| Spitians
Spitians are residents of the arid heights in the Spiti valley. They have
nothing to offer as produce because the land is scanty and without irrigation
facilities. But improvements have been made during the last few years,
with the construction of the new road connecting Samdoh to Kaza and the
introduction of the lift irrigation facilities.
In the Patan valley in Lahaul Spiti there are a few families
belonging to the Samvegala. They have migrated here from Jammu, Kashtwar
and Kashmir areas and belong to the caste of the Brahmins. They consider
themselves fairly high in the caste order and are farmers by profession.
They follow the Shaiva sect of Hinduism and worship the Lingam and snakes.
They have a system of joint families. Two brothers may have one wife and
occasionally a woman may have more than one husband. Their dialect is
Swang and their dress is similar to that of Buddhists. They love to drink
salted tea and chhang (rice wine). When ill, they prefer to go to a witch
doctor and get themselves cured by magic.
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