This past weekend was a long weekend because of Gandhiji’s Birthday (Thursday October 2), Dussehra (Friday October 3), and Eid al-Adha (Monday October 6.) Delhi is still very hot, so Laura and one of our Fulbright friends, Cameron, planned a trip to Dharamshala in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Dharamshala is located in the foothills of the Himalayas; at approximately 5,000 feet, it is very cool and green, and therefore a fantastic escape from the heat and chaos of urban Delhi.
In order to get there, Laura, Cameron, and I endured a twelve-hour overnight bus ride. I slept off and on throughout the trip, which was interesting because I would wake up in very different parts of India than those in which I had fallen asleep. First, I fell asleep while we were stopped in bumper-to-bumper Delhi traffic around 8:00 PM, only to wake up from the bumps of a dirt road in the middle of nowhere in the state of Punjab. (My only signal as to where I was were Vodafone’s overly helpful texts that informed me that I had entered another state. The best I received was: “Welcome to Himachal Pradesh, the land of the Gods. Hope you have a comfortable and pleasant trip. We request you avoid venturing into riverbanks or entering into river water for your own safety and well-being. - Vodafone.” Thank you, Vodafone.
After falling asleep again, I woke up around 5:00 AM as we began the climb up the mountains. The scenery was stunning and reminded me very much of my childhood in Utah and Colorado, except for the road, which was barely one car wide and didn’t have a guardrail between the edge of the road and the cliffs which plummeted down hundreds of feet. And yet, the buses and cars still drove just as fast as if they were on a four-lane freeway in Delhi, giving a honk or two before rounding a corner, and hoping that another car wasn’t coming from the other direction. Laura and Cameron slept through that part of the journey, and I think that was probably for the best.
We arrived around 7:00 AM, slightly exhausted but in awe of the beautiful mountains and cool temperature, and ready to explore. Throughout the weekend, we spent a lot of time at coffee shops, reading and drinking tea. The main purpose of our trip was to briefly escape the hectic lifestyle of Delhi, and Dharamshala was the perfect place to do so. ‘The hills’ are known for being a laid back place where Indian people escape for weekends during the summer. We definitely saw our fair share of American/European hippie backpackers (another thing for which the hills are known,) but because it was a long weekend, there were a lot of Indian families as well. I completely understand the allure of the hills; it was gorgeous and relaxing.
One of the most interesting features of Dharamshala is its role as the headquarters of the Central Tibetan Administration (essentially the Tibetan government in exile) and the Dalai Lama’s residence. I wish I could explain the entire history of Tibet and its relation with China, but unfortunately it is a very complicated and controversial conflict that is hundreds of years old. In short, the People’s Republic of China controls the territory of Tibet, as the government of China believes that it has maintained sovereignty over Tibet for over 700 years and that Tibet has never been an independent country. The Central Tibetan Administration considers this situation an unlawful military occupation and sees Tibet as a distinct, independent nation. In 1956, armed conflict between the Chinese army and Tibetan rebels broke out in the Tibetan cities of Amdo and Kham, where the Chinese government was trying to implement socialist reforms. The revolt spread to other areas of Tibet, and in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama (the religious and temporal leader of Tibet) fled to India, fearing for his life. He eventually established the ‘government of Tibet in exile’ in Dharamshala. The Dalai Lama has played a huge role in fighting for the rights of Tibetans, both those still residing in Tibet and those who have fled to neighboring countries such as India and Nepal.
The Dalai Lama is a very influential figure around the world, and it became clear to me during my visit to Dharamshala just how much people respect him (especially among the Tibetan Buddhist population.) I was fortunate enough that the Dalai Lama was actually in Dharamshala while I was visiting (which is quite lucky since he travels around the world, giving speeches and attending conferences to fight for human rights and advance the cause of Tibetans.) During our first day in Dharamshala, we were walking through the main square and noticed that huge crowds had started gathering on either side of the road. I asked an Indian family what was happening, and they said that the Dalai Lama would be driving through in a few minutes, heading from the Buddhist temple complex down the street to a meeting in a nearby town. We waited there for about twenty minutes. More and more people gathered, and there was a tangible sense of excitement racing through the crowd. Eventually, a convoy of a few police cars drove by, and we saw the Dalai Lama, smiling and waving in his maroon and saffron robes from the passenger seat. The moment only lasted a few seconds, but the crowd was nonetheless ecstatic.
