A Memorable Trip to Dharamshala

A few months back I visited Dharamshala on my trip to North India and it definitely is a treat for the eyes and peace for the mind. It is a hill station based in the Kangra Valley surrounded by dense pine and deodar forests and a magnificent view of the snow covered peaks of the Dhauladhar range which are few of the major tourist attractions. Dharamshala is the centre of the Tibetan world in India. Dharamshala is a popular destination for Indian and foreign tourists, including students studying Tibet history and culture

The main attraction of Dharamshala are the colorful Monasteries. I was mesmerized by the beautiful interiors, colors and detailing of the monastery’s design. Another thing which stood out was the high level of maintenance and cleanliness of the place. Every monastery has massive prayer wheels that will attract your attention right away and rolling their bright red cylinders is an experience difficult to express in words. The innocent smiles of the young monks in and around just make your day. I would definitely recommend you to visit the monasteries.

Another very famous tourist destination close to Dharamshala is McLeodGanj which is the temporary headquarters of the Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama. Also known as little Lhasa, you will find a number of religious, education and rehabilitation centre’s here. You will find many moods of the monks of all ages and both genders here. Buddhists are known to be very peaceful and compassionate people.

McLeodGanj offers a variety of eating joints, shopping places and budget hotels and the Monastery Road is a must visit. You will find a wide range of Buddhist ornaments and traditional shawls which are a specialty. Indulge in the taste of the famous Momos or if you love experimenting try the hot Thukpa or Thentuk.

Dharamshala has something to offer to every tourist. Art and history lovers must visit the Tibetan Museum which gives us an insight of the Tibetan history through presentations of various photographs, videos and installations.

Everyone who loves trekking must go to the Triund Hill as known as the ‘Jewel of Dharamshala’. It is located in the Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayas and will take you 3 – 5 hours to trek to the top. You can stay back on top through the evening/night and enjoy the stunning panoramas during sunset and sunrise. You will have to either book a government guest house in advance, or rent a tent. Ensure you carry your thermals as the temperature could be very low during the nights.

Some other must visit attractions include the Namgyal Monastery, Gyuto Monastery, Norbulingka Institute (It is an institute for preserving Tibetan culture, there are separate workshops where you can see artisans working on Tibetan paintings, woodwork and crafts. The campus of Norbulingka is very serene.), St. John Church (Lovely well maintained church. The glass paintings are an added attraction), Kangra Fort (The great stone architecture), Kangra Art Museum, Bhagsunag Falls (You can enjoy very small trek to reach Bhagsunag waterfall.) The Cricket Stadium (Has the spectacular Himalayan snow mountains in the background) and Bir (It is one of the renowned and ideal centers for paragliding.)

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