A Stroll through Dharamshala - Switzerland of India

by - Abi Morten (New Jersey)

Mighty Himalayas still has lot in it stores that has to be discovered and explored, all within few hours drive. February is the ideal time of the season in India to view nature in all its glory- when whole environ is in full bloom, when the entire valley covers with resplendent and varied flowers, when the elevated green trees stand with pride and last but not the least where people relax on their jute bed to capture the golden rays of the sun.

Just a month back I visited India. As a part of my adventure India tour, I also visited the Dharamshala, in fact a close associate of mine informed me of the scenic snow carpet all over the Dhauladhar mountains that made an instant drive within me. One of my Indian friend also accompanied me to Dharamshala and Mcloedganj, a choice I will never repent.

En-Route Allure
We left at 6 in the morning, the whether was quite pleasant at that hour of the day- bearable cool. Dharamshala is 498 km from Delhi, Chandigarh is midway at 250km, from there we headed straight towards Anandpur Sahib and Bhakara Nangal Dam. From Nangal Dam,we took the road to Una, don't leave this road as it turns right to Kangra. From Kangra carry on towards Dharamshala. En-route we paid our visit to Anandpur Sahib- one of the holy shrines of the Sikh community in India, my Indian friend seems to be a great devotee and wanted to visit the place irrespective of his religion,(he was Hindu- what I understand, Hindu is a different cast). Being a western origin therefore, for me all Indians are one (following the same religion).

A Missed Paradise
I wanted to visit the Bhakara Nagal Dam also- one of the largest dams in India, but for that, it meant another 2 hour extra drive and we wanted to reach Dharamshala before it turns out to be too dark. From there we took a small rural route to Dharamshala, enjoying the panoramic vista of majestic hills interspersed with unending farms of yellow mustard and little irrigation canals feeding them. Here, I would like to mention that traveling in night is not a bad idea, to leave late at night and reach early morning is in fact quite a comfortable drive, contrary to the popular belief. Night driving in the Himachal Hills is safe due to its excellent roads and one can see oncoming traffic at the curves due to the light beams. Besides, it holds the charm of viewing the snow peaked mountains through the first morning rays of the sun as you approach the hilly terrain.

My Accommodation
We were booked with one of the Guest-Houses at Palampur, located amidst the mountains from three sides with its vast green lawns -a comfortable accommodation. Dharamshala is another hour journey from there located on much higher altitude then Palampur.

The Divine Destination
As we reached Dharamshala, there was a peculiar aroma of sanctity in the whole surrounding. A smiling young monk walks slowly up the cobbled street, rolling wooden beads beneath his maroon robe. When we passed by, I heard him muttering mantras under his breath. As we proceeded further, a refreshing morning breeze swept down from the mountains, making the prayer flags flap around me. I wind my way down Temple Road to the monastery.

This is Dharamshala, in northern India's Himachal Pradesh State- home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in exile for the past 40 years due to China's ongoing policy of cultural annihilation. Dharamshala has also become the last enclave for Tibet's unique culture. The name means, 'Place of Prayer'.

Diverse Tourist
Dharamshala has become a popular travel destination for the devotees of Buddhist faith. Like me, I saw many other western tourists had come here for diverse reasons. Some had come there to study Dharma (the teachings of Buddha) or to learn about Tibetan culture; some might have come as volunteer with Non Government Organizations for the Tibetan Government in exile and for some others Dharamshal was the best tourist hill station, not crowded like many of the other Indian hill stations especially during summers. I came to know the town also offers some courses in Meditation, Yoga, Reiki, massage, visualization, Shiatsu, and other spiritual practices. Many expatriates have found Dharamshala as a place to escape from the noise of the world and chaos of the life.

Strolling along the cramped lanes and narrow streets, I watched Tibetans intermingling with expats and Indians. The lanes were all filled with many shops of tourist's interest, there were book -shops with titles in many languages, small shop with Tibetan women hawking Tibetan crafts, and many eating joints selling Thukpas, Italian Pizzas, Tibetan bread, and cold drinks.

The Buddhist Temple
I wanted to visit the famous Buddhist Temple with the huge golden statue of Lord Buddha, but couldn't trace out the way. Luckily, I caught the sight of an old Buddhist monk, to my wonderment, the clean-shaved monk with close-cropped hair lead me by my arm down the road.

Finally, I got the temple by just traveling a little, it was a huge temple with multistoried structure. The monastery is a replica of those once found in Tibet, right down to the pillars, high ceilings, and ornate carpets. Inside and out, the devout sit cross-legged with closed eyes, devout lay people walk clockwise around the temple in bare feet, spinning prayer wheels, spreading mantras down the hills. The wind carried the prayers, and the entire valley seemed purified- more holy.

Many visitors here find accommodation in these monasteries. I paid my homage to the statue of Lord Buddha, the entire environ was so divine and sacred that I felt the power of attaining eternal life at least for some time. I also enjoyed the panoramic view of the whole town and the valley from a window on the top floor of the monastery. As much as it feels like, I could breathe deeply the air of freedom at Dharamshala for its Tibetan population.

Other Charms of the Region
Besides, the Buddhist monasteries and the holy monks, the yellow and orange house structure set amid the stunning hills of Dharamshala is another heart throwing attraction. You can feel a strong influence of Tibetan architecture in their construction - square lines, flat roofs (with a small canopy amidst) and large windows- ideal for morning prayers in the four sainted directions. The refugees from China have made a home for themselves here at Dharamshala therefore, they can pray without any fear of exile.

Tibetans basically are very lively people-passing through the street acknowledging me with a sweet smile. I accepted this sweet gesture and reciprocated it with the same attitude. Life in Dharamshala is quite relaxing and full of opportunity for the exiled Tibetans.

Kangra Tea Gardens in Palampur
I also happened to visit various adventure seeking places on my this tour - Palampur where I was staying is a very calm and quite hill station, still protected from the unwanted rush of visitors, maintaining its rich pristine glory - here I visited the beautiful Kangra tea gardens with its picture perfect surroundings, where I got the chance to see how the tea leaves are plucked and actually processed before filling into the packs. It was amazing to know that the only new, small fresh leaves are plucked from the plant, actually through which the tea grains are made. Tea made from these leaves fetch a handsome price in the international market. The famous Shobha Singh Art Gallery and Institute located near Palampur in Andretta village is also a must visit site for fine art lovers.

Back to Home
I traveled back to Delhi from a complete New World, spending my most memorable days amidst Buddhist monks - an experience in itself, where people only are the children of God, trying to reach their creator.