This trip to Dharamshala made me realize how little I know about the conflict in Tibet. As an International Relations major, I am embarrassed by how easily I overlooked this incredibly important, ongoing issue, but I am glad that I had this opportunity to learn more about it through various museums and bookstores. While in Dharamshala, I visited the Buddhist temple complex where the Dalai Lama resides. We arrived in the middle of prayer, and were able to witness hundreds of Buddhist monks and nuns chanting and praying. It was an incredible sound. As we were leaving the temple, we met a very friendly monk named ThupTeen, who invited us to his room within the temple complex, served us tea, and tied blessed maroon bracelets on our wrists. We learned that he had fled from Tibet at least a decade ago (he had lived in a small town near Lhasa, the administrative capital of Tibet.) I was very curious about his life, but wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to ask more about his experience. Regardless, it was a fantastic occasion; he was one of the nicest, friendliest people I have met.
During our time in Dharamshala, we also hiked to two nearby towns: Dharamkot and Bhagsu. Dharamkot is known for the large number of Israeli ex-pats living there, so we specifically went there to indulge in some much needed Middle Eastern/Mediterranean food (which is not readily available in Delhi.) I ordered a large plate of hummus, pita, and falafel, and it was fantastic. We went to Bhagsu to see the nearby waterfall. I had anticipated a nice hike and a secluded waterfall, but we followed the signs for the waterfall about five steps out of town and saw the large waterfall, with hundreds of Indian tourists lounging around and swimming in the freezing water. Although not secluded as I had anticipated, it was still a beautiful place and a great experience.
I think my favorite thing about Dharamshala is how socially active the community is. We wandered into countless bookstores, shops, and cafes, which ended up being some sort of a social enterprise or non-profit organization. For example, my favorite café and clothes stores in the town was called Rogpa, which defines itself as “a nonprofit community space designed to create opportunities for unemployed Tibetans, local entrepreneurs, and artists while promoting ethical consumerism.” They had fantastic food and beautiful products, so I ended up there multiple times during my stay. Another fantastic café was called CommonGround, and is a “nonprofit organization promoting innovative forums and social media to achieve common grounds of shared understanding between Chinese and Tibetans.” These are just two examples of how ordinary people in the community of Dharamshala are working to improve the livelihoods and rights of Tibetans both in Tibet and India.
Overall, Dharamshala was a beautiful, relaxing, and friendly town, and is probably one of my favorite places I have been in the world so far. I cannot wait to visit other towns in the hills, but I also hope to return to Dharamshala before the end of my Fulbright.
In order to get there, Laura, Cameron, and I endured a twelve-hour overnight bus ride. I slept off and on throughout the trip, which was interesting because I would wake up in very different parts of India than those in which I had fallen asleep. First, I fell asleep while we were stopped in bumper-to-bumper Delhi traffic around 8:00 PM, only to wake up from the bumps of a dirt road in the middle of nowhere in the state of Punjab. (My only signal as to where I was were Vodafone’s overly helpful texts that informed me that I had entered another state. The best I received was: “Welcome to Himachal Pradesh, the land of the Gods. Hope you have a comfortable and pleasant trip. We request you avoid venturing into riverbanks or entering into river water for your own safety and well-being. - Vodafone.” Thank you, Vodafone.
After falling asleep again, I woke up around 5:00 AM as we began the climb up the mountains. The scenery was stunning and reminded me very much of my childhood in Utah and Colorado, except for the road, which was barely one car wide and didn’t have a guardrail between the edge of the road and the cliffs which plummeted down hundreds of feet. And yet, the buses and cars still drove just as fast as if they were on a four-lane freeway in Delhi, giving a honk or two before rounding a corner, and hoping that another car wasn’t coming from the other direction. Laura and Cameron slept through that part of the journey, and I think that was probably for the best.
We arrived around 7:00 AM, slightly exhausted but in awe of the beautiful mountains and cool temperature, and ready to explore. Throughout the weekend, we spent a lot of time at coffee shops, reading and drinking tea. The main purpose of our trip was to briefly escape the hectic lifestyle of Delhi, and Dharamshala was the perfect place to do so. ‘The hills’ are known for being a laid back place where Indian people escape for weekends during the summer. We definitely saw our fair share of American/European hippie backpackers (another thing for which the hills are known,) but because it was a long weekend, there were a lot of Indian families as well. I completely understand the allure of the hills; it was gorgeous and relaxing.
