Dharamsala is a small town in the state of Himachal Pradesh, and is best known as being the home of Dalai Lama and also as a popular hill station in India. The town's tie with the Buddhists dates way back to the 8th Century. However, most of the locals here are Hindu. It is conceived as one of the most revered holy destinations in the nation. The literal meaning of the word “Dharamsala” is an “inn attached to a temple”. During the British Raj, with the British stretching their dominance all over the nation, they moved two of their regiments to this very town in late 1840s. It was thereafter that the town grew in administrative significance and became the headquarters of Kangra district.
In 4th April 1959, Dharamshala suffered from 7.8 magnitude earthquake that destroyed many parts of the town. Over 10,000 people lost their lives in the disaster. The town reclaimed its popularity in year 1959 when Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile came to the town. Today, the town is a lively little hill-town that is flocked by tourists and students of Buddhism.
Today, the town is divided into two major parts, The Lower Dharamshala and The Upper Dharamshala. The Upper Dharamshala is also known as McLeod Ganj after the British Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab, Sir Donald Friell McLeod. The Tibetan Government as well as the Tibetan community are based here, just uphill in Gangchen Kyishong. The Lower Dharamshala, on the other hand is the seat of administration, education, and commerce. Besides, there also exist a few tea gardens, a museum, and the lively Kotwali bazar in here. Apart from these, there are not much to explore in this part of the town.
There exist some other interesting places to visit near Dharamshala. Bhagsu and Dharamkot being the two most prominent ones. Bhagsu is a small bustling town filled with shops, restaurants, and a couple of public places. It is about 2 km from Dharamshala and is modern yet quite place. Dharamkot on the other hand is 3.5 km north to the hill from McLeod Ganj. It is also divided into two parts, the lower Dharamkot is more like Bhagsu, replete of restaurants, shops. Whereas, the upper Dharamkot is a quite place nested in the woods, and is ideal for those looking for a tranquil getaway from the typical city life. In addition to all, Forsyth Ganj, Naddi, and Talnu are the three other popular places near Dharamshala that are also popular for trekking and hitchhiking.
A couple of places in the town that are must visit include: Naam Art Gallery, Tibet Museum, Bhagsunag Fall, Tibetan Library, Tsuglagkhang Complex, Kunal Pathari, Peak Art Gallery. The nearest airport to the town is at Gaggal near Kangra. It is about 15 km from the town and is served by a good frequency flights of all major air carriers, namely Air India Express, IndiGo, Go Air, SpiceJet etc.
The good thing about Dharamshala is that there is no dearth of hotels. Hotels of all types and budget, ranging from cheap hotels to luxury hotels, are evenly dotted in the town. Hotel Eagle's Nest, Pema Thang Guest House, The Dhauladhar – HPTDC, Hotel Centre Point, Nishaad Resort, Hotel Annexe, and Hotel Pong View are some of the highly rated hotels in Dharamshala, which one may consider to choose from when in the town.
Martin Wynn
