The district from generation to generation has got most historical importance and is known in ancient times for its performances in devil dances, mural or thanka paintings, literature, and arts.
The district is endowed with economic resources viz. agricultural land growing cereals, pulses, off-season vegetables, etc.
The irrigation projects have also been set up for providing an uninterrupted water supply to the fields.
The district is well connected with road transport and air links.
The main production of land is buckwheat, wheat, barley, peas, potato, kuth, and hops.
The Lahulian are a business-minded people.
Being situated on the trade route from Central Asia to Tibet, the people of this district grow the wheat seeds which are sold to the Punjab area.
Now, instead of growing traditional and less economic crops, they grow cash crops like peas, potato seeds, hops and kuth which they export to various parts of the country.
Lahauli is the principal language of Lahaul and Bhoti is spoken in the entire Spiti valley.
The staple food of the people is buckwheat, locally known as kathu, barley, wheat and rice.
They have three meals a day- Ken or tshema in the morning, shod or chhiken in the noon and yangskin or Gongal at night.
The houses are constructed by using local raw materials like soil, rocky stone, local wood, stone coated with cement.
Houses are generally two or three-storied.
Special dishes or feast differ according to caste, class, status, and economic conditions.
They celebrate various social and religious festivals.
In general, the social and cultural life of the people has been improving with the opening of the district with the outer world.
Contribution of the district
- This district has given many saints, scholars, and preachers of Buddhist study.
- Ghephan is believed to be born at Shashin near Keylong.
- Thakur Amir Chand of Keylong availed himself of an opportunity arising out of the first world war and did valuable work in recruiting, finally proceeding in-person to Mesopotamia as a Jamadar in the 6th Labour Corps with a five body of Lahulas serving under him.
- The Kibber village of the district is one of the highest inhabited villages in the world.