Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh India

Moored high up in the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, Dharamshala is one of the Himachal's most irresistible destination. With sobriquets like ' The Himachal's Paradise' or 'The Queen of Hills' the land evokes the images of awesome mountain views, snowy peaks, deodar and pine trees, tea gardens and a lot more.

At Dharamshala you will have a heavenly tryst with nature at its best and a heady mixture of history, religion and culture. Dharamshala is divided into distinct and separate towns lower and upper towns with a difference of 457 between them. Lower Dharamshala (1380 m), is a busy commercial center while the upper Dharamshala (1830 m) with the suburb of McLeod Ganj, is famous for its celerity resident, His Holiness 'The Dalai Lama'. Dharamshala is a favorite destination among those looking for the secluded place where they can spend time in peace and tranquility. The temples, churches, monasteries, nunneries, meditation centers are common here and visit to these centers is must when halting at Dharamshala.

Sightseeing at Dharamshala :

St. John Church : St. John Church is located at the distance of 8 km from Dharamshala and is on the way to McLeod Ganj. The Church was built in 1852 and adorned in grey stone with some fine Belgian stained glass windows donated by Lady Elgin. The church is constructed under the shade of the deodar branches, a memorial of British Viceroy, Lord Elgin has been made here, who died at Dharamshala in 1863.

Kangra Art Museum : Not to miss is the Kangra Art Museum that contains the rich collection of art and craft that dates back to the 5th century. The major highlight of the museum is the Kangra Gallery famous for the miniature paintings and a representative collection of sculptures, poetry and anthropological items.

War Memorial : Tucked amidst the pine grooves is the War Memorial, built at the entry point of the Dharamshala to pay respect to all the soldiers, who died fighting for the independance war of Himachal Pradesh.

Kotwali Bazaar : Another sightseeing destination here is the Kotwali Bazaar. 'Shamianas' and dresses used by local royalty, old carved doors, jails, lintels and pandals are also on display. Coins, jewelery and manuscripts are worth seeing. Than there is a section that houses the work of contemporary artists, sculptors and photographers. There is also a library just blow it.