A hill station is a hill station is a hill station.

Right?

Not quite.

Like the average Delhite gunslinger ( or name-flinger) notching up hill stations on the butt of his six-shooter, I too went this summer, with family in tow, to Mcleodganj.

It was…

SAME SAME, BUT DIFFERENT !

A travelogue by panda….

Mcleodganj

is a melting pot of culture.

West rubs shoulders with East. East rubs shoulders with further East.

People come here to find Buddha.

I went there to find Buddha.

I found Food. Awesome, delicious, mouth-watering food.

Italian. Israeli. Greek. Mexican. Indian. German. Thai. You name it. Slurp.

I came back enlightened.

And two kilos heavier.

Yes. You would rub shoulders too. The streets are that narrow. The cars move fast, brushing past you. Even a staunch non-Buddhist would see merit in the philosophy of reincarnation.

What you notice about Kangra

region is the number of Black Kites you can spot soaring in the skies. This is a shot from my room in Mcgj. The Dhauladhar

range ( 5000+m) in backdrop. Don’t both of them look majestic?

What do you do when you are chased out of your country? When you

are not recognized to exist. When the" developed world" (sic) sees the oppressor as an expanding market and, hence, untouchable?

You don’t give up. You make The Norbulingka.

For it is when you preserve, and make your culture flourish, that you have truly beaten the enemy. Just look at the wonderful sculpture of Buddha and the mersmerising

Tangka

paintings, made the traditional Tibetan way.

The Norbulingka

also houses a doll museum, a wood & sculpture workshop, an art gallery and few scores of eager Tibetan kids keeping their faith alive. Featured here a shot from the doll museum.

The Dalai Lama’s temple and residence were close to our hotel. Again, an imposing sculpture of Sakyamuni

Buddha. The adjacent temple had amazing sculptures of Kalachakra

& Tara. The walls were lined with intricate Tangka

paintings. But, sorry, no photography allowed inside.

I was in luck. On 25th

morning, HH Dalai Lama was lecturing the kids of TCV ( Tibetian

Children’s Village) & all who cared to listen, on Buddhism. We lined up to see the great man. See the kid yelling excitedly that the DL’s

motorcade is soon going to come round the bend!

Dharamkot

is a sleepy village 2 kms

from Mcgj. Set amongst the Deodars are a Vippasana

and a Tibetan meditation centre. Trek for Triund

starts from here. This trek has been saved for a later visit.

Naddi

is another hamlet a half hour walk from Dharamkot, thru a Deodar & pine forest. The walk is refreshing, the sight breath-taking.

The biggest advantage of trekking is the appetite it gives you. Back at Mcgj, Eat at Norling. The best Thupka

money can buy. The Chonor

House serves good Momos

and life giving beer. Richard Gere

stays there, I heard.

Parking for tresspassers, residents not allowed?

Somehow this rings true…

the Tibetan community has managed to gain vital ground in the tourism industry by their hard work.

Their hotels are cleaner, more hospitable and cheaper than the ones run by some of the locals.

Guess that is why there is some tension with the local population.

But, I hope they will learn to co-

exist.

There is enough for everyone in this little Paradise.

Hey, wait a minute. Any travelogue is incomplete without the family pics.

Mridula & self at TIPA. Aruna

& self on the Triund

trek trial.

That’s all folks.

Written on a tissue paper at Carpe Diem restaurant

“

Everybody dies. Not everyone really lives.”

Go. Live.