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| Dharamshala came into being in 1849, when it was selected as a
site to accommodate a native regiment that was being raised in the
town. Dharamshala originally formed a subsidiary cantonment for the
troops stationed at Kangra was fully occupied by its garrison and
there was insufficient space for the civil station , a search for
an alternate location was made. The ideal location for the cantonment
was found at the slopes of the Dhauladhar, upon which stood an old
Hindu sanctuary or 'Dharamshala' the name adopted for the town. Dharamshala
stands at the foot of Dhauladhar and has a magnificent view of snowy
peaks, deodar and pine forests, tea gardens and beautiful hills. The
snow line is perhaps more easily accessible at Dharamshala than any
other hill station in India. Dharamshala now really has become international,
with a number of Tibetan settlements and the residence of Noble Laureate
the 'Dalai Lama'. Dharamshala is devided into two distinct parts :
lower Dharamshala the civil and business area with Courts and Kotwali
bazar and upper Dharamshala composed of places like Mcleod Ganj and
Forsyth Ganj. |
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Dharamshala : General Information |
| Altitude :- |
varies between 1,250 meters
to 1,650 meters. |
| Headquarter :- |
Dharamshala ( Headquarter
of district Kangra ) |
| Location :- |
In district Kangra, in the
the heart of Dhauladhar range. |
| Access by Air :- |
Nearest airport is Gaggal airport located
15 km. from Dharamshala. Other airports having regular service are
: Jammu 200 km., Amritsar 210 km. and Chandigarh 260 km. |
| Access by Rail :- |
Nearest broad gauge railhead is Pathankot
95 km. A narrow gauge railway line between Pathankot and Jogindernagar
passes through Kangra, 17 km. from Dharamshala. |
| Access by Road :- |
Almost each and every part of the state
is linked by roads. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation is running
its buses covering the whole state. There is huge network of HRTC
to cater the needs of the people. |
| Distance :- |
Chandigarh 239 km., Delhi 514 km., Nangal
145 km., Jalandhar 166 km., Hoshiarpur 128 km., Mandi 147 km., Jwalamukhi
55 km., Kullu 214 km., Manali 252 km., Chamba 192 km. and Shimla 322
km. |
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Famous Places around Dharamshala :- |
| Mcleod Ganj :- The arrival of the Tibetan spiritual
leader, the Dalai Lama, along with thousands of refugees to Dharamshala
in 1959 made the life here more active. A number of tibetan settlements
with religious education and other rehabilitation centres mushroomed
all over the Mcleadganj. As Dharamshala became the headquarter of
the Tibetan Government in exile, headed by Dalai Lama, it gained prominence
all over the world and prominent personalities started arriving here.
Mcleadganj emerged as a major Buddhist centre. |
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Bhagsunag Fall :- ( 11 km. from Dharamshala town
) Known for its old temple, a fresh water spring, water falls and
slate quarries. Bhagsunag can be approached by road. The Bhagsu fall
is one of the main attractions of Mcleodganj. You can take a dip in
the chilly water of fall. |
| St. John's Church :- ( 8
km. from Dharamshala town ) The church lies in the forest between
Mcleod Ganj and Forsyth Ganj. It has a monument dedicated to Lord
Elgin, one of the viceroys of India, who died at Chauntra ( Mandi
district ) and was buried here in 1863 A.D. The Church has lovely
spotted glass windows and there is a Christian cemetery around it.
It is ideally situated in the majestic 'Deodar' forest. |
| Dharamkot :- ( 14 km. from Dharamshala town )
It is situated on the crest of a hill, this favourite picnic spot
affords a panoramic view of the kangra valley and the Dhauladhar ranges.
One can reach Dharamkot by a simple trek from Bhagsu. Various small
restaurant type of shops are situated in the path for a quick relaxation
and bevarages. The scenery from Dharamkot is simply breathtaking and
you also meet the Gaddi folks. |
| War Memorial :- Situated in Dharamshala town.
The memorial is situated near the entry point to Dharamshala commemorates
the memory of those who fought valiantly for the honour and defence
of the mother land. The place is ideally located in the pine forest.
There is also a cafe just close to War Memorial serving fast food
and baverages. |
| Triund :- 17 km. from Dharamshala town, at an altitude
of 2,827 metres. The snowline starts just 5 km. from Triund and affords
a breathtaking view of the snows above and the valley below. It is
a popular picnic and trekking spot. Those who want to do a return
trek in one day are advised to start early. Is is the famous trek
route for local people as well as for tourists. |
| Kunal Pathari :- 3 km. ) from Dharamshala ( Kotwali
Bazar ). A level walk from Kotwali Bazar leads upto the rock temple
of the local goddess. |
| Kareri :- ( 22 km. ) Altitude 2,166 metres. Kareri
lake is surrounded by green meadows, Oak and Pine trees, making it
an idyllic place to visit. |
| Dal Lake :- Lies amidst hills and deodar tress
and is 11 km. from Lower Dhramshala. It is a starting point for excursion
and trekking and is located next to Tibetan children's village. |
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