Dharamshala (also spelled Dharamsala) is the district headquarters of Kangra
district in India. Kangra District was part of the British province of Punjab.
The administrative headquarters of the district were initially at Kangra, but
were moved to Dharamshala in 1855. Dharamshala is 18 km (11 mi) from Kangra.
Several thousand Tibetan exiles have now settled in the area; most live in and
around McLeodGanj in Upper Dharamshala, where they have built monasteries,
temples and schools. It has become an important tourist destination with many
hotels and restaurants, leading to growth in tourism and commerce.
Dharamshala is the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh. The Legislative
Assembly is at Sidhbari, near the Chinmaya Tapovan Ashram, and the winter
sessions of the government are held there. Dharamshala is also one of the
famous bird watching spots in India.
|
Having lunch at Hotel Tibet Dhasa.
This is the best place in Dharamshala to enjoy authentic Tibetan
cuisine. This place is in the heart of the hill town and offers
mouth-watering cuisine at low prices.
-
You can choose this hotel because of its ethics. It is run as a
cooperative to support Tibetan refugees. The rooms are basic but
spacious, quiet and clean.
|
|
McLeod Ganj Main Square.
The city is divided into two distinct sections. Kotwali Bazaar and the
surrounding markets are referred to as "Lower Dharamshala" or just
"Dharamshala" and "Upper Dharamshala" or places such as McLeod Ganj,
Dharamkot, etc.
|
|
McLeod Ganj Main Street.
McLeod Ganj, also spelt McLeodganj, is a suburb of Dharamshala.
-
It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" (used mainly by Tibetans)
because of its large population of Tibetans.
-
The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeod Ganj which
treats the suburb as its capital-in-exile.
-
See more at
McLeod Ganj - Wikipedia.
|
|
Tibetan Buddhist brass figurines shop.
|
|
Street stall selling necklaces and bracelets.
|
|
Continuing down the main street.
|
|
Shop selling Tibetan singing bowls.
Although it is sometimes stated that 'Tibetan singing bowls' date back
to a pre-Buddhist, shamanic Bon-Po tradition, the manufacture and use of
bowls specifically for the purpose of 'singing' (as opposed to standing
bells/bowls that are intended to be struck) is believed to be a modern
phenomenon.
-
The historical records and accounts of the music of Tibet are silent
about singing bowls. Such bowls are not mentioned by Perceval Landon
(a visitor in 1903–1904) in his notes on Tibetan music, nor by any
other visitor. Likewise, though ringing and clanging sounds were noted
by missionaries interested in traditional Tibetan healing practices,
they make no mention of singing bowls.
-
The objects often now referred to as 'Tibetan singing bowls', and
marketed as Tibetan ritual instruments, have been called "dharma
products" that in fact come from northern India or Nepal, and are
neither Tibetan nor ritual in origin.
-
See more at
Standing bell - Wikipedia.
|
|
Shop selling fabrics with an illustration of a Saiva Nath chakra
system.
The earliest texts on Hatha yoga of the Naths, such as Vivekamartanda
and Gorakhshasataka, are from Maharashtra, and these manuscripts are
likely from the 13th century.
-
These Nath texts, however, have an overlap with the 13th century
Jnanadeva commentary on the Hindu scripture Bhagavada Gita, called the
Jnanesvari.
-
This may be because of mutual influence, as both the texts integrate
the teachings of Yoga and Vedanta schools of Hinduism in a similar
way.
-
Numerous technical treatises in the Hindu tradition, composed in
Sanskrit about Hatha Yoga, are attributed to Gorakshanath.
-
See more at
Nath, Hatha yoga - Wikipedia.
|
|
Street stall selling brass Tibetan Buddhist figurines.
|
|
Continuing down the street.
Now we are walking down Khara Danda Street.
|
|
Shop selling thangkas.
Thangkas are Tibetan Buddhist paintings on cotton, silk appliqué,
usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala.
-
Thangkas are traditionally kept unframed and rolled up when not on
display, mounted on a textile backing somewhat in the style of Chinese
scroll paintings, with a further silk cover on the front.
-
Most thangkas were intended for personal meditation or instruction of
monastic students. They often have elaborate compositions including
many very small figures. A central deity is often surrounded by other
identified figures in a symmetrical composition.
-
See more at
Thangka - Wikipedia.
|
|
Another store selling brass Tibetan Buddhist figurines.
|
|
More brass Tibetan Buddhist figurines.
|
|
Resting and enjoying the view.
|
|
More singing bowls and figurines.
|
|
Bookstore with English books.
|
|
Intersection of Temple Street and Thardhol Ling Street.
We can read on the poster:
-
«Lankavatara Sutra - If some say that I gave permission to eat meat,
that is nor so, with no asking for it, searching for it or thinking
about there would be no meat of three-fold purity since there is no
thing without ... should not eat it. The Buddha.»
-
Regarding Indian sources, the meat-eaters quote mainly the
’Dul ba gzhi (The Foundation of the Vinaya) in which the
Buddha, being criticized for eating meat, lays down the rule of the
threefold purity, namely that meat is allowed if one has not seen,
heard, or suspected that the meat was prepared especially for the
eater. As for the pro-vegetarians, they cite, among other
Mahayanasutras, the Lankavatara Sutra, which explains that the "rule
of threefold purity (…) was an expedient means used to help those who
were unable to maintain a fully vegetarian diet".
|
|
View of the valley at sunset.
|
See also
Source
Location
