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Rub Shoulders with the Dalai Lama at McLeod Ganj in India
Published by Drew Tapley, Managing Editor & Writer
Country: India 
The Experience
This mountainside township in the foothills of the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, is Tibetan culture without Chinese officials leaning over your shoulder. The town is mostly populated by Tibetan refugees and their families who had fled their homeland just a few hundred kilometres away on the other side of the Indian border.
A little bit of history is noteworthy here. In 1959, following the unsuccessful Tibetan uprising against Chairman Mao’s occupying Chinese army, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of the Tibetan people escaped across the mountains of Tibet and over the border into India. In doing so, a Tibetan Government in Exile was created in McLeod Ganj with the Dalai Lama as its spiritual leader. Over the years that followed, many more Tibetans would flee from the Communist Chinese regime and seek refuge in India or Nepal. Unfortunately, many did not survive the journey.
I booked a train ticket to Chakki Bank (three hours outside of McLeod Ganj) and got a friendly wake-up prod in my sleeper bunk at 3 a.m. to indicate our arrival. Two dozen sleep-dazed travellers spilt out onto the deserted Indian platform in the middle of the night and formed one lump around a delighted chai vendor (tea stall). India is cold at night in the north and my shawl has been an ever-present fixture around my shoulders since I bought it in the warmer southern state of Maharastra. It always makes more sense to travel as one large group, and even though you may not know each other it affords far more bargaining power with the local transport operators. It was tacitly obviously that we were all heading to McLeod Ganj, and within a few minutes a young Israeli woman had taken leadership of the group and brokered a deal for several Ambassador Taxi cabs to take us all to McLeod Ganj. I love travelling in these plush (for India) cabs, which are a luxurious remnant from the days of the British Raj.
The sun was rising as the cabs gently made their ascent along the mountain roads in one long motorcade. Snow-capped mountains could be seen waking from their slumber in the distance as the sun poured into the valleys now below us. We arrived in McLeod Ganj in the early morning to be greeted by a small troop of young and cordial guesthouse reps. They made it very easy for us to find accommodation, to which we all immediately dispersed like foxes into holes.
Mindful of the recent history of Tibetan people, I was expecting something political or at least sober of frivolity upon arriving at this former British hill station. What I was greeted with was a joyous and enchanting town of smiles and an endless extension of hospitality throughout. McLeod Ganj is adorned with character, colour and laughter that have evidently drawn travellers into its arms from every direction. McLeod Ganj is the quintessential travel hub. The “jewel in the crown” of the Indian Himalayas. It’s a veritable nest of rest and recuperation for the travel-weary, and offers classes on meditation, yoga and traditional Tibetan cooking. Holistic practitioners are offering courses and discourses throughout the day at various idyllic retreats peppered throughout McLeod Ganj. Warm natural-fibre clothing and crafts and paintings by local artists can be bought cheaply along the main thoroughfare that runs the length of the town.
McLeod Ganj offers a mountain vista of the valleys below where marigold grows in manicured fields as yaks meander freely. The occasional rickshaw arrives from, or departs to, the nearby town of Dharamshala about 4 km down the mountain. All your travel needs are catered for in McLeod Ganj with local agents offering these services. There really is no need to venture outside of the town, and the one time I did decide to do this I regretted it by losing the calm sense of myself I had acquired here.
McLeod Ganj really is a place to let go of the everyday strains and stresses of India, and it feels very much like a vacation from the country, from within the country. It seems to breathe its own atmosphere, and friendships are made organically here amid the chatter of exchanged stories from your adventures in the real India outside the bubble. You are offered the choice between sitting on a balcony overlooking natural wonders in the valleys below, or delving into classes and walks along the many nature trails that lead off to waterfalls, ravines and swimming holes. If India has worn you down and overloaded your senses (which it will if you spend long enough there), then a stopover in McLeod Ganj will fully recharge your batteries to continue onwards with your adventures.
