Known as Chini when it was the main town in Kinnaur, Kalpa is the legendary winter home of Shiva (during the winter, the god is said to retire to his Himalayan home here and indulge his passion for hashish).In the month of Magha (January/February), the gods of Kinnaur supposedly meet here for an annual conference with Shiva. Kalpa was also a favorite resting place for the several high-level British colonialists, including Lord Dalhousie.