Haa District

Haa District (Dzongkha: ཧཱ་རྫོང་ཁག།; Wylie: Haa rzong-khag; alternative spellings include "Ha", also called "Hidden-Land Rice Valley.") is one of the 20 dzongkhag or districts comprising Bhutan. It the second least-populated dzongkhag in the country after Gasa.

The most-spoken language of the district is Dzongkha, the official and national language of Bhutan.

The river Haa Chhu, originating at Jomolhari mountain, flows through the district.

Mystical history of Haa

The name Haa (pronounced "hah"), as well as the more ancient name Has (Dzongkha: ཧས་; Wylie: Has; pronounced "hay"), connotes esoteric hiddenness. Haa's major feature is the Haa Valley, a steep north–south valley with a narrow floor. The district is presided over by three mountains collectively referred as "Three Brothers" -- Jampelyang, Chana-Dorji, and Chenrezig.

Black, White, and Haa Gonpa temples

Local historians maintain that two important temples in Haa District, the Black Temple (lhakhang Nagpo) and the White Temple (lhakhang karpo), were built at the same time as Kyerchu Temple in Paro in the 7th century AD. The two temples can be found near each other at the sacred site known as Miri Punsum, or "The Three Brother Hills". A third temple, Haa Gonpa, was built further up the valley at the site where, according to legend, a bodhisattva, disguised as a lame pigeon, was found by a local farmer who was drawn to the spot by a mysterious fire seen on several successive nights and by the unexplained sounds of oboes and trumpets (musical instruments closely associated with Bhutanese and Tibetan monasteries).

During the 10th day of the 11th month of the Bhutanese calendar (see Tibetan calendar), liturgical ceremonies worshipping Amitabha Buddha are held at Haa Gonpa temple.

Sacred oak and the upper house

According to legend, near the Black Temple there are two houses close to a sacred oak tree where the local deity once appeared as a winged creature, scaring the local people (the valley is divided into a number of areas, each under the influence of a particular local deity predating the arrival of Buddhism — see Bön religion). The residents of the two houses gave offerings to the local deity. The local deity, now appeased, visited the upper house while neglecting the lower. The jealous owner of the lower house began a feud in which a man of the upper house was killed. Every year 11th lunar month a series of special mystical practices are performed in the upper house for a week.

The local deity Chungdue

The famous Lam Pema Lingpa also documented what was supposedly the activities of another local deity known as Aup Chungdue. Chungdue was said to be responsible for meteor storms, cyclones, wildfires, rocks splitting apart, earthquakes, and a number of other disasters. The Guru Padmasambhava arrived in the late 8th century and subdued the deity.

In the 15th century aup Chungdue decreed that the people of Ha Shogona village where not to come in contact with any followers of a certain monk in nearby Paro dzongkhag. According to the story, a young Haa man married a girl from Paro, and, unsuspecting, as they crossed a river between the two districts, the knots tying her infant to her back came loose and the baby fell into the river and drowned.

Other features

Neat the Black and White temples is a special stupa chorten marking the site where an imprint of Guru Padmasambhava's body and hat may be found in a large rock.right|thumb|300px|Haa Valley looking north, September, 2006In the Samar side-valley may be found a bridge known as Has Samarpudung. Below the bridge is the lake of a wishing cow whose stone udders can be seen in the lake.

Population

According to Census 2017, the population of the district was 13,655 in 2,952 households, making it the second-least-populated dzongkhag in the country after Gasa. The pastoralists were inclined to keep an unexpectedly high number of male yaks due to the high price of yak meat. In 1993, the price for boneless yak meat stood at Nu 65 per kilogram, i.e. more than four times higher than beef.

Agriculture

Most of the district is unsuitable for agriculture. In 2018, the cultivable land was around 2% of the total area in the district. Agriculture is further constrained by the prolonged winter and shorter growing seasons. In the southern part of the district, cardamom and ginger constitute principal cash crops, while potato serves as the main cash crop in the north. Apples and vegetables are also cultivated on a moderate scale. The southern part of the district covers some sub-tropical area. However, the district is largely a temperate alpine area. Its northern part is above the tree line.

