SBS Khumancha at 10:56, 17 March 2026

2026-03-17T10:56:00Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{pp-semi-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Poo
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Town
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Himachal Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Himachal Pradesh, India
| coordinates = {{coord|31.7667|N|78.5833|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 = [[Kinnaur district|Kinnaur]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = |
| governing_body = [[Nagar Palika]]
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 2262
| population_total = 1,192
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| demographics1_title2 = Native
| demographics1_info2 = [[Bhoti Kinnauri]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| registration_plate =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Poo Town.jpg|thumb|280px|Poo Town, [[Kinnaur]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], India.]]
[[File:Sakya Muni Buddha Puh Gompa.jpg|thumb|Sakya Muni Buddha Puh Gompa]]
[[File:Ancient Wooden door - Puh Gompa.jpg|thumb|Ancient Wooden door - Puh Gompa]]
{{Tibetan Buddhism}}
'''Poo''', or '''Pooh''', also known as '''Spuwa''' (altitude 2,662 metres or 8,736 ft), is a small town in [[Kinnaur district]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], India. The approximate population given within a 7 km radius of the town is 1,192.<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/11/Poo.html Poo, India Page]. fallingrain.com</ref> It is roughly 18 km from the [[Line of Actual Control]].

Poo is 58 km from Powari village along [[National Highway 5 (India)|National Highway 5]] (formerly [[National Highway 22 (India)|NH-22]]. In 2020, construction of a roughly 150 km road between Pooh and [[Chumar]] was approved, to shorten the existing 720 km connection between the border towns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dutta |first=Amrita Nayak |date=2020-09-15 |title=Modi govt's infra push along China border — 2 new roads, alternate route to Daulat Beg Oldie |url=https://theprint.in/defence/modi-govts-infra-push-along-china-border-2-new-roads-alternate-route-to-daulat-beg-oldie/502013/ |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=ThePrint}}</ref>

It is known for its natural environment, green fields, apricot orchards, vineyards and almond trees.{{fact|date=May 2017}} Inscriptions suggest that Poo was an important trading center in the early 11th century.

When [[August Hermann Francke (Tibetologist)|A. H. Francke]] arrived in Poo from the south in July, 1910, it was the first village he found where the language was "entirely Tibetan".<ref>Francke (1914), p. 18.</ref>

There is an ancient temple, Lotsaba-bai-lha-khang, dedicated to [[Shakyamuni]] or [[Buddha]] and attributed to the translator (or ''Lotsaba''), [[Rinchen Zangpo]] (958–1055).<ref>Francke (1914), p. 20.</ref> The shrine has wooden columns supporting a high ceiling. It has murals and a painted door from the period of Rinchen Zangpo (10th to 11th century), though they are in a poor state of preservation.<ref>Handa (1987), pp. 108–109.</ref>

There is a local pre-Buddhist deity, Dablā, who has no dwelling or altar in Poo (although he has a [[devata]] temple devoted to him at [[Kanum]]).<ref>Handa (1987), p. 108.</ref> His only manifestation is a pole with a small idol set on its upper portion and adorned with yak tail hair and long pieces of coloured cloth.<ref>[http://www.himachalhotels.in/pooh.html Kinnaur / Pooh]. himachalhotels.in</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
*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.

==External links==
*[http://www.maplandia.com/india/himachal-pradesh/kinnaur/poo/ Map and coordinates of Poo]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poo (Town)}}
[[Category:Tourism in Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Kinnaur district]]
[[Category:Hill stations in Himachal Pradesh]]

Poo, India - Revision history

SBS Khumancha at 10:56, 17 March 2026