Dharamsala - धर्मशाला - & Mcleod Ganj

Thanks for coming to visit my blog.

Going backwards on our trip to Leh we are now in Himachal Pradesh, having left Manali. Unable to take the Rohtang Pass to Leh because of snow and a landslide, we set out for Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama. This was a very special occasion for me and I felt blessed and honoured to have the opportunity to go there.

These photos show some scenes of the very beautiful trip to Dharamsala and then of Mcleod Ganj, the village where the Dalai Lama and the monks live and practice their Tibetan Buddhist religion. Next time will be the last posting of this fantastic trip to North India. I'll show you photos of Manali and an amazing Sikh temple built on the banks of a wild river. The temple is built over hot springs. The river in this first photo is much calmer as it winds its way between the cliffs.















Now why would you want to build here?
















Whatever it is, it is very striking.
















Took this shot as we were driving along
















What a great bridge. Looks a bit scary though!
















The beautiful late afternoon light on the
lovely hills of Himachal Pradesh
















Just gorgeous













Climbing higher now and rewarded by this
lovely view of the Himalayas















Sunset before we reached Dharamsala. We
still had several hours of driving before
we got there
















Early morning in Dharamsala. The view from
where we we stayed
















Very colourful, if a bit chaotic!
















Wouldn't you like to do that!






















Now we are in Mcleod Ganj,
upper Dharamsala





















A street on our way to the Dalai Lama temple
complex


















Tibetan ladies enjoying a simple task






















Morning prayers
















The entrance to the Dalai Lama temple complex
also called the Tsuglagkhang Temple complex.
With my friends Naved in orange and Bob in green
















Very simple in its design












We arrived just after the Dalai Lama had left
to visit Japan. There was a prayer vigil taking
place so the complex was full of people........














......and monks














View of the hills and Mcleaod Ganj from the
temple complex















Mani prayer wheels
















A young monk distracted by the chance of
having his photo taken!













The prayers are long and tiring













Devotional prostrations
















Hidden away in the hills across from the temple
complex



















Battle weary Havinder (left) and Amrit the
wounded (right)






















Walking back to the car






















I leave you with these
glorious chaps

Do come back in two weeks
for those photos of Manali
and a special Sikh Temple