kunzum La-Baatal-Gramphu-Leh Manali Highway.jpg|thumb|Warning sign by Spiti District Administration near Kaza - Kunzum La Road]]
Kaza is known for its colorful festivals and the ancient [[Sakya]] Tangyud Monastery, 14 km from the town. It is also popular with tourists and adventure seekers during the period of June, July and August and September because of its central location and connections to the rest of the valley (Connects to Leh-Manali Highway via [[Kunzum Pass|Kunzum]] Pass). This central location also makes Kaza an ideal base camp for trekking, mountaineering, and tours directed to other parts of the valley.

Festivals like Fagli and Gochi are celebrated. Hindus also celebrate their festivals like harvest festival, festival of light. There are various fairs like Ladarcha fair, Pauri fair, Tribal fair and Tsheshu fair. Kaza’s Ladachar Fair, Lauhal and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh are the most renowned fairs of the place, these fairs indicate the termination of summer season in the region.

Previously, Ladarcha fair used to be celebrated in Kibbar maidan in Spit in the month of July where traders from Ladakh, Rampur Busher and Spiti meet in this fair to barter their produce. Due to closure of Tibetan traders, this fair is now being celebrated at Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti Sub Division in the 3rd week of August. A large number of visitors and traders from Kullu/ Lahaul/ Kinnaur meet there. It has now become a conference of cultures of Spiti, Ladakh & Kinnaur as also of the Indian plains.

The highest post office in the world at [[Hikkim, Himachal Pradesh|Hikkim village]] (PIN 172114) at an elevation of {{convert|4400|m|ft|abbr=on}} is situated {{convert|46|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Kaza. It sends postal letters to and receives postal articles from Kaza post office.<ref>http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180606-the-worlds-highest-post-office</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The world's highest post office!|url=http://www.rediff.com/india60/2007/sep/20fact.htm|newspaper=Rediff News|date=20 September 2007|location=India}}</ref>

==Monasteries==
Sakya [[Tangyud Monastery|Tangyud]] monastery; built in the year 2009, Sakya Tangyud monastery is situated in Kaza town of Spiti Valley. [[Key Monastery|Key (Ki)]] Monastery was built by Dromton, a student of the renowned instructor, Atisha, in the eleventh century and is located at a height of 13,504 feet in Kaza town.

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* Ciliberto, Jonathan. (2013). [https://web.archive.org/web/20180522070453/http://jonciliberto.com/spiti/index.html "Six Weeks in the Spiti Valley"]. Circle B Press. 2013. Atlanta. {{ISBN|978-0-9659336-6-7}}
* Francke, A. H. (1914, 1926). ''Antiquities of Indian Tibet''. Two Volumes. Calcutta. 1972 reprint: S. Chand, New Delhi.
* Handa, O. C. (1987). ''Buddhist Monasteries in Himachal Pradesh''. Indus Publishing Company, New Delhi. {{ISBN|978-81-85182-03-2}}.
* Kapadia, Harish. (1999). ''Spiti: Adventures in the Trans-Himalaya''. Second Edition. (1st edition 1996). Indus Publishing Company, New Delhi. {{ISBN|81-7387-093-4}}.

==External links==
{{commons category|Kaza, Spiti}}
* {{wikivoyage-inline|Kaza}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090129073110/http://hplahaulspiti.gov.in/SpitiTouristPlaces.htm#Kaza]
* [http://www.mapsofindia.com/shimla/kaza-hill-station.html Kaza Hill Station]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717080317/http://www.tourscare.com/kaza/ Parasol Retreat KAZA]
* [http://www.traveldepict.com/kaza/ Kaza:A complete travel guide]

{{Lahaul and Spiti}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Lahaul and Spiti district]]
[[Category:Lahaul and Spiti district]]

Kaza, Himachal Pradesh - Revision history

WikiDwarfBOT: Cleanup:

->ClueBot NG: Reverting possible vandalism by 2405:201:5805:4034:A163:70AD:FFE:C66E to version by Googol19980904. Report False Positive? Thanks, ClueBot NG. (4000043) (Bot)