 Kangra
valley is one of Himachal's most beautiful valeeys. It rolls
down the southern edge of the magnificent Dhauladhar range
in gentle slopes covered with forests of pine, orchards, green
tea gardens and terraced fields. The Dhauladhars - the "White
ranges"
rise upto 14,000 ft. providing a dramatic backdrop to the
hill resort of Dharamsala. This is the principal township
of Kangra covering a wide area in the form of town settlement.
Lower Dharamsala (1380 mt.) is a busy commercial
center, while upper Dharamsala (1700 mt.) with the suburbs
of McLeodgunj and Forsythgunj, retains the british flavour
more or less colonial lifestyle. The charming stone church
of St. John in the wilderness, with its beautiful stained
glass windows is situated here and this churchyard is the
final resting place of Lord Elgin, a British Viceroy of India
who was buried here in 1863, as he chose to remain in the
town he loved. Up in McLeodgunj is a charmning Tibetan settlement
with bustling bazars that sell carpets, handicrafts, and delicious
Tibetan food.
 A
giant prayer wheel ornaments the main street and in the monastry,
a serene statue of Lord Buddha presides over the gentle chanting
of the monks. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama resides in McLeodgunj,
which is now a major center for the Tibetan Government-in-exile
and Tibetan culture. It has a school for Tibetan studies with
rare manuscripts and ancient texts, Tibetan Institute of performing
arts and a handicrafts center.
 Dharamsala
has everything for a perfect holiday. Winter in the Kangra
valley is enchanting. The snow line remains close enough at
all times and during the winter months, the northern part
is swaddled in a blanket of snow allowing the magic of Kangra
to take on yet another hue. Numerous ancients temples like
Jwalamukhi, Bajreshwari, Chanmunda and Baijnath (Vaidyanath)
lie on the plains below the Dhauladhar.
|
Dharamsala
- Kangra - Palampur