Isolated Haa Valley
Altitude 2700m
Haa is also known as ‘’the Hidden-Land Rice Valley.’’ Haa’s major feature is its narrow north –south valley. Its new Dzong was built in 1915, near the older one which was destroyed by fire. Haa was the ancient centre of trade with Yatung in the Chumbi valley in Tibet. The valley has been the strong-hold of the Dorji family to which Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck, belongs.
Haa Dzongkhag has a total area of 1,900 sq.km with altitude ranging from 800m to 5,600m. The Dzongkhag has six Gewogs which includes Bji, Eusu, Gakiling, Katsho, Samar and Sangbay. Haa is characterized by a rugged and mountainous terrain, which makes access and delivery of development services difficult as well as expensive. It is constrained by short growing seasons and limited arable land as only about two percent of the land is cultivable. Kamzhing dominates agricultural activity, constituting an estimated 68 percent of the cultivated land. Most of the Gewogs consist of dryland areas and natural pastureland. The main crops grown in the valley are wheat, barley, millet and potato although some rice is grown in the lower reaches of the valley. Potatoes, chillies, apples and other cash crops are grown by farmers on the valley floor along terraced hillsides. Almost 78 percent of Haa us covered with forest, and forest products play an important part in local economy. Livestock rearing constitutes an important economic activity in Haa with many of the northern Gewogs depanding on livestock as their major source of income. In 2002, the valley was opened to foreign tourism.
Gewogs: 6, Population: 12,648, Hospitals:1 BHU: 4, ORCs: 15, Traditional Unit: 1 Schools: 10.
Paces of interest in Haa
Chhundu Lhakhang is one several shrines dedicated to the valley’s protecting deity, Ap Chundu. The temple houses statues of the blue-faced Chhundu and his red faced cousin Jowya.
Lhakhang Karpo
The monk body in Haa is not housed in its Wangchuk Lo Dzong but in Lhakhang Karpo in Eusu Gewog which functions as the Haa Dratshang (monastic body). The annual Haa Tshechu is held here.
