Dharamshala

Dharamshala sits at 1,457 meters (4,780 feet) elevation in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, spreading across forested slopes among pine groves and Himalayan oak trees. The settlement divides into two sections: the lower town area with bazaar streets and the higher McLeod Ganj, where Tibetan monasteries and guesthouses concentrate.

The East India Company took control in 1846 following the First Anglo-Sikh War and turned the settlement into a British hill station. From 1959 onward, the place became the exile home of the 14th Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan community.

The name Dharamshala means resting place and the Tsuglagkhang complex draws Buddhist monks who perform daily prayers and meditative practices there. Tibetan pilgrims walk clockwise around the monastery compound, spinning prayer wheels and quietly reciting mantras as they go.

National Highway NH 503 leads into town and regular bus services bring visitors from larger hubs like Pathankot or Chandigarh. Flights arrive at Kangra Ghaggal airport about an hour's drive away, and taxis cover the remaining distance.

The Norbulingka Institute preserves Tibetan craft skills through workshops where specialists practice thangka painting, metalwork, and textile weaving using traditional methods. Visitors watch artisans work on religious tapestries and finely chiseled Buddhist statues.