History

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India, could not have known in 1960 that the location he offered to Tibetan exiles had prolific Buddhist roots dating back 2,700 years. The Kangra Valley is rich in unexplored archaeological sites of great importance to understanding Indian Buddhism; in 635 AD the Chinese monk-pilgrim, Hsuan Tsang recorded fifty monasteries with around 2,000 monks in this fertile region. But, a century later, Buddhism and all its sites were eliminated from the valley during an upsurge of Brahminical revivalism.

Dharamsala's earliest history is obscured by time and the successive invasions that swept through all North India. But it is known that the original tribes identified with Kangra's hilly tracts were Dasas, a warrior people, later assimilated by Aryans.

In 1849 the British posted a regiment in Dharamsala, but the place was not to remain a military cantonment for long. By 1855 it was a small but flourishing hill station and the administrative headquarters of Kangra District, which had been annexed by the British in 1848. The two main areas at the time were McLeod Gunj, named after Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab, David McLeod, and Forsyth Gunj, named after a divisional commissioner.

Lord Elgin, Viceroy of British India and a former Governor-General of Canada, loved the forests of Dharamsala so much that, before dying here in 1863, he asked to be buried in the graveyard of St. John's Church in the Wilderness. Had he lived longer, Dharamsala might have become the summer capital of British India.

The name Sir Francis Younghusband - leader of British India's fateful incursion to Lhasa in 1904 - also has Dharamsala connections. In 1856 his parents, Clara Shaw and John Younghusband, lived in a bungalow in the pine forest above St. John's Church and later bought land in the Kangra Valley to pioneer a tea plantation. Clara's brother, Robert Shaw, was a renowned explorer of Central Asia and an early Kangra tea planter.

But in 1905 a severe earthquake changed the face of Dharamsala. Many buildings collapsed and the whole settlement, once ravaged, was never re-occupied. The local officials advised residents to move to the safety of Lower Dharamsala which at that time comprised little more than a jail, a police station and a cobbler's shop. The pine-clad hillsides continued to flourish as a quiet health resort for the "sahibs" and "memsahibs" of British India.

The visits of "sahibs" and "memsahibs" ended when India achieved independence in 1947. McLeod Gunj then quickly became a sleepy, undistinguished village until His Holiness the Dalai Lama, fleeing persecution in his homeland, made it his home in exile and moved the Central Tibetan Administration, in effect the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, from Mussoorie to Dharamsala in 1960. Today, more than 8,000 Tibetan refugees consider Dharamsala their second home.

Present Facts

Dharamsala is situated in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It lies on a spur of the Dhauladhar range, the Pir Panjal region of the Outer Himalayas; and commands majestic views of the mighty Dhauladhar ranges above, and the Kangra Valley below. Dhauladhar means "white ridge" and this breathtaking, snow-capped range rises out of the Kangra Valley to a height of 5,200 meters (17,000 feet).

The mountains dominate the scenery in McLeod Gunj. They form a treacherous range creating unpredictable weather, but passes of 2,400 meters (8,900 feet) provide route for the herdsmen of the Ravi Valley beyond.

The Kangra Valley is a wide, fertile plain, criss-crossed by low hills. The scenery touched the heart of a British official who wrote: "No scenery, in my opinion, presents such sublime and delightful contrasts. Below lies the plain, a picture of rural loveliness and repose... Turning from this scene of peaceful beauty, the stern and majestic hills confront us... above all are wastes of snow to rest on."

Dharamsala is divided into two very different parts. Kotwali Bazaar and areas further down the valley (at the average height of 1,250 metres) are called Lower Dharamsala, while McLeod Gunj (at the height of nearly 1,800 metres) and surrounding areas are known as Upper Dharamsala. McLeod Gunj is nine kilometers by bus route and four kilometres by taxi route up the hill from Kotwali Bazaar. While inhabitants of Lower Dharamsala are almost all Indians, McLeod Gunj is primarily a Tibetan area. McLeod Gunj is surrounded by pine, Himalayan oak, rhododendron and deodar forests. The main crops grown by local Indians in the valleys below McLeod Gunj are rice, wheat and tea.

Today, streams of Tibetan refugees from all over the world flock to McLeod Gunj to receive blessings and teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Western and Indian tourists and scholars come here to see the rebirth of an ancient and fascinating civilization. The high altitude and cool weather contribute physically to this recreation of the original Tibetan environment. Dharamsala pulsates with the sights and sounds of old Tibet. Though certainly more modern, life is basically Tibetan in character. Shops strung out along the narrow streets of McLeod Gunj sell traditional Tibetan arts and handicrafts and the aroma of Tibetan dishes lingers in the air.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, was born on July 6, 1935 in a small farming village of Taktser in the province of Amdo, northeast Tibet. At the age of two, following a nationwide search, he was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. He was then brought to the capital, Lhasa, in October 1939, and formally installed as the head of state of Tibet on February 22, 1940.

In 1949 the newly-established communist China invaded Tibet. A year later, His Holiness Dalai Lama was requested by the Regent, the Cabinet and the National Assembly to assume full political authority though he was only fifteen, three years short of traditional majority. For the subsequent nine years, His Holiness the Dalai Lama strove to achieve peaceful co-existence with the Chinese invaders. However, this proved impossible as the Chinese atrocities kept on mounting, creating ever more disillusionment among Tibetans. Tibetans aired their resentment to Chinese occupation by staging armed, popular uprisings, which spread to the entire nation and finally erupted in Lhasa on March 10, 1959. The Chinese responded violently to these uprisings.