Tibetan tea houses offer both traditional fare and Indian food, but moreover, they offer Western treats like spaghetti Bolognese, pizza, French fries, cakes, wine and beer; all at very reasonable prices. Try eating the traditional ‘momos’ and then learn how to make them in a cookery class. Even the accommodation here is excellent value despite hosting a resort menu of activities that could easily warrant charging more. My understanding is that the Tibetan people are eager to share their culture and their history with the world. Their hospitality and openness is a natural extension of this, and I chanced the opportunity to talk candidly (and in broken English) to a Tibetan refugee working in a café. As I sat with him over the course of a whole afternoon, he explained the historic value of his homeland for Tibetan people, and the plight of his own journey to McLeod Ganj.
The rare opportunity exists within McLeod Ganj to learn directly from first-hand accounts and experiences of Tibetan refugees: One of the most fettered and oppressed cultures on the planet. Take the opportunity to talk directly with the Tibetan people of McLeod Ganj who have lived through this inequity and tell their story with sincerity and hope that one day they may return to their homeland in freedom.
A little bit of history is noteworthy here. In 1959, following the unsuccessful Tibetan uprising against Chairman Mao’s occupying Chinese army, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of the Tibetan people escaped across the mountains of Tibet and over the border into India. In doing so, a Tibetan Government in Exile was created in McLeod Ganj with the Dalai Lama as its spiritual leader. Over the years that followed, many more Tibetans would flee from the Communist Chinese regime and seek refuge in India or Nepal. Unfortunately, many did not survive the journey.
I booked a train ticket to Chakki Bank (three hours outside of McLeod Ganj) and got a friendly wake-up prod in my sleeper bunk at 3 a.m. to indicate our arrival. Two dozen sleep-dazed travellers spilt out onto the deserted Indian platform in the middle of the night and formed one lump around a delighted chai vendor (tea stall). India is cold at night in the north and my shawl has been an ever-present fixture around my shoulders since I bought it in the warmer southern state of Maharastra. It always makes more sense to travel as one large group, and even though you may not know each other it affords far more bargaining power with the local transport operators. It was tacitly obviously that we were all heading to McLeod Ganj, and within a few minutes a young Israeli woman had taken leadership of the group and brokered a deal for several Ambassador Taxi cabs to take us all to McLeod Ganj. I love travelling in these plush (for India) cabs, which are a luxurious remnant from the days of the British Raj.
The sun was rising as the cabs gently made their ascent along the mountain roads in one long motorcade. Snow-capped mountains could be seen waking from their slumber in the distance as the sun poured into the valleys now below us. We arrived in McLeod Ganj in the early morning to be greeted by a small troop of young and cordial guesthouse reps. They made it very easy for us to find accommodation, to which we all immediately dispersed like foxes into holes.
Mindful of the recent history of Tibetan people, I was expecting something political or at least sober of frivolity upon arriving at this former British hill station. What I was greeted with was a joyous and enchanting town of smiles and an endless extension of hospitality throughout. McLeod Ganj is adorned with character, colour and laughter that have evidently drawn travellers into its arms from every direction. McLeod Ganj is the quintessential travel hub. The “jewel in the crown” of the Indian Himalayas. It’s a veritable nest of rest and recuperation for the travel-weary, and offers classes on meditation, yoga and traditional Tibetan cooking. Holistic practitioners are offering courses and discourses throughout the day at various idyllic retreats peppered throughout McLeod Ganj. Warm natural-fibre clothing and crafts and paintings by local artists can be bought cheaply along the main thoroughfare that runs the length of the town.
McLeod Ganj offers a mountain vista of the valleys below where marigold grows in manicured fields as yaks meander freely. The occasional rickshaw arrives from, or departs to, the nearby town of Dharamshala about 4 km down the mountain. All your travel needs are catered for in McLeod Ganj with local agents offering these services. There really is no need to venture outside of the town, and the one time I did decide to do this I regretted it by losing the calm sense of myself I had acquired here.
McLeod Ganj really is a place to let go of the everyday strains and stresses of India, and it feels very much like a vacation from the country, from within the country. It seems to breathe its own atmosphere, and friendships are made organically here amid the chatter of exchanged stories from your adventures in the real India outside the bubble. You are offered the choice between sitting on a balcony overlooking natural wonders in the valleys below, or delving into classes and walks along the many nature trails that lead off to waterfalls, ravines and swimming holes. If India has worn you down and overloaded your senses (which it will if you spend long enough there), then a stopover in McLeod Ganj will fully recharge your batteries to continue onwards with your adventures.
