Overview
Dharamshala (also spelled Dharamsala) is a city in the Kangra district of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Located on the southern slopes of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas, it serves as the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of Kangra district. The city is internationally known as the residence of the 14th Dalai Lama and the seat of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| District | Kangra |
| Region | Dhauladhar range, Western Himalayas |
| Status | Winter capital of Himachal Pradesh |
| Languages | Hindi, Pahari (Kangri), English, Tibetan |
| Notable resident | 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) |
| Headquarters of | Central Tibetan Administration |
Etymology
The name Dharamshala derives from the Sanskrit-Hindi term for a rest house or pilgrim shelter, reflecting the region's traditional role as a stopover for travellers in the Kangra Valley.
Geography
Dharamshala lies at varying elevations between roughly 1,250 m and 2,100 m above sea level. The city is divided into two principal sections:
- Lower Dharamshala (also called Kotwali Bazaar), the commercial and civic centre.
- Upper Dharamshala, which includes McLeod Ganj, Forsyth Ganj, and the suburb of Gangchen Kyishong where the CTA is based.
The town overlooks the Kangra Valley to the south and is backed by the steep, snow-capped Dhauladhar peaks to the north. The climate is humid subtropical at lower elevations and cooler temperate higher up, with significant rainfall during the southwest monsoon.
History
The Kangra Valley has a long recorded history associated with the Katoch dynasty and the temple town of Kangra. The modern settlement of Dharamshala developed in the mid-19th century after the British annexation of the region following the First Anglo-Sikh War (1846). It was established as a subsidiary cantonment for British troops around 1849 and became the administrative headquarters of Kangra district.
On 4 April 1905, a major earthquake devastated the Kangra Valley, destroying much of Dharamshala including St. John in the Wilderness Church's spire and causing heavy loss of life. The town was subsequently rebuilt, although the colonial summer-resort character of nearby McLeod Ganj diminished.
In 1960, following the 14th Dalai Lama's exile from Tibet in 1959, the Government of India offered McLeod Ganj as a residence for him and his followers. This led to the establishment of the Tibetan government-in-exile and a substantial Tibetan refugee community, transforming the upper town into a centre of Tibetan Buddhist religious and cultural life.
On 19 January 2017, the Government of Himachal Pradesh declared Dharamshala the second (winter) capital of the state, complementing Shimla.
Tibetan community and institutions
McLeod Ganj is sometimes referred to as "Little Lhasa" because of its concentration of Tibetan institutions:
- Tsuglagkhang Complex, the main temple of the Dalai Lama, including the Namgyal Monastery and the Tibet Museum.
- Central Tibetan Administration at Gangchen Kyishong, including the Kashag (cabinet) and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
- Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, established in 1970.
- Norbulingka Institute, founded in 1995 to preserve Tibetan literary and artistic traditions.
- Men-Tsee-Khang, the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute.
- Tibetan Children's Village (TCV), a residential school system for Tibetan refugee children.
Religious and cultural sites
- St. John in the Wilderness, a neo-Gothic Anglican church built in 1852, where Lord Elgin, Viceroy of India, is buried.