When the situation became hopeless for Tibet, His Holiness was requested to flee the country in order to carry on the Tibetan struggle from the outside world. Escaping by night and in disguise, he left Lhasa on March 17, 1959, crossing safely into India on March 31, 1959 where he was warmly received and given asylum.

Nearly 80,000 Tibetan refugees managed to follow His Holiness into exile and are now resettled primarily in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Switzerland, the United States and Canada. Seeking both to save his people and the Tibetan culture, His Holiness began a peaceful struggle to preserve Tibet's unique identity and regain the country's independence.

On 10 December 1989 His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Committee emphasized "that the Dalai Lama, in his struggle for the liberation of Tibet, consistently has opposed the use of violence. He has instead advocated peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of his people."

His Holiness' Residense

The Residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama is opposite the Tsuglag Khang, or the Central Cathedral, which is about ten minutes' walk from McLeod Gunj. Time permitting, His Holiness receives visitors in public audiences. Visitors can apply for public audiences at the Branch Security Office in McLeod Gunj, near Hotel Tibet. Applications for private audiences, however, need to be made in writing to His Holiness' Secretary several months in advance.

Exploring Tibetan Culture

The cultural life in Dharamsala is colourful and rich in tradition. The fairs and festivals are occasions for relaxation. To the local Indian traditions, Tibetan refugees have added their own festivals such as Losar (Tibetan New Year), and His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday which is celebrated on July 6 with the performance of Tibetan, Nepali and Gaddi dances revealing the cultural mosaic that McLeod Gunj is. More recently, tourists and students from the west have added rock music, stage musicals and contribute other Western influences to this melting pot of peoples and cultures.

The Library of Tibetan Works And Archives

The LTWA is located in the Central Tibetan Administration complex. It was established in 1971 as a repository for ancient cultural objects, books and manuscripts from Tibet.

The Library has eight departments: research and translation; publications; oral history and film documentation; reference (reading room); Tibetan studies; Tibetan manuscripts; a museum and a school for thangka painting and wood-carving. LTWA also has a team of Tibetan scholars who are engaged in research, translation, instruction and the publication of books.

Since its founding, the Library has acquired a reputation as an international centre for Tibetan studies. To date, more than five thousand scholars and research students from over thirty countries have benefitted from this unique educational institution. LTWA offers regular classes in Buddhist philosophy and the Tibetan language. A schedule of courses is available from the Library office.

Apart from books and booklets on diverse aspects of Tibetan culture, the Library brings out regular publications, among which The Tibet Journal is pre-eminent. For research scholars and students, the Library offers hostel accommodation on a first-come-first-served basis.

Tibetan Institute Of Performing Arts

TIPA is about fifteen minutes' walk from McLeod Gunj. Established in 1959, TIPA was the very first institution in exile. It is the home of lhamo, the arrestingly colourful and unique folk opera of Tibet. TIPA preserves a wide repertoire of musical, dance and theatrical traditions from Tibet. To balance the weight of tradition in its repertoire, the institute has a modern Theater Troupe which puts on contemporary plays. TIPA also maintains its own workshops for making costumes, masks and musical instruments.

TIPA trains instructors who are sent out to teach music and the performing arts at schools and settlements throughout India and Nepal. It also runs a schools where a mix of modern academic and traditional Tibetan education is provided to children who are, in addition, trained in Tibetan music, dancing and acting from an early age. Of late, TIPA has started a special programme to teach the Tibetan performing arts to non-Tibetans.

TIPA holds an annual Folk Opera Festival in April. A number of folk operas, dance programmes, plays and concerts are presented on this occasion. It is always an exciting time to be in Dharamsala. On important national holidays throughout the year other performances are given. An annual competition among students is held in May or June. Special shows can be arranged for visiting groups if the Institute's office is notified in advance. A standard fee is charged for filming shows.

Artistes from TIPA have performed in many parts of the world. Plans are underway to open a museum of Tibetan folk culture where the rich range of regional costumes, musical instruments, masks and arts will be displayed.

The Norbulingka Institute

The Norbulingka Institute of Tibetan Culture was founded by the Department of Religion and Culture to preserve and promote Tibetan art and culture in exile. It derives its name from the His Holiness the Dalai Lama's beautiful summer residence, the Norbulingka (Jewel Garden), set in parkland two kilometers from Lhasa. Fearing for the future of Tibet's cultural heritage, the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyatso, established institutes of arts and science there in 1754.

Today, with occupied-Tibet undergoing the bleakest period in its history, the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala has taken the initiative to preserve the roots of Tibetan culture in exile. The institute is sited in a scenic valley below Dharamsala. When completed, it will include a Centre for Higher Tibetan Learning.

Amnye Machen Institute

Amnye Machen Institute is a centre for advanced Tibetan studies. It was founded by four Tibetan intellectuals in June 1992 with a grant from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The institute addresses the limitations in the intellectual, social and cultural life of the Tibetan people both inside and outside Tibet. Amnye Machen is initiating systematic studies into Tibetan lay culture, with an emphasis on Tibetan women. This area of Tibetan studies has so far been neglected by the mainstream Tibetan literati. The institute also endeavours to expose Tibetans to western literature and culture by translating them into Tibetan. It brings out two very high quality yearly journals in English, entitled Cairn and Lungta. Amnye Machen Institute is located near the Reception Centre on Jogiwara Road, McLeod Gunj.

