Gasa
Gasa is one of the 20 dzongkhag (districts) comprising Bhutan. It is located in the far north of the county and spans the Middle and High Himalayas.It is the least developed of all the dzongkhags and has a population of just over 3500 although it has become a hot tourist destination because of its pristine forests and notably, the hot springs. The high altitude makes farming difficult, although government programs seek to establish mustard and summer vegetable planting programs. Residents herd yaks and dzos, and a small number benefit from the nascient tourism industry. More recently a small feeder road is being constructed and it shall be completed by the end of 2007. Electricity is also being supplied to some of the geogs and all electrification programmes is expected to be complete by 2012.
Gasa Tshachu (Hotspring) sees record number of visitors
Gasa Dzong Gasa is most famous for its Layap people, and for the Snowman Trek, one of the most challenging treks in the Himalayas. Gasa is bordered by Tibet to the north and by Thimphu, Punakha, and Wangdue Phodrang dzongkhags to the south. Gasa is divided into four gewogs:
* Goenkhamae Gewog
* Goenkaatoe Gewog
* Laya Gewog
* Lunana Gewog
Formally, Gasa was a dungkhag under Punakha dzongkhag and it was made a separate dzongkhag at the beginning of the 7 th plan in 1992. It consists of four Geogs – Goenkhatoe, Goenkhamae, Laya and Lunana. Gasa lies on the old trade route to Tibet. The Gasa people take pride in the fact that the Zhabdrung entered Bhutan through Gasa and there are many sacred places and artifacts revered as being blessed by his presence and association. In fact, the map for the Geog as drawn by the community use landform associated with the Zhabdrung as reference point. For instance, the Phulakha (pass in the north) is where it is believed that the people of Gasa made their first offerings to the Zhabdrung who had camped there on his way into Bhutan.
Laya and Lunana, which are at higher altitude, have very little scope for agriculture development except dry land cropping like buckwheat and barley. The people entirely depend on rearing livestock and the products are bartered with the neighboring Geogs and Dzongkhags in winter season. Yak rearing is the main occupation. They usually spend winter season at Wangdue and Punakha valley for seasonal works and return with necessary food and clothing items. However, Laya people usually weave their clothing with yak hair specially ladies dress, tent and rope.
Goenkhatoe and Goenkhamae Geogs are at lower altitude than Laya and Lunana. Therefore, the Geogs grows paddy, wheat, mustard, millet, buckwheat and vegetables like potato, cabbage, chilly, pumpkin etc. However, damage of crops by wild animals is the main problem encountered by the people.
Gasa is a livestock potential area and there is vast scope for the livestock activity expansion. Besides, Jigme Dorji National Park is covering the entire Dzongkhag as such, conservation has been given high priority.
Trashithongmoen Dzong, the Dzongkhag Administration is located at Goenkhatoe Geog, with a satellite town and other Central Department/Organization.
Location and area
Gasa lies in the extreme northwest of the country. It is bordered by Punakha Dzongkhag in the southeast, Thimphu in the southwest, Wandue in the east and the Tibetan region of China on the extreme north. The Dzongkhag has an area of 4,409.30 Sq. Km., which is 11% of total area of the whole country. The country’s two major rivers Pho Chhu and Mo Chu, pass through the Dzongkhag. The altitude ranges from 1500 meters to 4500 meters above sea level. The climate of Gasa ranges from temperate to alpine with extremely cold winters and short and pleasant summer. Rainfall is scanty and virtually no rain in winter in the upper region. However, there is heavy snowfall. The average rainfall is about 2000 mm annually.
Land use and environment
About 35% of the total area is under scrub forest, 27% under Fir forest, 15% under Mix conifer 4 % under Broad leafed. Tsamdro covers an area of 19% of the total area of the Dzongkhag, which gives great potential for livestock rearing. The soil is sandy and supports dry cultivation.
The main source of cash income for the people is porter-age to local as well as the tourist. Sale/bartering of livestock products is another source of income to the people of Laya and Lunana Geogs. Other cereals and vegetables are grown to limited area due to marketing and depredation by wild animals.
People and places
The people of Gasa generally speak Dzongkha with a distinctive accent. However, Layaps and Lunaps have their own local dialect in addition to the national language Dzongkha. Layaps and Lunaps lead nomadic lives. Half of the family of each household spend rearing yaks at the mountaintop during summer and move with the herd towards their settlement in winter. Laya women have distinctive feature with their hand woven hat embroidered with colorful beds. The home/hand woven clothing is cold proof as well as waterproof.
Gasa is famous for Tshachu (Hot Spring) which is two days walk from the nearest motorable road (Tarshithang). There are several places of hot springs having different medicinal values as the local community describes. This may be one of the reason, the people of Gasa has less morbidity rate compared to others. Hot springs at Laya and Lunana are also famous, but due to remoteness, only the local community utilizes it. The Dzongkhag has around 13 lhakhangs and chortens Zabsel and Phulakha under Goenkhatoe Geog, Chorten and Sebgi Goenpa lhakhang at Goenkhamae Geog, Tashilhakhang, Throe lhakhang, Dung Goenpa lhakhang, Drophel Choling lhakhang, Yonzho lhakhang and Jangchuk Choling lhakhang at Laya Geog and Bumpa lhakhang, Tshodzong lhakhang and Dzongridra lhakhang at Lunana Geog.
