About Dharamsala

D haramsala grabbed little attention when it served as a tiny Hill station to the British but grew in popularity and received a  great attention from the outside world when H.H. the Dalai Lama chose Dharamshala to be his new home in 1959. Since then, a lot of Tibetans have moved to Dharamsala in search of a new free home and to be with their community and their spiritual leader.

Dharamshala is divided into Upper and Lower Dharamsala and the difference between the two in height is roughly 1000 feet. While Lower Dharamshala is the commercial hub and market area, Upper Dharamsala also known as McLeodganj is the settlement area of the Tibetans. McLeodganj took its name from David McLeod who was the Governor of Punjab during the British Raj.

Upper Dharamshala is now famous for vibrant Tibetan culture and the entire area is a beautiful Tibetan Market. McLeodganj is full of Restaurants, German Bakeries, Beer Parlours and small street shops run by local Tibetans. Here you will also find Monasteries, Dalai Lama Temple and the Tibetan Centre for Cultural Arts.