Literature And Lectures

The Tibetan community in Dharamsala publishes a number of magazines and journals in several languages. The Library publishes The Tibet Journal, a scholarly and international journal on Tibetan culture. The monthly Sheja and weekly Tibetan Freedom in the Tibetan language are published by the Department of Information and International Relations. This department also publishes Tibetan Bulletin, a bi-monthly magazine in English, Tibbat Desh, a bi-monthly in Hindi, and Tibet Bulletin, a bi-monthly in Chinese. Tibetan Youth Congress brings out Rangzen in both Tibetan and English. The Institute of Buddhist Dialectics publishes Lhaksam Tsekpa to interpret the broad issues of western political thought and ideas. The Department of Religion and Culture publishes Cho-Yang, a glossy magazine on culture and Buddhism. Amnye Machen Institute publishes yearly Cairn and Lungta in English.

Tibetan Review, an independent monthly journal in English, is published from Delhi and is read by Tibetans all over the world. This publication represents an attempt by the Tibetan community in exile both to interpret the contemporary world for themselves and to carry the issue of Tibet to the world at large.

Seminars And Discussions

Tibetans and visitors who are academically inclined, or simply interested in Tibetan culture, can attend frequent lectures, seminars and discussion on Tibetan Buddhism, language, culture, history and politics organized by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Tibetan Youth Congress, Amnye Machen Institute and Tushita. The Department of Information and International Relations organizes a weekly Tibet Awareness Program on Thursday at Yongling School on Jogiwara Road.

Tibetan Medical Tradition

Over a period of 2,500 years Tibetans have perfected a sophisticated medical tradition based on the holistic concept of mind and body. It maintains that disease or disorders in the human body are caused when there is a disequilibrium of psychological and physical energies. Delusion, hatred and attachment results in ego (translated also as "I" consciousness), which in turn disturbs the psychological energy balance, while improper food, behaviour and bad environment disturbs the physical energy balance.

Tibetan doctors would normally follow three methods of diagnosis: visual, interrogation and pulse-reading. Sometimes, they may be able to tell your ailment by merely asking the symptoms, followed by a pulse-reading and a look at your tongue or eyes. However, it is believed that diagnosis is more accurate if these methods are accompanied by a urine test.

Tibetan medicines normally come in hard pills or powder, and most are extremely bitter in taste. Their ingredients are predominantly herbal, although animals products, precious stones and metals are also used. The stones and metals are burned and de-toxified through an intricate and secret process of alchemy.

Over the years, Tibetan medicine has proved most effective in curing various chronic diseases. Its effectiveness in curing hepatitis, according to some westerners, is miraculous. Tibetan medicine is also known for its efficacy in curing chronic sinus-related diseases, although one has to be on medication for a long time.

There are three clinics for traditional Tibetan medicine in McLeod Gunj: the Branch Clinic of the Tibetan Medical Institute, Dr. Yeshi Dhonden's Clinic and the Dr. Lobsang Dolma Khangsar Memorial Clinic. However, the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute is the major institution and is located near Gangchen Kyishong, about five minutes' walk below the Library.

Tibetan Medical And Astro Institute

In 1961, a small dispensary of traditional Tibetan medicine was opened in Dharamsala to cope with the flood of Tibetan refugees arriving every day. Now situated near Gangchen Kyishong, the Tibetan Medical Institute is a huge complex in a spacious compound where the fundamentals of traditional Tibetan medical practice are taught to over fifty students per year. The TMAI has a dispensary, an in-patient unit and a surgical ward. This clinic, as well as its branch in McLeod Gunj, treats patients from all over the world.

About two hundred different pills are produced at the institute and distributed to thirty six branch clinics in India and Nepal. They are also mailed abroad to meet the growing demand for herbal medicines in the west. The phenomenal growth of the institute is an indication of the reputation Tibetan medicine has acquired in international circles. Tibetan medicine dates back more than 2,500 years, and respected physicians and researchers worldwide are increasingly recognizing the effectiveness of these natural cures.

The institute today is staffed by a group of Tibetan physicians _ including His Holiness the Dalai Lama's two personal doctors _ who carry out research and chemical analysis on over 2,294 drugs. TMAI physicians also go abroad at the invitation of universities, medical institutions and groups of patients.

Tibetan Astrology

TMAI also has an astrological department. Besides providing training in the exacting science of Tibetan astrology, it publishes an annual lunar calendar based on the Tibetan system of astrological calculations. The tradition of Tibetan astrology dating back more than two thousand years. Individual horoscopes are made by the department on request.

Tibetan Handcraft Center

This carpet-weaving centre is a non-profit venture established to promote the traditional Tibetan craft of carpet-making and to generate employment in the Tibetan community. The Handicraft Centre is near the McLeod Gunj Post Office. It has a showroom in the town's main street.

Monasteries, Nunneries And Other Religioussite

Buddhism is the centre of cultural life in Dharamsala, just as it was in old Tibet, and no aspect of Tibetan life escapes its influence. Though secular culture is becoming increasingly rich, many of the colourful festivals which fire the imagination of foreigners are religious in nature and derive their inspiration from Buddhism. The focus of this cultural life in Dharamsala is Namgyal Monastery, the tantric college which performs rituals with and for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Namgyal Monastery

Namgyal Monastery was founded by the Third Dalai Lama in the late sixteenth century to assist him in carrying out his religious activities. Since then, the monastery has exclusively served the Dalai Lamas. In Tibet, the 175 Namgyal monks and their monastery were located in the Potala Palace, performing spiritual duties and religious ceremonies for both the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government. A distinctive feature of this monastery is its diversity of practice: prayers and rituals of all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism are performed by Namgyal monks.

The monastery is now situated next to the Central Cathedral. On the path along the monastery, young monks can often be seen playing badminton and in the afternoon and evening practicing debate in the courtyard leading to His Holiness' residence. At present, the monastery has more than 180 monks, of which the younger monks study the major texts of Buddhist Sutra and Tantra.

Namgyal Monastery has also a cafe, bookshop and guest house adjacent to the Tsuglag Khang.