Bji Gewog
Gakiling Gewog
Katsho Gewog
Sama Gewog
Sangbay Gewog
Uesu Gewog

Tourism

thumb|311x311px|Lhakhang Karpo (the White Temple) in Üsu (Uesu) Gewog, Haa, Bhutan. Believed to have originally been established in the 7th century, during the time of the Tibetan Emperor Songtsän Gampo. The temple and its surrounding buildings normally house the monastic assembly ("monk body") of Haa District. This photograph was taken in 2011 while the temple complex was undergoing extensive restoration and re-construction.

In 2002, subsequent to the 79th session of the National Assembly, the valley was opened to foreign tourism. The dzongkhag has 41 lhakhangs, which are owned by the government, community, and private individuals. The Bje, Kar-tshog, Eusu and Samar Gewogs are all within a 15 km radius of the dzongkhag administration. They have fairly good road network, electricity, telephone connectivity, water supply, and health facilities.

!Festival

!Location

!Bhutanese dates

!Remarks

|Haa Tsechu

|Lhakhang Karpo, Uesu

|8th-10th day of the 8th month

|Three-day annual festival

|Lomba

|Celebrated throughout the Haa valley

|29th day of the 10th month till the 2nd of the 11th month

|People prepare a special local delicacy called ‘Hoentey’, a dumpling made out of sweet buckwheat, flour, and green turnip leaves. The celebration is followed by a community archery game.

|Yongto Bongko, Kibri Bongko, Dumchu Bongko, Tshaphel Bongku, and Kana Bongku

|Yongto, Kibri, Dumchu, Tshaphel, and Kana

|Begins on the 17th day of the 11th month

|The shaman festival is organised every three years by the communities.

|Wangtsa Goencham

|Wangtsa Lhakhang, Katsho

|1st day of the 11th month

|Community festival

|Tshenka Wango

|Tshenka lhakhang, Jenkakha – Bjee

|15th day of the 11th month

|Annual celebration in which people from Paro also participate.

|Haa Summer Festival

|Imtrat grounds

|July 13–16 every year

The Haa District is often a destination for tourists, given its scenery and rich cultural heritage. Attractions in the district include:

Cultural Exploration:

The Haa District is known for its rich cultural heritage, including its various festivals, monasteries, and traditional architecture. Some of the prominent cultural attractions include:

'Lhakhang Karpo and Nagpo: These twin temples, also known as the White and Black Temples, are considered sacred and are an important pilgrimage site. They showcase intricate Bhutanese architecture.
'Rongtse Nye: Rangtse Ney is a sacred abode of Guru Rinpoche and Khandro Yeshe Tsogyel in Haa district at an altitude of 1200 meters.
'Haa Summer Festival': Held annually in July, this festival celebrates the culture and traditions of the Haa Valley. It features traditional music, dance performances, local cuisine, and exhibitions of traditional crafts.
'Tagchu Goemba: Located on a hilltop, this ancient monastery has extensive views of the Haa Valley. Visitors can explore its surroundings, wall paintings, and engage with the resident monks to learn about Buddhism in Bhutan.

Nature and Attractions:

Some popular activities for tourists in the Haa District include:

Hiking and Trekking: The district has a number of trails for hiking and trekking, like the Haa Wangchulo Dzongkhag Trek and the Shekhar Drak Trek.
Haa valley–Saga La–Drukgyal Dzong trek is a trek of 23 km that can be covered in two to three days. This trek is also called the 'Haa Planters' Trail' as it was used by rice planters from the valley to reach Paro to work as farm labourers during the planting season (mainly May–June). In return, the people of Haa received red rice after the autumn harvest. The trek passes through villages in the valley and dense forests near Paro. The trek ends near Drukgyal Dzong. On a three-day trek, one can stop at Yangtong. Alternatively, one can also stay at Khadey Ghom. The trek on the second day can end at Dongney Tsho.
The ‘Haa Panorama Hiking Trail’ (HPHT) is a one-day hiking trail that overlooks four major monasteries of upper Haa: Yangthang, Katsho, Dranadingkha and Takchu goenpas<sup>[1]</sup>.

Military

The Indian Army maintains a military base in the valley to maintain security against incursions from China. The Chinese military has built roads into the Torsa Strict Nature Reserve and Haa District over the past dozen years visible on Google Earth/Maps and other viewing platforms.