Part 1 of Trip Report of travel to Mini-Tibet: Mcleodganj , Dharamsala / May 2012

It was my new year's resolution to travel to McLeodganj & Dharamsala as I've been wanting to go there ever since I read about the Tsuglagkhang Complex in an article about the Dalai Lama.

This is going to be a sketchy idea about the wonderful time I had at Mcleodganj in May 2012 (which I'll be referring to as McLlo).

Day 1:

I live in Kolkata, so I flew to Delhi by an early morning Indigo flight in May 2012. All buses to Mcleodganj start off in the evening. So to kill time, my travel partner & I hung around Connaught Place and ate at this Punjabi restaurant called Pind Balluchi. The food there is average and they have this peculiar practice where you can't take away your leftovers. Well, not that you're dying to eat their food again.

Buses to Mcleodganj are available from Majnu Ka Tilla (which is where the Tibetans live in Delhi). It's a little away from the city, near Pultan Pul. You can book the tickets from Redbus in advance. As a lot of foreign (non-Indian) travelers visit McLlo, it's a safer bet buying the bus tickets in advance.

We reached the boarding spot in Majnu Ka Tilla well before 6 pm and spent the afternoon on park benches of a nearby park. The bus came in 30 minutes late but the seats were spacious and the AC seemed alright. (Warning: The bus driver is usually yapping all nigh long with his helpers, so do not take seats in the front if you intend to sleep).


Day 2:

Reached Mcllo at 6 am, bang on time. You can put up in hotels there or for a cheaper stay, go up to Bhagsu or Dharamkot (tiny quaint villages in Dharamsala, both 10 mins drive away from Mcleodganj town center).

We put up at this new hotel called Himalayas Yoga, which was in upper Bhagsu. The rooms are spacious, with attached balconies and if you bargain hard (which my partner was damn good at), you can get rooms at Rs. 450 per night. They have hot water, clean sheets and comfy blankets. No room service and no kitchen. Right next to the hotel is an art cafe, Bodhi Tree Cafe which is a fabulous place to hang-out if you are or aren't a stoner. The hotel is in upper Bhagsu, so you have to climb quite a few steep steps to get there but the view from up top is super.

In Bhagsu, we visited Bhagsunag waterfalls. You need to hike up a mountain but there's a clear marked pathway leading to it. Once you reach the falls, the hike up is worth it. It's beautiful & serene up there! On your way up and down, be careful of nettles. They sting like hell for hours!

In Bhagsu, do eat Bhagsu cake at German Bakery. It's sweet and scrunchy and a local specialty.

We visited the famous Bhagsunag temple, which is a beautiful white structure. It has an adjoining pool, where you can take a holy dip.

Day 3: Mcleodganj is 10 minutes drive from Bhagsu. You can take an auto or walk the stretch. It's a straight, pleasant walk. In Mcleodganj, there are lots of places to visit.

We had breakfast at Jimmy's Italian Kitchen. They make excellent pasta and English breakfast. If you're in Mcleodganj, do eat here!

Dalai Lama Temple Complex or locally known as the Tsuglagkhang is a place of peace, serenity and spirituality.

It is a walk down Temple Road. The complex houses Tibet Museum, where you can learn about the hardships the Tibetan people had to undergo under Chinese rule and marvel at their resilience. The actual temple has a courtyard where the monks have their debate sessions. Watching these debate sessions is a once in a lifetime opportunity! One monk/nun poses the test question and the other monk must answer (generally, the latter is in a seated position, while the former is standing). As soon as the testing monk asks his question, he claps his hands at the sitter and the sitter must respond. Sometimes, the tester goes into rapid fire and this is where it gets heated. I the monks debate for one whole hour while my travel partner hung out with his friend at Tibet Kitchen, which is a great place for Tibetan food in Mcleodganj.

You can watch the ceremonies and the monks chanting from outside the great hall in the middle of the temple. You will be surprised to see that they offer the Buddhas heaps and heaps of chocolates & yummy goodies like peanut butter & nutella. The hall is called the Kalachakra temple. There is a small corner inside where you can sit in absolute silence and watch while the prayers go on. Best experience ever! (However inside the hall, no photography is allowed.)

From the Tsuglagkhang, we went to St. John's Church in the Wilderness which is 15 minutes away from the Main Square. The church is closed and there is a graveyard all around it. The tombstones aren't menacing and the place is lined with tall pines, making it peaceful and secluded in a nice way.

Near the main square, is a small temple called the Namgyal Stupa, which has prayer wheels all around it. You are meant to circumambulate the temple in a clockwise direction to bring good karma to all sentient beings. I did the 'kora' every day I came down to Mcleodganj.

