Spiti, locally pronounced as ‘piti’, literally means the word ‘middle country’. Situated at the high altitudes of western Himachal Pradesh, cold deserts of Spiti valley is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and the River Spiti, which originates at Kunzum range and joins Sutlej River at Kinnaur valley. The valley lies very close to Tibet/China and its influence can be seen in ancient culture and tradition of the area. It is one of the least populated regions of the country. With maximum number of people practicing Himalayan Buddhism, its rich heritage can be seen in its monasteries, traditional dances, songs and customs. In almost complete isolation from the outside world for centuries, Spiti has a culture centered around its monasteries- Dhankhar, Key, Tabo, Mud, Komic, and Kaza to name a few. In a Spitian family, traditionally the eldest son inherits everything and the other son joins the monastery.