Thinking about the land that cradled Buddhism, I looked forward to my trip to Dharamshala, another city with a predominant Buddhist culture. Born and brought up in Gurugram, where I never saw any Buddhist architecture. I was entirely unfamiliar to concepts like stupas, thangkas, pagodas and prayer wheels. Dharamshala is all about vibrant Tibetan flags, beautiful rolling prayer wheels and the rejuvenating sound of the ringing bells and chirping birds. My first day was dedicated to exploring the beautiful Norbulingka Institute of Tibetan Culture. Built in an authentic traditional Tibetan style, the institute is nestled in a lovely garden of meandering paths, flowing streams, ponds and bridges. The tranquillity here is a refreshing breathe from the ever honking and bustling of city life. Day two saw the adventurer in me setting off on a much memorable trek to Triund. The nine-kilometre trek from McLeod Ganj to Triund beholds a panoramic view of Kangra Valley. The trek gradually steepened and the roads narrowed as I moved further. To my good luck, a small snack shop midway, provided refreshments. A hot cup of the most delicious adrak wali chai and a few biscuits later, I further headed up, making my way through a hilly route that kept narrowing led me up to the summit point of the hill. The view from top was something that I will cherish forever. Locals call it ‘Magic View Mountain’ because of the panoramic view it offers. Another interesting but not as exhausting as Triund was the two-kilometre trek to Bhagsu Falls on my third day of the trip. The effect of the cold water and the lush greenery around made it a perfect site to rejuvenate myself as I enjoyed the underlying scenic beauty. Bhagsu Temple is the most loved attraction here. As much as
Thinking about the land that cradled Buddhism, I looked forward to my trip to Dharamshala, another city with a predominant Buddhist culture. Born and brought up in Gurugram, where I never saw any Buddhist architecture. I was entirely unfamiliar to concepts like stupas, thangkas, pagodas and prayer wheels. Dharamshala is all about vibrant Tibetan flags, beautiful rolling prayer wheels and the rejuvenating sound of the ringing bells and chirping birds. My first day was dedicated to exploring the beautiful
