Dharamshala - Feb-2023

---

Dalhousie - Dharamshala / Mcleodganj - Amritsar




Dharamshala




Day-3: Travel to Dharamshala. And McLeodganj:




Started from Dalhousie after breakfast and travelled to Dharamshala. About 5½ hrs journey. On day-1 it was almost the same time between Jammu and Dalhousie. However, 3 hrs were on Jammu-Pathankot highway, rest in the hills, so less tiring. Today it was almost entirely in Himalayan foot-hills. Since the roads are narrow and have sharp bends, only medium sized buses ply. They do not (cannot - as we were told) use air-suspension - only leaf springs. So the journey was more bumpy and taxing. Reached Dharamshala for late lunch.





Like Dalhousie, there is very little to see specifically in Dharamshala. Beautiful views all around. A special attraction is the world’s highest cricket ground. Visit to the stadium was not possible as it was under maintenance.




Afternoon, at 3:30, to McLeodganj (½ hr) - seat of Dalai Lama (in exile). First, visited Bhanshu Nag temple. McLeodganj is also so crowded with extremely narrow roads, only smaller vehicles can traverse. It was a thrilling (and scary too) experience to sit in a 8 seater van going almost vertically at full speed. Visited the Dalai Lama Monastery and his residence. The Dalai Lama himself was on a tour of some other place. Very noticeable about all the Buddhist Monasteries is that they are very clean, quiet, peaceful and allow us to carry memories of the place by permitting photography. All these are remarkably missing at all Hindu religious places. In Hindu temples, only the professional photographers are allowed to take pictures of the deity - and then sell them as posters.




Spare time in the evening was kept for shopping. We were told that McLeodganj is the only place - other than Amritsar - on this trip for shopping. Not in Dalhousie or Dharamshala. It had started raining and there was little scope for even window shopping.




Returned to Dharamshala amidst rain.




Day-4: Visit to Heritage Village and Jwalaji Temple




Today’s plan included a visit to Jwalaji (Jwalamukhi) mataji temple and visit to ‘Heritage’ village. Jwalaji is 51 Km (1 h 45 min) from Dharamshala and Garli is further 67 Km (2 h 15 min) from Jwalaji.




Himachal Pradesh government has identified a few villages as ‘Heritage Villages’ and they are developed as tourist attractions. We passed through Jwalaji and visited Garli village (one of the Heritage villages) first. Some old houses - Hawelis are preserved and renovated where you can see old architecture and lifestyle. Some are converted into hotels.




Returned to Jwalaji. First - lunch.




Jwalaji Temple:




Jwalamukhi Devi Temple is considered to be one of the ‘Shaktipeeths’ in India (ancient India - some of them are in today’s Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and PoK). Number of these Shaktipeeths vary according to the source.




The temple is located on a small hillock. For going up, ‘Kesari’ had hired auto rickshaws. Coming down is relatively easy. This area is situated on a volcano. For the same reason, it is called Jwalaji - a deity in the form of an eternal flame (burning of gasses coming out from the earth). This area of Himachal Pradesh has a very hot climate - in contrast to the rest of the State.




While returning from Jwalaji, near Dharamshala, the weather suddenly changed. Vehicles coming from Dharamshala were covered with snow! That is the fun of the climate in the Himalayas. We were to visit an ancient Shiva temple of the Pandava’s era. Due to ice-cold air and rain, it was dropped. Sweating at 3 pm, shivering at 5.




The day ended a bit early.



Day-5: Dharamshala to Amritsar.

---