Thread: Dharmshala

The hill town of Dharamshala sits on a narrow ridgeline along the Dhauladhar range. The town is roughly divided into two sections - the lower town with its traditional settlement and market areas and the upper town of McLeodganj, famous for its celebrity resident, His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The heights of the two sections vary from 1,250 metres to about 1,770 metres with a steep winding 10 km road linking the two sections. Around a 150 kms from Mandi, this hill resort in the Kangra Valley of northern Himachal Pradesh is the most important town of the district.

Surrounded by pine forests, the grand Dhauladhar ranges tower like sheets of rock over Dharamshala. Once a British hill resort, this sleepy little hill town revived with the influx of Tibetan refugees after Chinese occupation in 1959. The Dalai Lama set up his temporary residence at McLeodganj. Many western visitors have come to Dharamshala in search of spiritual guidance and an audience with the Dalai Lama. In McLeodganj, the Tibetans run most of the hotels and restaurants as well as handicrafts shops.

The lower town of Dharamshala is crowded with shops, local houses and government offices and the Museum of Kangra Art. McLeodganj has a distinctly different character, with its brightly painted buildings, Buddhist temples, prayer flags fluttering in the air and saffron monks and nuns hurrying along the streets. The main Buddhist temple or Tsuglagkhang is a five-minute walk from the bazaar.

The residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is surrounded by high walls and sits on the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley. The Dip Thekchen Choeling Monastery nearby stands out with its golden roof amidst tall pine forests. The Library, open from Monday till Friday, has an exhaustive collection of books, manuscripts, and archival photographs on Tibet.

Besides the overpowering Tibetan presence, a few remaining Raj edifices like the Church of St. John in the Wilderness are worth visiting. And if you want to make excursions out of Dharmshala, visit the pretty Kangra towns of Palampur, Naddi and Andretta.

I havent had a chance to go to Dharamshala yet but would love to one day as I have heard good reviews about this place.

Any idea when is the best time to go to Dharamshala and what kind of clothing would be best to take along that time of the year.
Any reviews about hotels at Dharamshala ? and how long do you recommend one should go there for?

Well, everyone has preferences. So, check out to see which time of the year you would like to be in Dharamsala.

If you are a heat freak then mid-April to mid-July is the time for you to be in India and in Dharamsala. Well, as compared to the plains of Delhi, Dharamsala is much cooler but still it can get quite hot at this time.

Mid-July to September is the monsoon season. If you like singing in the heavy rain then its time for you to be in Dharamsala. 'Notorious monsoon' as I prefer to call it. It can pour cats and dogs. Dharamsala, according to Indian metrological study receives the second highiest rainfall in India after Chirapunji. Be sure to equip yourself with a good rainsuit and a strong and a big umbrella.

October to December can be rather cool and you need to be careful in the early hours and in the evenings. It can be chilly. Some light warm clothes are an ideal companion. Daytime can be warm with generous amount of sunshine and clear sky. Beautiful scenery and good weather.

Snowtime!!!!! Anyone????? Usually Dharamsala experiences snow anytime in January or February, around the same time as the 'Losar' - Tibetan New Year. Don't bother to bring heavy warm clothes....woolen gloves, socks, sweaters or shawl are all available in shops here for reasonable prices.

"and how long do you recommend one should go there for?"

As long as you have RUM .........

wow got to be said great description given...I have been to dharamshala and i can tell you if you are not visiting it you are missing on something.....the best time to go to any Hill station is in the month of january or end of december when u can enjoy the snow...

it snowed yesterday only in shimla....