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| || The Past || Don't Miss || Festivals || When to Go || Getting There || |
| Dharamsala,
where His Holiness the Dalai Lama has settled in exile, is a marvelous Tibetan township where an entire cultural tradition
is being nurtured. Dharamsala is one of the very famous buddhist pilgrimage sites in India. It's Popularly known as Scotland of the East,
it is one of the many hill stations that was established by the British in India between 1815 and 1847. Surrounded by deodar forests,
this Buddhist pilgrimage place Dharamsala provides a panoramic view of the great granite Dhauladhar
range in India. Dhauladhar means 'white ridge' and this breathtaking snow-capped range rises out of the Kangra Valley to a height
of 17,060 ft. |
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Though certainly more modern, life is basically Tibetan in character,
with streams of Tibetan refugees and Buddhists people from all over the world flocking here to receive blessings and teachings from
the Dalai Lama and to experience the rebirth of an ancient and fascinating civilization. | ||
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When
the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru allocated the Kangra Valley to Tibetan exiles, he wasn't aware of the fact that this
area had Buddhist lineage dating back to 2,700 years. The Kangra Valley thrives in unexplored archaeological sites of great significance
to the Buddhits people. In 635 AD, the Chinese monk pilgrim, Hiuen Tsang recorded 50 monasteries with around 2,000 monks in this
fertile region of India. A century later, Buddhism and all its sites were eliminated from the valley during an upsurge of Brahminical
revivalism. | |
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In
1849, the British posted a regiment in Dharamsala but the place did not remain a military cantonment for long. By 1855, it was
a small but prosperous hill station of India. The two main areas at the time were McLeod Ganj named after Lieutenant Governor of Punjab,
David McLeod and Forsyth Ganj named after a Divisional Commissioner.
By 1905, a severe earthquake changed the face of Dharamsala. Several buildings collapsed and the whole settlement, once
ravaged, was never rehabilitated. The local officials advised residents to move to the safety of Lower Dharamsala that consisted
of little more than a jail, police station and cobbler's shop. But the pine-clad hillsides continued to flourish as a quiet
health resort for the British in India. | |
However, when India achieved independence in 1947, McLeod Ganj became a sleepy, undistinguished village with hardly any
visitors. This changed in 1960 when the Dalai Lama, fleeing discrimination in his homeland Tibet, made it his home in exile
and moved the Central Tibetan Administration, in fact the Tibetan Government in Exile from Mussoorie to Dharamsala.  | ||
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The
treasure trove of the Kangra valley's arts, crafts, and rich past, The Kangra Art Museum displays artifacts
that date back to the 5th century. The museum also includes a gallery of Kangra's miniature paintings and a representative
collection of sculptures, pottery, and anthropological items.
Set amidst the pine groves is a War Memorial, built on the entry point of Dharamsala to honor the post independence
war heroes of Himachal Pradesh, India. A web of narrow paths and landscaped lawns lead towards this monument. | |
Surrounded by high and green Deodar trees is the Dal Lake, which fills the valley between the mountains.
Situated 11-kms away from the town, this lake is easily approachable by road and makes a charming and serene picnic spot. One of the most vivid memories of the British Raj is the Church of St. John, situated in the wilderness. This charmingly dressed stone church is located just 8-km from Dharamsala on the way to McLeodGanj. Under the shade of Deodar branches, a memorial has |
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been made over the body of the British Viceroy, Lord Elgin who died at Dharamsala in India in 1863. Just 11-km from the town center of Dharamsala is the ancient Temple of Bhagsunath. There are many fresh water springs close to the temple, which are considered sacred by the Hindus. These hot springs are situated at Tatwani, 25-km from Dharamsala and on the way, at Machhrial is a waterfall twice as huge as the Bhagsu waterfall near the Bhagsunath temple. These are the rock temples from which Kunal Pathri derives its name. Here one finds pictures of ancient Buddhist Gods and Goddesses carved on rocks. It is a 3 kms flat walk from Kotwali Bazaar. The Bazaar has several items which may be collected as souvenirs, including coins, jewellery and manuscripts, 'shamianas' and dresses used by local royalty, old carved doors, jalis, lintels and pandals. Just 4 kms from Dharamsala, Norbulinka Institute was established to protect and teach the
ancient Buddhist Tibetan and Buddhist arts. The shady paths, wooden bridges, small streams tiny water falls make this place look like heaven. Here
one can watch the wooden carvings and the thangka paintings, polishing and embroidery being done. The nunnery close to the
institute is a place where women are taught the advanced levels of Buddhist philosophy.
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The celebrations of Losar (Tibetan New Year) continue
for three days and the occasion is marked by a series of customary gatherings and Buddhist rituals that encompass both boisterous gaiety
and pious solemnity.
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The winter season is the best time to view the
beauty of this Buddhist pilgrimage site in India. In case you plan to visit Dharamsala, India in
winters then heavy to very heavy woollen clothing is required. The summer months in Dharamsala from mid May to mid October are pleasant. MakeMyTrip.com is a famous Buddhist holiday tour operator in India offering Buddhist holidays and Buddha tours in India.
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Dharamsala in India does not have an airport of its own. The nearest airport is
at Gaggal, which is 13 kms away. This airport links Dharamsala with other cities of India. |
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Dharamsala does not have a railway station of its own. The nearest railhead is at Pathankot (90 kms), which in turn links Dharamsala with
the other major cities of India. | |
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National Highway 1 connects Dharamsala to Pathankot and Jalandhar. Dharamsala
is also well connected by road to other places in Himachal Pradesh, India. |
