A hill station is a hill station is a hill station.
Right?
Not quite.
Like the average Delhite gunslinger ( or name-flinger)
notching up hill stations on the butt of his six-shooter, I too
went this summer, with family in tow, to Mcleodganj.
It was…
SAME SAME, BUT DIFFERENT !
A travelogue by panda….

Mcleodganj is a melting pot of
culture.
West rubs shoulders with East.
East rubs shoulders with
further East.
People come here to find
Buddha.
I went there to find Buddha.
I found Food. Awesome,
delicious, mouth-watering
food.
Italian. Israeli. Greek.
Mexican. Indian. German.
Thai. You name it. Slurp.
I came back enlightened.
And two kilos heavier.

Yes. You would rub shoulders too. The streets are that narrow. The cars
move fast, brushing past you. Even a staunch non-Buddhist would see merit
in the philosophy of reincarnation.

What you notice about Kangra region is the number of Black Kites you can
spot soaring in the skies. This is a shot from my room in Mcgj. The
Dhauladhar range ( 5000+m) in backdrop. Don’t both of them look
majestic?

What do you do when you are chased out of your country? When you
are not recognized to exist. When the" developed world" (sic) sees
the oppressor as an expanding market and, hence, untouchable?
You don’t give up. You make The Norbulingka.

For it is when you preserve, and make your culture flourish, that you have
truly beaten the enemy. Just look at the wonderful sculpture of Buddha and
the mersmerising Tangka paintings, made the traditional Tibetan way.

The Norbulingka also houses a doll museum, a wood & sculpture
workshop, an art gallery and few scores of eager Tibetan kids keeping their
faith alive. Featured here a shot from the doll museum.

The Dalai Lama’s temple and residence were close to our hotel. Again, an
imposing sculpture of Sakyamuni Buddha. The adjacent temple had
amazing sculptures of Kalachakra & Tara. The walls were lined with intricate
Tangka paintings. But, sorry, no photography allowed inside.

I was in luck. On 25th morning, HH Dalai Lama was lecturing the kids of
TCV ( Tibetian Children’s Village) & all who cared to listen, on Buddhism.
We lined up to see the great man. See the kid yelling excitedly that the DL’s
motorcade is soon going to come round the bend!

Dharamkot is a sleepy village 2 kms from Mcgj. Set amongst the Deodars
are a Vippasana and a Tibetan meditation centre. Trek for Triund starts
from here. This trek has been saved for a later visit.

Naddi is another hamlet a half hour walk from Dharamkot, thru a
Deodar & pine forest. The walk is refreshing, the sight breath-taking.
The biggest advantage of trekking is the appetite it gives you. Back at
Mcgj, Eat at Norling. The best Thupka money can buy. The Chonor
House serves good Momos and life giving beer. Richard Gere stays
there, I heard.

Parking for tresspassers, residents
not allowed?
Somehow this rings true… the
Tibetan community has managed
to gain vital ground in the
tourism industry by their hard
work.
Their hotels are cleaner, more
hospitable and cheaper than the
ones run by some of the locals.
Guess that is why there is some
tension with the local population.
But, I hope they will learn to co-
exist.
There is enough for everyone in
this little Paradise.

Hey, wait a minute. Any
travelogue is incomplete
without the family pics.
Mridula & self at TIPA.
Aruna & self on the
Triund trek trial.
That’s all folks.
Written on a tissue paper
at Carpe Diem restaurant
“ Everybody dies. Not
everyone really lives.”
Go. Live.