Tsuglag Khang (Central Cathedral)

Though a plain and utilitarian substitute for its far more splendid namesake in Lhasa, also known as the Jokhang, the Tsuglag Khang is nevertheless fascinating and peaceful. Situated opposite the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsuglag Khang is known to the local Indians as the Main Temple. It houses three main images: that of the Sakyamuni Buddha, Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion, of whom the Dalai Lama is the current emanation. The principal image is that of Sakyamuni Buddha, measuring three metres high and made of gilded bronze. To its right are the images of Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara which are both facing Tibet.

The image of Avalokitesvara has a moving history. The original jewel-encrusted image in the Jokhang (Central Cathedral) in Lhasa, was commissioned by King Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century. Since then it had become an object of unparalleled devotion for people throughout Central Asia. When Red Guards ransacked the Jokhang during the Cultural Revolution, this image and others were tossed into the streets. From these heaps of broken statues and other religious artifacts, some Tibetans managed to salvage and smuggle out a wrathful and a peaceful aspect of the face images of the Avalokitesvara. Passing through many hands, these face images finally found their way to India via Nepal in 1967. One year later, another wrathful image of Avalokitesvara and one of Amitabha, the Buddha of Boundless Light, reached India through Nepal in a similar way.

These faces are encased as precious relics into the newly-sculpted image of the Buddha of Compassion in Tsuglag Khang. The new Avalokitesvara image, which was consecrated in 1970 (the Iron Dog Year of the Tibetan calendar), is made of silver and has eleven faces, a thousand arms and a thousand eyes.

In addition, Tsuglag Khang houses the entire set of the Buddhist canons, Kagyur and Tengyur. Kagyur is the direct teaching of the Buddha while Tengyur is the collection of later commentaries on Kagyur by Indian Buddhist scholars.

In 1992 a new prayer hall was added to the Tsuglag Khang complex with fine frescoes of the Kalachakra tantra cycle. The Central Cathedral is also the site of public prayers, sermons and certain religious festivities, including monastic dances. A constant stream of devotees turn prayer wheels as they circumambulate the cathedral.

Namgyalma Stupa

Surrounded by prayer wheels, this Buddhist stupa, is located in the centre of McLeod Gunj. Erected as a memorial to those Tibetans who lost their lives fighting for a free Tibet, Namgyalma Stupa stands as a monument to the determination of a suppressed people to preserve their distinctive way of life against overwhelming odds. With a statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha enshrined in a small chamber, the stupa is built in the tradition of the third century Indian Emperor Ashoka and represents peace and progress. Day and night, devotees turn prayer wheels as they circumambulate the stupa, reciting mantras.

Gaden Choeling Nunnery

Gaden Choeling Nunnery, near Yongling School, on Jogiwara Road, was started in 1973 by two devoted nuns, Ngawang Chozin and Ngawang Peldon. Beginning with only twelve nuns, the present strength of the nunnery is over a hundred. The daily routine in the nunnery consists of meditation, prayer and debate, the reading of scriptures, the performance of religious ceremonies and the training of young nuns.

Dolma Ling And Shugseb Nunneries

These nunneries were founded in the early 1990s to house and educate nuns escaping religious repression in Tibet. Shugseb lies in a quiet forest setting; take the path beside Om Restaurant and descend for around a kilometre.

Nuns from the original Shugseb nunnery, near Lhasa, have spearheaded many courageous freedom demonstrations and are today either expelled or imprisoned. Shugseb in Dharamsala is a tranquil retreat for 42 nuns from Tibet, many of them former political prisoners, who follow the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. The original Shugseb was founded by the legendary twentieth century female saint, Ani Lochen (or Jetsun Rinpoche), who died aged 130 in 1950.
Dolma Ling is a twenty-minute ride south-east of Dharamsala, neighbouring the Norbulingkha Institute. The four-acre site, designed to accommodate up to 300 nuns in future, currently houses over 100 "new arrival" nuns from Tibet, many former victims of Chinese torture and oppression. Phase Two of this ambitious project will add a temple and Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies to the current accommodation infrastructure.

Dip-Tse-Chokling Monastery

The idyllic, golden-roofed Dip-Tse-chokling monastery can be seen in the wooded valley from the Central Cathedral and several other points in McLeod Gunj. It is located below McLeod Gunj. Apart from the Tibetan monks, Tsechokling has a small number of foreign Buddhist students who study and reside there. It also offers a guest house.

The Institute Of Buddhist Dialectics

Monks from all schools of Tibetan Buddhism join this unique institution to study scriptures through the art of dialectics, a method of debate that tests one's knowledge of Buddhist philosophy and the veracity of all the hypothetical beliefs and knowledge, including the teaching of the Buddha. This is in accordance with the teaching of Buddha, who said that nothing, including his own teachings, should be taken as the truth until it is proved to be so through objective analysis. Tibetan Buddhism, especially the later Gelug School, emphasizes logic as a key to understanding the deeper significance of Buddhism.
The Institute was opened in 1973. It offers two main courses in the study of Buddhist philosophy: a seven-year course in Prajnaparamita (The Perfection of Wisdom) and a three-year course in Madhyamika (Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Middle Path). The training offered is comprehensive; besides the prescribed courses, the students study western philosophy, political science, Tibetan literature, script and poetry. Though the bulk of the students are Tibetans, Western, Indian, Mongolian and other Asian students lend the school an international character. The Institute has a branch school near a village called Gaggal, which is roughly fourteen kilometres from McLeod Ganj.

