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There are [4] photos and [7] stories tagged with "dharamshala".

Because I decided to break this cycle of suffering, I began this journey as a wanderer, alone, discovering and rediscovering the reason behind my existence. Being a human I was always caught up with hopes, fears, anger, expectations and disappointment, when one day I decided to break this cage. I wanted to come out of this ignorance which has caught up my soul for years and willed to taste freedom, “freedom from own self”. I set off for a trip to a place called Dharamshala in western India. It is known for being a spiritual epicenter and Dalai Lama’s residence and headquarters. Yet I was scared and stumbled to walk ahead. And then those lines of Rumi flashed, “On this path let the heart be your guide for the body is hesitant and full of fear”. by: aprajitapandey Views[1132]

It was in 1959 when HH Dalai Lama initiated his quest to free Tibet from the clutches of Chinese government. This led to the migration of many Buddhists to India. The Indian government provided them with Dharamshala as a place to settle and flourish. On coming back from Gyoto monastery, I decided to take a late walk to Dharamkot, another small section of the Dharamshala province. This shot was taken en-route to Dharamkot which is about 14 km from Dharamshala. The route from McLeod upwards gets a bit scary as there are very less homes and shops with all the tall tress blanketing the road with very little light creeping in. The sentiments of the message on the shutter of the shop says it all, the Tibetans although have settled and made a living here, haven't forgotten the cause that they had left for. by: karankpl Views[636]

My next destination were something one can't miss when in Dharamshala, the Tibetan monasteries. This was my 2nd day of the journey. The Buddhist religion is known for their simple living and peaceful nature which in turn has made many people around the world follow it. The monasteries are an art in itself, the vibrancy and the peace one can experience here is divine. I took this shot at the Gyoto monastery, one of the lesser visited monastery situated about 10 km from the main town of Dharamshala. I reached here about 1 hour prior to the afternoon prayers and got real good time to shoot the beauty of the monastery. Just before the main prayer, one of the monks came in to offer his prayers. The timing got precise for me and this one turned out to be one of the best shot of my trip. by: karankpl Views[744]

I reached Dharamshala on the morning of 23rd May. Known for its crafty works and travel enthusiasts, I got a perfect welcome from the town with colors, designs, bikers and trekkers all around. While going to my hotel on day 1, I came across this scene where a classic Royal Enfield was parked in front of a wall with the famous traditional drapes with prints of Hindu Gods put up for sale. One can see a lot of bullets around which has been a favorite for a lot of bikers here in India. The contrast in terms of the nature and color was something that attracted me to get this photographed and I knew straight away that I was going to have a great time here :) by: karankpl Views[631]

Life in a Tibetan Buddhist Nunnery

INDIA | Sun, 19 Apr 2015 | By flyingpiglet | Views [1712]

I am extremely fortunate to be living and teaching English for 3 and a half months at the Tibetan Buddhist nunnery of Jamyang Choling, near Dharamshala, India. What is life in a nunnery like? First, it’s a very peaceful and tranquil ... Read more >

Tags: buddhist, dharamshala, india, jamyang choling, mcleod ganj, nun, nunnery, tibetan

Photos: The Dalai Lama's teachings - a few drawings

INDIA | Tue, 27 Aug 2013 | By flyingpiglet | Photo Gallery

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Tags: dalai lama, dharamshala, drawings, teachings

The Dalai Lama's teachings, Dharamshala, August 2013

INDIA | Tue, 27 Aug 2013 | By flyingpiglet | Views [2446] | Comments [1]

The Dalai Lama has just returned from a month’s meditation retreat in Ladakh. I must say, it was good to think of him there, having the time to do some quiet meditation after a fairly hectic few months of foreign travel which even took him to Australia ... Read more >

Tags: dalai lama, dharamsala, dharamshala, teachings, tibet, tibetans

Photos: My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

INDIA | Fri, 14 Jun 2013 | By karankpl | Photo Gallery | Scholarship Entry

One thing on my bucket list was to travel to a place, alone. A wedding of my cousin gave me a chance to cut that off my list and I jumped for the opportunity. It was a bit hard to convince my parents initially but then I had it my way in the end. But ... Read more >
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Tags: dharamshala, nomad, photography, travel, world

Two travel books inspired by Tibetans in exile

INDIA | Thu, 25 Apr 2013 | By flyingpiglet | Views [1064]

In 2010 and 2012 I spent three months (that's the longest visa I could get) teaching English as a volunteer at Tibet Charity in Dharamshala, India. My students were mostly Tibetans. Dharamshala is a community dominated by Tibetans in exile, ... Read more >

Tags: dalai lama, dharamsala, dharamshala, library, monkeys, monks, teaching, tibet, yeti

Walking the kora in McLeod Ganj

INDIA | Tue, 10 Jan 2012 | By flyingpiglet | Views [4757]

While I lived in McLo I stayed at Snow Height Apartments. It was conveniently sited right next to the Tibet Charity school, but it was down the hill from the main part of town,where the shops, street stalls and restaurants were found. There were ... Read more >

Tags: dalai lama, dharamsala, dharamshala, kora, mcleod ganj, mclo

INDIA - Amritsar and Dharamshala

INDIA | Sun, 14 Nov 2010 | By toomanyllamas | Views [540]

We travelled by Sleeper Class on the train to Amritsar. There was no way to prevent cold air from entering the compartment; even with all the windows shut, we were freezing and very uncomfortable, so our room at the Grand opposite the Amritsar railway ... Read more >

Tags: amritsar, dharamshala, dhauladhars, dodgy train journeys, exhaustion, golden temple, indo-pak border closing ceremony, temples, trekking, wagah