McLeodganj- Peace, Pleasure and Panorama

BENGALURU: An ultimate spiritual destination, McLeodganj or Upper Dharamsala is a Buddhist homage site and a perfect holiday zone. People mostly recognize the place because of the Dalai Lama, who is residing in this town in exile with his followers, ever since they were forced to leave Tibet in 1959. Due to large Tibetan settlements, this hill town in Himachal Pradesh is known as ‘Little Lhasa’ after the Tibetan capital city. This town is decorated with multi-colored prayer flags and its streets are seamed with momo and popcorn stalls, and kiosks selling Tibetan bread and green vegetables.

The busiest sectors of this heavenly place are the two main streets of the marketplace and a temple in the centre, and stores showcasing merchandise in trippy patterns, spellbinding tourists. Hand-knit woolens, backpacks, prayer bells, shoes, chutneys, pickles, jewellery, trekking gear and car rentals at attractive prices turning backpacker’s into patronizers.

Tsuglag Khang or the Dalai Lama's Temple can be seen from a distance with a white extending canopy and tents made to shelter devotees who come to pray or just sit there calmly and thaw in the serenity. You can visit the Namgyal Café near the temple to try delicious vegetarian Italian cuisine such as cheese-spinach pizza and tofusprouts-veggie salad.

The Norbulingka Institute which is specially designed after the Dalai Lama's summer palace in Lhasa is a good place to learn and explore Tibetan culture and arts. In the vicinity, there is Karmapa Gyuto Monastery standing tall and strong adjacent to Dhauladhar peaks, the monastery is the current seat of the Karmapa Rinpoche of the Kargyud Lineage. You can also find the Tantra School and beautiful gardens within the monastery zone.

Other tourist attractions include St John of the Wilderness Church, Tibetan Children's village and school, the Bhagsunag Temple and the waterfall and the Dal Lake. You can also enjoy the breathtaking trekking at route at Naddi, facing the stunning Dauladhar range of snow-capped mountains amidst the trip.

Food lovers can get ready to hog because this place offers vast range of cuisines from Tibet, Japan, Bhutan, Europe and definitely India at reasonable prices.

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