Nechung Monastery

Just below the Tibetan Library in Gangchen Kyishong is the splendid new Nechung Monastery, the seat of Nechung, the state oracle and protector-deity of Tibet. Nechung has acted as spiritual guide to the Tibetan Government since the eighth century. The physical medium is called Nechung Kuten. When the medium enters into a trance-like state, the protector-deity, Dorjee Drakten, takes possession of his body and gives advice and predictions to the Dalai Lama and Tibetan leaders in exile. He is especially associated with the Dalai Lamas and plays an important role in the search for the incarnations of each Dalai Lama. About seventy monks study here and carry on the secret and sacred ritual surrounding the medium.
The original Nechung Monastery in Lhasa had 115 monks in 1959. The monastery was razed to the ground during the Cultural Revolution. However, six monks managed to escape to India to continue the complex traditions of the Nechung institution. Nechung Monastery also runs a popular guest house and cafe.

Gadong Monastery

Located in Gangchen Kyishong, Gadong Monastery is the seat of the Tibetan Government's second oracle, known as Gadong. Today Gadong Monastery has fifteen monks and is largely supported by its restaurant and guest house.

Tushita Retreate Center

Founded in 1972 by the late Lama Thubten Yeshi, the spiritual director of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, Tushita is situated just above McLeod Gunj in a very quite and peaceful wood, a characteristic which makes it an ideal place for meditation and spiritual retreats. The centre is residential and open throughout the year for both individual and group retreats.

Tushita provides frequent courses on various aspects of Tibetan Buddhism. A schedule of upcoming courses is always available. In the late 1980s, a young Spanish boy, born in Barcelona, was recognized as the reincarnation of Lama Thubten Yeshi.


Calender of annual religious ceremonies at Namgyal Monastery

Tibetans follow a lunar calendar which changes from year to year. The year begins in February or early March, depending on the calculations of the Astrology Department of TMAI. To identify the dates of the following events, consult the annual calendar published by the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute. The first Tibetan month generally begins in February.

1. First Tibetan Month: New year Celebration and Great Prayer Festival. Ritual Cake Offerings.
   

2. Second Tibetan Month: Ground ritual, Creation of Mandala, and Cohesive Rites and worship of Vajrakilya for ten days. (Also, Tibetan Folk Opera Festival performed at TIPA).
   

3. Third Tibetan Month: Propitiation ceremony for three days starting on the eighth day of the month. Ground Ritual, Ground Ritual Dance for four days. Creation of Coloured Sand Mandala, followed by seven days of Cohesive Rites and worship of Sri Kalachakra.
   

4. Fourth Tibetan Month: Ground Ritual of Sri Guhyasamaja for four days, followed by five days of Cohesive Rites and Worship, Buddha Purnima (Tib: Saka Dawa) on the full moon celebrating the Birth, Enlightenment and Death of Sakyamuni Buddha.
   

5. Fifth Tibetan Month: One Hundred Thousand Ritual Cake Offering to Maha Guru (Padmasambava) for five days. Incense Burning Ceremony, Invocation of Dharma Protectors on the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (July 6).
   

6. Sixth Tibetan Month: Ground Ritual of Sri Cakrasambava for four days, followed by five days of Creation of Coloured Sand Mandala and Cohesive Rites and Worship, and Burnt Offerings.
   

7. Seventh Tibetan Month: Training of Ritual Dance, Drawing proportions of Mandala, Chanting and the art of making Ritual Cakes during the summer retreat.
   

8. Eighth Tibetan Month: Ritual Cake Offerings and Cohesive Rights, Ragridol of Palden Lhamo for seven days.
   

9. Ninth Tibetan Month: Ground Ritual of Bairava for three days, followed by five days of Creation of Mandala, Cohesive Rites and Worship, and Consecration Ceremony of Gelek Charbeb concluded by a Brunt Offering.
   

10. Tenth Tibetan Month: Ritual Cake Offering and Cohesive Rites of Palden Lhamo for seven days.
    

11. Eleventh Tibetan Month: Training in Ritual Dance; on the twenty ninth day, Ground Ritual Dance, Goddess Dance and others.
    

12. Twelfth Tibetan Month: The Great Annual Ceremony of Atonement at the conclusion of the year for seven days and chanting of Invocation Prayers of the Protectors and Oracles of Tibet.
    
    

Central Tibetan Administration

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) was first established in Mussoorie on April 29, 1959, soon after His Holiness the Dalai Lama reached India. Then in May 1960 it was moved to Dharamsala, and is now located half way between Kotwali Bazaar and McLeod Gunj, in an area named Gangchen Kyishong. Gangchen Kyishong is a Tibetan phrase meaning "happy valley of snow".
The departments which make up the CTA work towards the Tibetan people's struggle for independence and survival. They function according to the Charter of Tibetans in Exile which is, in effect, a constitution based on modern democratic principles.

The Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission

This is the highest judicial authority of the Tibetan Administration. It adjudicates civil cases in the Tibetan community as long as they do not clash with the ineterst of host governments' laws. It, however, does not handle criminal cases as these are the prerogatives of the host governments. The Chief Justice Commissoner is appointed directly by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Assembly Of Tibetan People's Deputies

The Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies is an elected legislative body, the equivalent to a parliament. It consists of forty six members (forty three directly elected by Tibetan exiles the world over, and three nominated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama). In addition to its parliamentary duties, the Assembly elects ministers who form the Tibetan cabinet (Kashag).

The Kashag

The Kashag (Cabinet) is the highest executive authority of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). Its members report to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies. The present Kashag consists of eight kalons (ministers). The Kashag is serviced by a secretariat runs the Tibetan Computer Resource Centre, the Planning Council, and the Reception Centre for new refufees from Tibet.

