Life in McLeod Ganj, India

McLeod Ganj

The photos were taken in 2012 in McLeod Ganj, the upper area of Dharamshala. It’s located in Northern India in the state of Himachal Pradesh. I spent time there both in 2012 and 2013.

When I first visited, I fell so in love that I stayed for a month. I returned the next year and stayed nearly three times as long. Its natural beauty—a magnificent mountain range considered the foothills of the Himalayas with verdant greens from majestic forested hills throughout the area—entices people to return again and again. There are many full-time foreigners or expats who reside there for extended times as well.

Upon returning the subsequent year and revisiting restaurateurs and shopkeepers, one pleasant fellow, Maddy, appropriately remarked, “Oh, once a person comes to Mcleod, they always return.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community

In addition to the breathtaking scenic attraction, the Tibetan culture is a substantial draw to the area. Upon interacting with the Tibetan population, one falls in love with them, their culture, pious lifestyle, and their kindness.

It is where His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has resided in exile. When he fled Tibet in 1959 at age 23 in a harrowing escape across the Himalayas, India was the only country in the world that welcomed him. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" as the Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered here, and the region has a significant Tibetan population.

Not surprisingly, he remains profoundly dedicated to India and its ongoing support of him and all Tibetans, who have, and continue to, suffer greatly at the hands of the ever-increasing authoritarian Chinese control over their homeland. Thousands of Tibetans still flee Tibet, and passage to India is relatively easy in terms of India's policies, albeit always a daunting, frightening journey.

The Tibetan community supports its diaspora in myriad ways, assisting in finding housing, work, and educational skills. Numerous NGOs and Tibetan charitable organizations provide services, one of the most famous being that headed up by the American actor, Richard Gere, who is a devotee of the Dalai Lama's Buddhist lineage.

The Dalai Lama holds Buddhist teachings at least once annually, usually more frequently, in McLeod Ganj. These teachings are always packed with thousands of students, devotees, visitors, and supporters from around the globe.

Additionally, many students of Buddhism, Hinduism, and other disciplines study in McLeod Ganj at the Tibetan Institute

Hilly topography

The town is situated amidst a series of hills with breathtaking vistas in every direction. The first shot at the top of this article is from my homestay balcony overlooking the Dhauladhar mountains, the foothills of the Himalayas.

A series of galvanized pipes run up and down the hills, delivering water from existing storage facilities or reservoirs down to the lower reaches of the hillside, where I resided.

This was the climb from my room to the top of the road, where all businesses, produce stands, restaurants, and shops were located.

To my amazement, the goats traversed it with no difficulty. In the beginning, the climb required me to stop a couple of times to catch my breath.

However, aerobic capacity does improve with practice. By the end of my month's stay, I was climbing it like a champ with no stops.

After morning yoga and meditation, hanging out on the terrace and reveling in mountain views was my routine.

I hope you enjoyed a bit of northern India.

Your time is valuable. Thanks for spending some of it with me.

Victoria 🙏

© Victoria Kjos. All Rights Reserved. 2024.