Nicely writen! Reminds me of my trip here couple of years ago!

One of my favourite towns in India..

Some more photos from the first 3 days

Thanks! Mcleodganj is amazing!

Day 4: We had an awesome breakfast at McLlo's (It's a famous hangout and you know what it's named after) and set out by auto to Kangra Fort. On the way back, we took a detour & stopped at Norbulingka Institute of Tibetan Culture.

Kangra Fort is about 20 kms from Mcleodganj and an hour's drive away. The auto guy charged 600 bucks for the to and fro ride.

It's a massive, sprawling fort which was once the stronghold and seat of power of Katoch rulers, who ruled the land for over 2000 years. It is the largest fort in the Himalayas and probably the oldest dated fort in India. Today, it stands in ruins because of the devastating earthquake that hit the area in 1905. The fort stands on a steep rock built strategically at the confluence of Banganga and Majhi rivers. There's an art museum near the entrance which has an impressive collection of photographs, crafts, artifacts, and other treasures, which can be traced to as far back as 5th century.

It takes about two hours to check out the fort in leisure. I remember at one point, I was so beat that I was lying on the grass which grows in a clearing atop the fort. Awesome view of the bluest skies!

There is a statue of Mahavira inside the Ambika Mata temple atop the fort, which is rumored to be 2600 years old.

From the fort, we set off to Norbulingka Institute of Tibetan Culture (set up by the Dalai Lama to promote Tibetan culture). This monastery is probably one of the most magical places I've been to. Quiet, serene, green and secluded. There is a small cafe inside if you wish to eat - Norling Cafe. The Institute is filled with zen gardens, streams, rotating prayer wheels and greenery. It houses a huge Buddha statue and wonderful murals. If you're in Mcleodganj, do NOT give this one a miss.

Once we were back at Mcllo, we had the best oven-cooked pizzas at Namgyal Cafe. It has moved from the monastery to Om Hotel, near the main square. This place makes the best roquefort cheese and walnut pizza. Their seasoning is to die for. I'm not in to vegetarian fare but this was finger-licking good!

The rest of the day was spent resting and taking in the beautiful scenery at Bodhi Tree Cafe.

Day 5: I spent the day shopping in Mcleodganj. Had lunch at Nick's Kitchen which had average food but a breathtaking view. Had coffee and chocolate cake at The Chocolate Log which is run by a very friendly girl. You can choose the dessert you want to eat from the bakery below and they come and serve it on the tables upstairs.

Bought a couple of trinkets, a singing bowl and a couple of silver pendants.

My travel partner went hiking with a friend to the nearby village of Dharamkot and ate at the local pizzeria there. The pictures he got back from the place were beautiful and it looked like a very pleasant walk.

Day 6: Early morning we set out to Naddi/Talnoo by auto. It's a picturesque hamlet at 2,000 metres above the sea level and about 3 kilometres from Mcleodganj. We visited the Dall Lake on the way, the Durveshwar Temple, the tea gardens and took a long stroll down the winding roads at Naddi.

Came back and had Kangra tea at Green Hotel Cafe. Then we went to an agent and got our tickets for our return bus ride to Delhi. The bus starts in the evening at 5:30 pm.

Day 7: We reached Delhi, Majnu Ka Tilla at 4:30 am, tired and happy. Checked in to a hotel (cheap hotels are available in the Paharganj area) for the day as our flights were for the next day. We ate at Karim's & Havemore (Pandara Road Market) and thus ended an awesome trip!

Mcleodganj, perched at an absolutely dizzying altitude of 2,082 metres (6,831 feet), is a testament to the inadequacy of descriptive phrases like “panoramic views” and “majestic vistas.” And it’s not just its height, or its beauty, that makes this Himalayan retreat something which transcends ordinary vacation experiences. It's the humbling experience of being amidst such spirited people. People who are far, far away from their homes, their country but always have smiles for strangers. There’s really no excuse not to leave Mcleodganj happier and more peaceful than when you arrived.

This is a journey I will never forget !

Some more

Very well written report! It was great fun reading it, thank you!

SDS

Very moody photographs - loved them.

-Vaibhav

thanks vaibhav

thanks much sid! ^_^

Nice relaxed trip you had. Next time you go you must too trek to Dharamkot & taste the pizza at the family pizzerria. It's definitely worth all the trouble of going there.

Great writing, funny, and informative. Thank you!

Well written report, SDS, full of useful information. More importantly, as far as I am concerned, I feel as if I visited McLlo too. You have captured its feeling and magic in your words as well as in your photos. Thank you.

thanks!

thank you so much for your kind words!