Constitutional Commissions

The Election Commission

The Election Commission is an autonomous body of the CTA. It conducts the election of members to the Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies, members of the Kashag, and the heads of different settlements as and when necessary.

Public Service Commission

The Public Service Commission is another autonomous body of CTA. Its main function is to recruit, train and appoint civil servants to serve in the Central Tibetan Administration.

Audit Commission

This is also an autonomous body responsible for auditing the accounts of all the departments of the Central Tibetan Administration and its subsidiaries. This commission acts as a watchdog on the Central Tibetan Administration and all public organizations of the exile Tibetans.
The heads of the three foregoing autonomous units are appointed directly by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Departments of C.T.A.

Department Of Religion And Culture

This department looks after the spiritual and cultural aspects of the Tibetan community. It oversees and co-ordinates the activities of all Tibetan religious institutions. It encourages the preservation and propagation of Buddhist learning, thought and the culture of Tibet. It also maintains close touch with Buddhist organizations throughout the world. At the moment, there are 181 monasteries and eight nunneries with enrollments of over 17,000 monks and 600 nuns respectively.

Department Of Home

Responsible for planning the rehabilitation of Tibetan refugees, this department looks after the welfare of twenty one agricultural settlements, eleven scattered communities, eight agro-industries and four carpet-weaving cooperatives in India, as well as thirteen settlements and handicraft societies in Nepal. It works in close collaboration with the Indian authorities, and helps Tibetans through its registered relief wing - Central Tibetan Relief Committee.

Department Of Education

This department administers eighty four schools in India, Nepal and Bhutan, serving about thirty thousand children, which form seventy percent of the children in exile. A further fifteen or twenty percent goes to private schools. The total school enrollment rate is eighty five to ninety percent. Out of the eighty four schools, thirty come under the Central Tibetan School Administration of the Government of India.


Department Of Finance

This department runs twenty four business enterprises in India, Nepal and the United States to generate funds for the operational expenses of the Central Tibetan Administration. An important source of its income is the regular voluntary contribution from Tibetans throughout the free world. The Department of Finance also formulates the annual budget of the CTA.

Department Of Information And International Relations

The task of this department is two-fold: it undertakes the international relations activities of the Tibetan Administration through the network of Offices of Tibet abroad, and disseminates information on all aspects of Tibet through both print and audio-visual media. The department publishes regular periodicals in five languages: Tibetan, Hindi, English, Chinese and Arabic. Various desks of the department monitor human rights and environmental conditions in Tibet, as well as Chinese affairs. The department also acts as the protocol office of the CTA and assists visitors, mainly media personnel, and liaises with Tibet Support Groups throughout the world.


Department Of Security

The primary duty of this department is to ensure the personal security of His Holiness Dalai Lama. It also has a research wing which gathers information on developments in occupied Tibet and China.


Department Of Health

This department runs sixty one Primary Health Care centres and six referral hospitals in almost all the Tibetan communities in India and Nepal. The Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute in Dharamsala is an autonomous body under the auspices of the Department of Health. The institute specializes in traditional Tibetan medical care and has set up thirty six branch clinics in various parts of India and Nepal.

Planning Council

The Planning Council is responsible for studying and improving the human, physical and financial resources in developing the Tibetan refugee community and the CTA. It aims to institutionalize the planning process within the Tibetan community. The Planning Council is also responsible for integrating, co-ordinating and setting priorities among the many developmental activities undertaken within the Tibetan community in exile.

Tibetan Computer Resource Center

Departments, organizations and individuals can obtain computer services here. It runs an e-mail service, called TibetNet, which everyone is welcome to use.

Tibetan offices and organizations in McLeod Gunj

Branch Security Office

Located on the Bhagsunag road in McLeod Gunj, about two minutes' walk from Hotel Tibet, this office is responsible for arranging public audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and helping Tibetans to obtain and renew their residential permits from the Indian authorities.


Tibetan Welfare Office

As the name suggests, this office is responsible for looking after the welfare of Tibetans in Dharamsala. It has, in recent years, undertaken garbage cleaning and recycling campaigns, and has opened the eco-friendly Green Shop on Bhagsunag Road, which, amongst other things, sells boiled and filtered water to discourage people from using mineral water as this results in ever-growing pile of discarded plastic bottles. The office is located beside the Branch Security Office.


Branch Office Of Information

This Office-cum-publication sales outlet is located across the main street from the chorten in McLeod Gunj. It sells books, magazines, video and audio tapes, photos, etc. on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet.


The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC)

TYC is a worldwide non-governmental group with over ten thousand members. It is the largest, and one of the most politically active Tibetan organizations in exile. To provide a forum for non-Tibetans to assist in its activities, TYC has started The International Friends of TYC. The Congress' office is located close to Hotel Tibet.


The Tibetan Women's Association (TWA)

TWA is an organization of Tibetan women working for the political freedom and social upliftment of Tibetan women. Through branch organizations in each Tibetan settlement in exile, TWA assists groups and individual women on a day-to-day basis, and launches projects to address specific needs such as education and welfare, taking care of the elderly and children. They are involved with the rehabilitation and education of nuns escaping from Tibet. In the recent years, the association has undertaken a campaign to raise the political awareness of Tibetan women in order to encourage them to participate fully in the political process of the exile community. TWA's office is located above Delek Clinic on Bhagsunag Road.


Reception Center

This was opened in 1990 to look after the growing number of new refugees escaping from Tibet. The refugees usually arrive first in Nepal, from where they make their way to Dharamsala via Delhi. There are branch reception centres in Kathmandu and Delhi where the new refugees are given free food and lodging, and guided to their onward destinations.

The Reception Centre also helps the new refugees to find employment, join schools and monasteries, or start small business enterprises in India, for which it provides capital and training.