Tibetan tea houses offer both traditional fare and Indian food, but moreover, they offer Western treats like spaghetti Bolognese, pizza, French fries, cakes, wine and beer; all at very reasonable prices. Try eating the traditional ‘momos’ and then learn how to make them in a cookery class. Even the accommodation here is excellent value despite hosting a resort menu of activities that could easily warrant charging more. My understanding is that the Tibetan people are eager to share their culture and their history with the world. Their hospitality and openness is a natural extension of this, and I chanced the opportunity to talk candidly (and in broken English) to a Tibetan refugee working in a café. As I sat with him over the course of a whole afternoon, he explained the historic value of his homeland for Tibetan people, and the plight of his own journey to McLeod Ganj.
The rare opportunity exists within McLeod Ganj to learn directly from first-hand accounts and experiences of Tibetan refugees: One of the most fettered and oppressed cultures on the planet. Take the opportunity to talk directly with the Tibetan people of McLeod Ganj who have lived through this inequity and tell their story with sincerity and hope that one day they may return to their homeland in freedom.
When to Go to Mcleod Ganj
There is no train service in McLeod Ganj, so a bus or a private car will be the only way in and out of the town. The bus stop at the far end of the town by the chai stalls does not pass through the town centre but along a side road that services McLeod Ganj. This means the smiles can keep beaming without the threat of swallowing a mouthful of gasoline fumes every few minutes. Even the rickshaws will mostly stay upon the outskirts of town; perhaps out of some courtesy to the delicate fineries contained within. A good departure destination to head for is west to Dalhousie and then an onward bus journey to Amritsar in the Punjab.
Odds n' Ends
There are no sealed roads in McLeod Ganj, so when it rains—and it does frequently in the mountains—prepare to be wading through a soup of mud. If your visit coincides with the Holi festival of colour (which it did for me) then expect a soup of multicoloured mud. On a clear day you can see the chain of snow-capped mountains in the lower Himalayas. When the clouds suddenly roll in, you will be amazed by a light storm of such arresting beauty that you may never witness one again quite like it—fork lightening over the top of sheet lightening. Quite the show!
The McLeod Ganj “special muesli breakfast” is passed down through word-of-mouth within the travelling community. One bowl will feed you until dinner and provide enough energy for a yoga class, a mountain trek followed by a swim. In the evening, there is an old bus in town that has been converted into a cinema showing new release Hollywood films.
When the Dalai Lama is resident at McLeod Ganj, he will hold teachings with his monks at the Tsuglagkhang Temple. Tourists are welcome to attend and are seated in a designated section of the Temple close to His Holiness. In order to attend a teaching you will need to register for a guest pass at the Tibetan office in town. Take two passport-sized photos with you. A translation into English is given during the teachings, which can only be received via transistor radio. These radios can be purchased all over McLeod Ganj very cheaply but don’t expect a great signal as the quality of both the radio and the transmission is poor. This transmission is across the town so you can listen from outside the Temple as well.
http://www.drewtapley.com
The McLeod Ganj “special muesli breakfast” is passed down through word-of-mouth within the travelling community. One bowl will feed you until dinner and provide enough energy for a yoga class, a mountain trek followed by a swim. In the evening, there is an old bus in town that has been converted into a cinema showing new release Hollywood films.
When the Dalai Lama is resident at McLeod Ganj, he will hold teachings with his monks at the Tsuglagkhang Temple. Tourists are welcome to attend and are seated in a designated section of the Temple close to His Holiness. In order to attend a teaching you will need to register for a guest pass at the Tibetan office in town. Take two passport-sized photos with you. A translation into English is given during the teachings, which can only be received via transistor radio. These radios can be purchased all over McLeod Ganj very cheaply but don’t expect a great signal as the quality of both the radio and the transmission is poor. This transmission is across the town so you can listen from outside the Temple as well.
http://www.drewtapley.com
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In the quiet village of Naddi, Dharamsala, the Snow Crest Inn is just a short distance from McLeod Ganj, residence of His Holiness the 14th ... 1 miles away
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