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Contents

 

  1. History
  2. Getting Around
  3. Tourist Traps
  4. Local Customs
  5. Shopping
  6. Communications

Today’s McLeodganj, barring a few houses, the cemetery and the Church of St. John in the Wilderness has swallowed much of its colonial past and may well be one of the most cosmopolitan places in India. The odds are that in a street-crowd of a day, you will cross people from at least a dozen different nationalities and they would include seekers of rave-party nirvana as well as those who meditate seriously. Much of this multi-racial, multi-lingual mix is the due to the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at McLeodganj – which is also the seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile. Not unexpectedly, architecture has also changed and bright Buddhist monastery-style structures, have replaced mock-Tudor houses or the colonial hill-station bungalow. Densely packed lanes, dense woods and excellent views characterise the place. Just under the gaze of the Dhauladhar mountains which are a sub-system of the Himalaya and rise like series of sheer cliffs from the plains, McLeodganj is often called ‘Little Lhasa’. It also home to a large Tibetan community and is packed with genuine and wannabe Buddhists from all over the world. This lies just above Dharamsala, the headquarters of the administrative district of Kangra. Often called ‘Little Lhasa’ or 'Dhasa' - combination of Dharamsala and Lhasa - this is also home to a large Tibetan community. The variety of cuisine available is substantial as are the excursions and travel-experiences that vary from meditation and yoga to treks and gentler sightseeing.

History

Named after Sir Donald Friell McLeod, Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab (1865-1870), Mcleodganj was a thriving colonial retreat by the end of the nineteenth century. It was at end of the Anglo Sikh Wars in the 1840s that the Kangra region passed into the hands of British East India Company. In 1852, Dharamsala became the administrative centre for Kangra – which was one of the largest districts in British India.

The topography of Dharamsala and McLeodganj has had much to do with their history and in the way the places grew. Dharamsala lies along the lower edges of a steep slope and McLeodganj takes the heights along the same set of hills. These twin towns are connected by the suburb of Forsytheganj – which, in turn, has been named after a one-time Commissioner of the Punjab.

While the lower part of the hill developed an administrative infrastructure and grew to have a substantial military presence, the upper part, McLeodganj, with its pleasanter climate and terrain, became more of a retreat. Dotted along the hill, McLeodganj soon had several large bungalows in the rises and dips. Most of these belonged to the tea-plantation owners of Kangra and officers of the government, judiciary and army. There were a few princes too – like the Raja of Lambagraon, which was the jagir village of the rulers of Kangra, once the British had taken over the area. Expectedly, a small bazaar came along – as did the little dressed-stone church of St. John in the Wilderness.

Then came the cataclysmic earthquake of 1905; this flattened much of Kangra and left a trail of death in its wake. McLeodganj received its share of the devastation and took a while recovering. In 1947, came the Independence of India and many of the British owned estates were simply locked up till the Dalai Lama and his entourage moved in. And here hangs one of the most interesting stories of McLeodganj’s new avatar.

Falling apart now, at the very start of McLeodganj’s bazaar is the general merchandise shop of Nowrojee and Son. The Great Uprising of 1857 had come to an end when Nowrojee’s ancestors moved up from the Punjab to McLeodganj in 1860 with the British army. As the station steadily grew, for close to a century, the establishment of Nowrojee and Son were the primary purveyors of a variety of goods to the residents of the area. With the end of colonial rule, many of the area’s European residents left the charge of their properties with N.N. Nowrojee, who belonged to the fifth generation of his family at McLeodganj; he was often called the ‘unofficial custodian of McLeodganj’.

When His Holiness the Dalai Lama was compelled to leave Tibet and came to India, he began searching for a place for himself and his people. Seeing something fall into place, Nowrojee wrote to the Prime Minister of India, Pandit Nehru and offered the vast estates he was looking after. Received by Nowrojee, the Dalai Lama came to inspect the place in 1960 and approved it. In fact, the land on which His Holiness’ residence is built once belonged to this remarkable man. Nowrojee passed away on 24 October 2000 and the McLeodganj of today, for which he was at least, in part responsible, continues to grow and change.

Getting Around

McLeodaganj bazaar, several side streets with most of the hotels and the area around the Namgyal monastery are easily accessible on foot. Taxis and buses are available for longer trips and to the nearby places like Dall Lake, Naddi and Dharamsala. Most taxis do not have meters and charges vary from Rs. 150/- for a drop to Lower Dharamsala to a charge of Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 1,200/- for a day’s (eight hours) of sightseeing. The taxis can be taken from the stand or arranged by the hotel or by the numerous travel agents.

Tourist Traps in the City

Metered taxis and metered auto-rickshaws (three-wheeler scooters) in McLeodganj are the exception rather than the norm. Try and settle the fare before settling down in one. Many weekends have single male youngsters on motorbikes going up and down the main street; they can be both a hazard for traffic and to single women. As far as shopping for souvenirs goes, most places decrease the price after a little haggling.

Local Custom

In public, dress conservatively. All Hindu and Buddhist places of worship require you to remove shoes; some may ask for the removal of other leather items like belts.

Shopping

The two major shopping areas are the McLeodganj and the Dharamsala bazaars. At McLeodganj, a variety of Tibetan souvenirs can be purchased. These include finely worked metal images, bowls, prayer wheels and musical instruments, thangka paintings, carpets, pullovers, caps, socks, chunky jewellery and lined carpet slippers. Prices vary from shop to shop and on the quality; for example, the price of a thangka could vary from a few hundred rupees to several thousand. For traditional Kangri food, the restaurants in Dharamsala are a better option while those in McLeodganj offer a range of Indian, European and Tibetan food.

Communications

Several shops, hotels and travel agents all over McLeodganj and around have STD telephones with meters. International, Long-distance and Local calls may be made from here. There are internet cafes in town; charges for a half-hour are normally Rs.10/- Getting a mobile phone connection requires an identification document – like a passport or driving license.

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