Tibetan Delek Hospital

The establishment of Delek Hospital represents one of the first Tibetan ventures into the field of western medical science. Though assisted by volunteer doctors and dentists from the west, Delek Hospital is managed entirely by Tibetans in exile.

Like other Tibetan institutions in Dharamsala, the hospital has seen rapid growth since its founding in 1971. Delek has a surgery and maternity ward, as well as an out-patient clinic, laboratory and pharmacy. One unit works solely towards the eradication of tuberculosis in the Tibetan community. There is also a mobile team for community health and an eye clinic. The hospital trains Tibetan health workers for practice in the Tibetan settlements, where their skills are greatly needed. Like the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute, Delek Hospital offers medical care to all for a nominal fee. Those who cannot afford to pay are given free medical treatment.


Tibetan Children's Village (TCV)

The Tibetan children's Village runs a chain of fifteen schools, with over ten thousand students, in different parts of India. The main village, known as the Upper TCV, is based on a hill two kilometres from McLeod Ganj. It educates and looks after the upbringing of about three thousand student, most of whom are orphans and new refugees from Tibet.

Upper TCV consists of thirty eight homes, four hostels and a baby room to care for months-old infants through to boys and girls of sixteen. It has modern school buildings ranging from nursery to high school, sports grounds, staff quarters, a dispensary, a handicraft centre, etc. These are spread over an area of about forty three acres.

Yongling School

Yongling School

Facts and figures on Dharamsala

Altitude

Between 1,250 and 1,982 metres.


Temprature

Maximum 38 degree celsius in June; minimum 0 degree C. in January.

Annual Rainfall

Varies between 290 and 380cm. Monsoon season is July to September.

Best Season

Beginning of March through to end of June: and beginning of October through to end of November. It rains ceaselessly in July, August and September.

Clothing

Woollen in winter and cotton or tropical in summer. An umbrella is essential during Dharamsala's notorious monsoon season.


Shopping

One can buy Tibetan rugs and handicraft products from the shop of the Tibetan Handicraft Centre and TCV Handicraft Centre in McLeod Gunj. Orders for Tibetan wood and metal craft products can be made at the Tibetan Art Gallery, located in the Hotel Tibet building complex. Besides, there are various tiny shops offering Tibetan trinkets and imitations of Tibetan antiques.


Transport

There is an airport about eighteen kilometers from lower Dharamsala connecting to Delhi, Kullu, Shimla. Dharamsala can also be reached by an overnight or day bus from Delhi, which takes about twelve to fourteen hours.

A more comfortable alternative would be to take a twelve-hour train trip from Delhi to Pathankot and then a four-hour bus or three-hour taxi ride to Dharamsala. From there buses and taxis regularly shuttle people to McLeod Gunj.

Post Office

There are small post offices in McLeod Gunj and Kotwali Bazaar. The main Post Office is in Lower Dharamsala close to the Foreigners' Registration Office. (Depending on the circumstances, visa extensions may be available from the latter.) The postal code for McLeod Gunj is 176219.


Telephone, Fax And E-Mail

International calls and faxes can be easily placed at various STD shops in McLeod Gunj and Lower Dharamsala. E-mails can be sent and received at the Tibetan Computer Resource Centre at Gangchen Kyishong, where all the departments of the Tibetan Administration are located.


Accommodation

There are a number of hotels that offer board and lodging for different budgets. Among Tibetan-style hotels, the best is Hotel Tibet. The Himachal Tourist Department runs Hotel Bhagsu in McLeod Gunj. All the high and medium budget hotels have bathrooms attached to rooms with running hot and cold water. Low budget hotels have communal bathrooms with running cold water. In these hotels one can order for hot water in buckets. Many of the hotels offer a wide range of rooms with rents varying, say, from Rs 24 to Rs 275. If you are planning a long and quite stay, you can rent houses from the local Indians around Tushita Meditation Centre.


Eating Out

The very many restaurants and cafe dotting McLeod Gunj is indicative of the fact that the place has really become a tourist spot. One can virtually get any type of food or their imitations. The restaurants offer dishes starting from the universal Tibetan dishes like thukpa (noodle soup) and momo (steamed meat dumplings) to sizzlers, sukiyaki, pancakes, pizzas and spaghetti. For people with a sweet tooth, one can get different types of pastries, pies and doughnuts, For health freaks, there are muesli fruit curds, lassis and different types of shakes. Different eateries have their own specialties and so if you intend to be in Dharamsala for some time, it may be interesting to find out a restaurant which specializes in cuisine to your taste.

Travels Agents

Potala Tours and Travel across from Hotel Tibet; Tibet Tours and Travel at Surya Shopping Complex; Ways Tour and Travels, en route to Tsuglag Khang. Tibet Tours and Travels arranges lectures and talks on Buddhism and Tibetan culture.


Book shops

The branch office of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) in McLeod Gunj sells books on His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan political affairs. The Charitable Trust Bookshop carries books on all aspects of Tibetan life, especially on culture and religion. Bookworm, en route to Hotel Bhagsu, and Little Lhasa Book Shop, at Surya Shopping Complex, have a wide variety of western novels as well as books on Tibet, India and Central Asia.

Further Information

Additional questions about Tibetan life in exile should be brought to the Department of Information and International Relations. If you have questions about the region, the Himachal Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation has an office quite close to the taxi stand in Kotwali Bazaar.


Day trips and other places of interests

NOTE: When visiting the following places, please carry an empty bag for garbage so that you leave the place cleaner than you found it. And, try to give the empty plastic bags and mineral watter bottles to the environment section of Tibetan Welfare Office. Thank you.