One of the most interesting features of Dharamshala is its role as the headquarters of the Central Tibetan Administration (essentially the Tibetan government in exile) and the Dalai Lama’s residence. I wish I could explain the entire history of Tibet and its relation with China, but unfortunately it is a very complicated and controversial conflict that is hundreds of years old. In short, the People’s Republic of China controls the territory of Tibet, as the government of China believes that it has maintained sovereignty over Tibet for over 700 years and that Tibet has never been an independent country. The Central Tibetan Administration considers this situation an unlawful military occupation and sees Tibet as a distinct, independent nation. In 1956, armed conflict between the Chinese army and Tibetan rebels broke out in the Tibetan cities of Amdo and Kham, where the Chinese government was trying to implement socialist reforms. The revolt spread to other areas of Tibet, and in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama (the religious and temporal leader of Tibet) fled to India, fearing for his life. He eventually established the ‘government of Tibet in exile’ in Dharamshala. The Dalai Lama has played a huge role in fighting for the rights of Tibetans, both those still residing in Tibet and those who have fled to neighboring countries such as India and Nepal.
The Dalai Lama is a very influential figure around the world, and it became clear to me during my visit to Dharamshala just how much people respect him (especially among the Tibetan Buddhist population.) I was fortunate enough that the Dalai Lama was actually in Dharamshala while I was visiting (which is quite lucky since he travels around the world, giving speeches and attending conferences to fight for human rights and advance the cause of Tibetans.) During our first day in Dharamshala, we were walking through the main square and noticed that huge crowds had started gathering on either side of the road. I asked an Indian family what was happening, and they said that the Dalai Lama would be driving through in a few minutes, heading from the Buddhist temple complex down the street to a meeting in a nearby town. We waited there for about twenty minutes. More and more people gathered, and there was a tangible sense of excitement racing through the crowd. Eventually, a convoy of a few police cars drove by, and we saw the Dalai Lama, smiling and waving in his maroon and saffron robes from the passenger seat. The moment only lasted a few seconds, but the crowd was nonetheless ecstatic.
This trip to Dharamshala made me realize how little I know about the conflict in Tibet. As an International Relations major, I am embarrassed by how easily I overlooked this incredibly important, ongoing issue, but I am glad that I had this opportunity to learn more about it through various museums and bookstores. While in Dharamshala, I visited the Buddhist temple complex where the Dalai Lama resides. We arrived in the middle of prayer, and were able to witness hundreds of Buddhist monks and nuns chanting and praying. It was an incredible sound. As we were leaving the temple, we met a very friendly monk named ThupTeen, who invited us to his room within the temple complex, served us tea, and tied blessed maroon bracelets on our wrists. We learned that he had fled from Tibet at least a decade ago (he had lived in a small town near Lhasa, the administrative capital of Tibet.) I was very curious about his life, but wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to ask more about his experience. Regardless, it was a fantastic occasion; he was one of the nicest, friendliest people I have met.
During our time in Dharamshala, we also hiked to two nearby towns: Dharamkot and Bhagsu. Dharamkot is known for the large number of Israeli ex-pats living there, so we specifically went there to indulge in some much needed Middle Eastern/Mediterranean food (which is not readily available in Delhi.) I ordered a large plate of hummus, pita, and falafel, and it was fantastic. We went to Bhagsu to see the nearby waterfall. I had anticipated a nice hike and a secluded waterfall, but we followed the signs for the waterfall about five steps out of town and saw the large waterfall, with hundreds of Indian tourists lounging around and swimming in the freezing water. Although not secluded as I had anticipated, it was still a beautiful place and a great experience.
I think my favorite thing about Dharamshala is how socially active the community is. We wandered into countless bookstores, shops, and cafes, which ended up being some sort of a social enterprise or non-profit organization. For example, my favorite café and clothes stores in the town was called Rogpa, which defines itself as “a nonprofit community space designed to create opportunities for unemployed Tibetans, local entrepreneurs, and artists while promoting ethical consumerism.” They had fantastic food and beautiful products, so I ended up there multiple times during my stay. Another fantastic café was called CommonGround, and is a “nonprofit organization promoting innovative forums and social media to achieve common grounds of shared understanding between Chinese and Tibetans.” These are just two examples of how ordinary people in the community of Dharamshala are working to improve the livelihoods and rights of Tibetans both in Tibet and India.
Overall, Dharamshala was a beautiful, relaxing, and friendly town, and is probably one of my favorite places I have been in the world so far. I cannot wait to visit other towns in the hills, but I also hope to return to Dharamshala before the end of my Fulbright.