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Known for its Tibetan community, the town of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh is located in the Kangra Valley at the foot of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. It is a tranquil hill station which is popular for its “thangka” paintings, museums, street markets and delicious cuisine. The region, which includes the suburb of Mcleodganj, is also a trekking hub with hikes to the Toral Pass, Bhimghasutri Pass, Dharamshala-Bleni Pass, Kareri Lake and Triund Hill being particular favourites with visitors.
If you’re looking for some offbeat things to do in this sleepy town, look no further than this list.
Just 8km from the centre of Dharamshala is the Chinmaya Tapovan. The ashram was established by Swami Chinmayananda with the purpose of teaching the “Bhagavad Gita.” With the company of the Dhauladhar mountains, a dense pine forest and small streams, the ashram is a serene place for visitors to contemplate and introspect. The ashram has 100 rooms that can accommodate 300 people, a bookstore, a recreation centre and a dispensary.
This library was founded by His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. With nearly 600 artefacts and as many as 80,000 manuscripts that date back to the 12th century, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives has pioneered research into Buddhism. It is home to exquisitely beautiful silk applique “thangkas” and a three-dimensional, wood-carved mandala of a revered “boddhisatva.”
Nature lovers and hikers should not pass up the opportunity to trek the 4,342m high Indrahar Pass in the Dhauladhar ranges. This is a fairly comfortable 14km trek which starts from Mcleodganj and covers the Lahesh Caves and Triund Hill. The scenic beauty of the trek is accentuated by the conifers and mountain ranges. April to October is the best time for walking the Indrahar Pass.
There is a separate trek you can undertake to see the Lahesh Caves alone. They are a natural cave shelter located at an altitude of around 3,600m. The camping ground here is used by shepherds in the summer when they take their sheep to its high-altitude meadows. The 12km trail has magnificent views of the snow-covered peaks of the Dhauladhar. Much like the trek to the Indrahar Pass, this one passes through dense forests of oak, pine, deodar and fir. Camp overnight and see the stars come out.
German artist Elsbeth Buschmann set up the Naam Art Gallery in Dharamshala for visitors to ponder and admire watercolour, acrylic and oil paintings. The visually arresting paintings evoke a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere alongside spiritually-themed artworks. Those interested in collecting art can buy prints starting from INR 400.
Located some 56km from Dharamshala is Pong Dam, an earthfill reservoir constructed in 1975 for generating hydroelectricity and providing irrigation to nearby fields. It is the location of the Pong Dam Wild Life Sanctuary, which was designated a Ramsar site in 2002. The wetland is a bird paradise with more than 420 bird species sighted here alongside 27 fish species. The northern lapwing, ruddy shelduck, northern pintail, common teal, Indian spot-billed duck, barking deer, sambar, wild boar, the Asian small-clawed otter, mahseer, catla and mirror carp are some of the notable animal species found in the sanctuary.
Grab a taxi or bus from Kangra Airport (DHM) to Dharamshala (13km). Pathankot Junction (PTK) is the closest train stop, 85km away. There are plenty of buses and taxis which ply the route from New Delhi and Shimla to Dharamshala.