Bhagsunag

A Hindu temple lies near a beautiful waterfall surrounded by popular picnic spots. Bhagsunag is about two kilometres from McLeod Ganj.

Triund

A popular nine-kilometre trek for a day or overnight stay on the 9,000 foot ridge behind the Dhauladhar range. Food is available at tea shops. But it is always safer to carry one's own food and drink, just in case you reach there to find the tea shops closed. There is a Forest Rest House atop the ridge, which can be booked through Himachal Tourist Office in Kotwali Bazaar.


Dharamkot

This village, twenty minutes' walk further up the hill from McLeod Gunj, is a favourite picnic spot with a panoramic view of the Kangra Valley. It is possible to rent houses from local Indians if you are planning a longish stay.


Dal Lake

About three kilometers from McLeod Gunj and next to the Tibetan Children's Village, this small lake is brownish in colour and not nearly as impressive as the name and reputation suggest. However, there are many interesting walks around the lake.

Kerie Lake

A more impressive lake, thirty three kilometers from Kotwali Bazaar. There is a rest house thirteen kilometers from the lake for overnight stops.


The Mountaineering Institute

Located along the road to Triund and Tushita, it provides information about trekking and maps of trek routes. The institute requests all trekkers to register with it before embarking on their trek.

Nowrojee's General Store

This is one of the original businesses in the bazaar at McLeod Gunj; located next to the taxi and bus stand, this shop is a veritable museum. So closely are the Nowrojees (the proprietors) associated with McLeod Gunj that it is impossible for older Tibetans to think about the town without thinking also about "Nehrujees" (Tibetan corruption of Nowrojees). Today, in New York, Switzerland, Nepal or elsewhere, older Tibetans would fondly reminisce about their Nehrujees when they talk about their early days in exile.


Church Of St. John In TheWilderness

Fifteen minutes' walk from McLeod Gunj, the Anglican church lies in the forest near Forsyth Gunj. This neo-Gothic stone church was built in 1852 and has some fine Belgian stained-glass windows. It miraculously survived the 1905 earthquake - only the spire collapsed. A memorial to Lord Elgin stands in the churchyard. The British Viceroy died in Dharamsala and is buried here. Visiting hours for the church and cemetery are 10 am to 5 pm each day.


Archaeological Sites

Dr. O.C. Handa, in his Buddhist Art and Antiquities of Himachal Pradesh, points to two ancient and important sites very close to Dharamsala. In the fields between Kanyara Road and the village of Dari, at Uparal, two smooth granite boulders inscribed in Brahmi and Kharoshtin scripts record that this was the site of a Buddhist monastery in 200 B.C. An Archaeological Survey of India signboard marks the rock inscription.

And at Chetru village, near Kangra, the ruins of a stupa, and a headless standing Buddha statue, mark what is believed to have been a larger monastic complex from the age when Buddhism flourished in the valley, circa 300 B.C. Among the wealth of antiquarian finds at various Buddhist sites in Himachal, made on pioneering field-trips by Dr. Handa, the stupa remains at Chetru are the only significant monuments to survive in any recognizable form.

Gyuto And Gyume Tantric Colleges

McLeod Gunj branches of these two monastic universities, specializing in ritual chanting, are located near Kelsang Guest House and Shangri-la Restaurant respectively. The two colleges are known for their ritual butter sculptures.

Gaden Shartse And Jangtse

The main monastic university of Gaden is in South India, but two of its colleges, Shartse and Jangtse, maintain branches here in McLeod Gunj. The former is near the post Office and the latter is above the Amdo Art Gallery, not far from Yongling School.


Ling Labrang

The residence of Kyabje Ling Dorje Chang, the late Senior Tutor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is situated atop the restaurant of Green Hotel on Bhagsunag Road. In 1987 the incarnate Ling Rinpoche was recognized from TCV's Baby Room.


TRICHANG LABRANG
The residence of Kyabje Trichang Dorjee Chang, the late Junior Tutor to His Holiness Dalai Lama is in Gangchen Kyishong near the headquarter of the Tibetan Administration. His reincarnation was discovered and enthroned in 1985.


Nyungne Lhakang

Situated near the bus stand in McLeod Gunj, the Nyungne Lhakang organizes fasts, especially in the Saka Dawa month.

Lhagyal-Ri (Lhasoel Ground)

This is where Tibetans perform their rituals of appeasement and atonement to the protecting deities and guardian Gods. It lies below the residence of His Holiness on the Lingkhor (holy circuit) footpath. Stay till the end of a ceremony, and you may find yourself enveloped in a white cloud of tsampa (barley flour) which Tibetans throw in the air as an offering.

Retreat Caves

Tibetan lamas and monks converge on Dharamsala to meditate in peace and seclusion. The huts and caves are about two hours from McLeod Gunj, above Bhagsunag waterfall. Please take care on these dangerous trails, and do not disturb the monks in retreat.

Kangra

Fifteen kilometers from Dharamsala, this town is the site of the famous Kangra Fort whose ruins testify to the grizzly history of the area. Mahmud of Ghazni successfully besieged the fort in the tenth century and looted it during one of his reputed seventeen invasion of India.

Trilokpur Nunnery

Trilokpur is located half way between Dharamsala and Pathankot. This place finds mention in the biography of Yogi Milarepa as a site where the great Mahasiddha Tilopa meditated. Tilopa was the teacher of Naropa, who in turn, was the teacher of Marpa, the founder of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Today there is a small Karma Kagyu nunnery above the road.


Approximate Tibetan population world-wide

Tibet: 6.1 million

 
Recommended reading on Tibet

Hotels and guest houses

IN MCLEOD GUNJ