Area : 28 Sq km
Altitude : 1250 meters to 1982 meters
Language : Himachali, Hindi, English
Best Season : March to June & Sept. to Oct.
Clothing Required : Cottan in summer and heavy woollens in winter.
Rainfall : 290 cm to 380 cm
STD Codes : 01892
Introduction
A quiet retreat in the hills of the Dhauladhar range, Dharamsala is picturesque hill resort in India. Home to His Highness Dalai Lama and many Tibetan settlers, Dharamsala offers spectacular views of the Dhauladhar range. The beauty of the hill station and the Tibetan way of life has attracted travellers from around the world. So much so the hill resort Dharamsala is frequented quite often by the Hollywood star Richard Gere.
Accessibility rech Dharamshala hill station:
By Train : The convenient rail head is Pathankot at a distance of 90km whereas Kangra Railway station on Narrow gauge railway line is only 17km from Dharamsala.
By Air : Nearest Air Port is Gaggal is about 12 km from Dharamsala.
By Road : Regular Bus and Taxi service available from Delhi and Chandigarh. Delhi is 520km and Chandigarh is 252km from Dharamsala.
Places to Visit
Mc Leod Ganj :
Established in 1850's as a british garrison and the home to the semi-normadic gaddi tribe. A number of residential buildings, restaurants, antique and curio shops, together with famous Tibetan institutions have lent importance to McLeod Ganj. The Budha temple is situated opposite to the present abode of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and is worth a visit. The Tibetan Institute of performing Arts(TIPA) is 1km. walk from McLeod Ganj and preserves a number of musical dance and theatrical traditions of Tibet. It holds an annual 10-day folk opera commencing on the second Saturday of April. There is also a Tibetan handicraft centre situated at McLeod Ganj and a Sunday market is organized at about 10 minutes walk from here.
Jwalamukhi Temple :
The famous temple of Jwalamukhi is 30kms. from Kangra and 56 kms from Dharamshala. Dedicated to the "GODDESS OF LIGHT", the temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples in northern India. There is no idol of any kind the flame is considered as a manifestation of the goddess. An eternally burning and shining blue flame emanates from the rock sanctum and is fed by the priests with the offerings of devotees. The golden tower (dome) of the temple was a gift from the Emperor Akbar. Two important fairs are held here during the Navratras in earlier April and mid October.
