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 Dharamshala
is the main hill station in the Kangra Valley - a
fertile, undulating valley, lying between the
gentle Shivalik Hills and the foothills of the
mighty Dhauladhar - a valley noted for the beauty
of its scenery - lush terraces, wooded hills,
manicured tea gardens and sparkling streams. The
Dhauladhars, "the white mountains" that rise 4,000
m above the valley floor, provide a dramatic
backdrop.
Picturesque Dharamshala, built on a spur of the
Dhauladhar range, commands splendid view of the
surrounding country. Originally a little hill
resort built by the British, Dharamshala rambles
up in levels to very near the snow line. While
Lower Dharamshala (1,250 m) is the busy commercial
area with government buildings, the bazaar and the
bus stand, Upper Dharamshala (1,982 m) has suburbs
with evocative names like Forsythganj and
Mcleodganj that are quite fascinating.
Up in
Mcleodganj is a charming Tibetan settlement with
bustling bazaars that sell carpets, handicrafts
and
delicious Tibetan food. A giant prayer wheel
ornaments a main street and in the monastery, a
serene statue of the Lord Buddha presides over the
gentle chanting of the monks.
The Dalai Lama resides in Mcleodganj, which is now
a major centre of Tibetan culture. It has the
School of Tibetan Studies with rare manuscripts
and ancient texts, the Tibetan Institute for the
performing Arts and a handicrafts centre.
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St.John in the wilderness |
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A stone
church with delicate stained glass windows and a
memorial to Lord Elgin.
Just
below the snow line is the scenic picnic spot at
Triund with its Spectacular views and pleasant
forest rest house.(10 Km)
A rock
temple to the local goddess is not far from the
Kotwali Bazaar.(3Km)
A
popular picnic spot surrounded by forests of fir.
An annual fair is held here, every September.(11
Km)
Above
Upper Dharamshala is the Dharmkot Hill with a
panoramic view of the majestic Dhauladhars.(11Km)
Close
to Dal Lake is the shrine of Bhagsunath, an easy
walk from the Mcleodganj Bazaar. There is a pretty
waterfall not far away. (11 Km)
A
beautiful waterfall at Machhrial and the hot
springs at Tatwani a little beyond it, are
pleasant picnic spots (25 Km).
A
scenic spot with a rest house. Kareri Lake
(3,250m), 13 Km away, is beautifully set among
alpine meadows and forests of pine. (22 Km)
From
the famous temple to Chamunda Devi there are
glorious views of the mountains. (15 Km)
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Around Dharamshala |
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Trilokpur |
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A
natural cave temple at Trilokpur, which is
dedicated to Lord Shiva, has stalactite and
stalagmite formations. (41 Km)
Beautiful temples at Masrur, carved out of
monolithic rocks in the style of the Kailash
Temple at Ellora, date to the 8th century A.D.
Masrur is just 15 Km south of Kangra. (40 Km)
The
ruined fort and Krishna temple at Nurpur are noted
for fine wood carving. Nurpur, which was named
after the Mughal Empress Nurjehan, is famous for
its fine pashmina shawls and textiles. (66 Km)
The
nearest airport is Kangra ( Gaggal , 12 Km)
The
nearest narrow gauge railhead is Kangra (18 Km).
The nearest broad gauge station Pathankot, (90
Km), is linked to major towns. |
