McLeod Ganj: The "Little Lhasa "

McLeod Ganj

                            McLeod Ganj was known as the ‘Ghost town’ after the British left India in 1947. McLeod Ganj was named after Sir Donald Friell McLeod, a Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. The place regained its glory only after the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, settled here. Mcleod Ganj is a suburb of Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), about 10 kilometers from Dharamshala bus stand. 

Theckchen Choeling Temple Gate (also known as Dalai lama Temple) at McLeodGanj

In March 1959, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama , fled to India after the failed uprising in 1959 in Tibet against the Communist Party of China . The Indian Government offered him refuge in Dharamshala , where he set up theGovernment of Tibet in exile in 1960, while McLeod Ganj became his official residence and also home to several Buddhist monasteries and thousands of Tibetan refugees. Over the years, McLeod Ganj evolved into an important tourist and pilgrimage destination, and has since grown substantially in population.

The market in McLeod Ganj, which is basically a Tibetan settlement is lined with small shops selling Tibetan carpets, paintings and other handicraft items. Also many Kashmiri Shops had been opened in McLeod Ganj selling carpets, shawls, and handicraft items.  There are large number of hotels and restaurants specialized in Tibetan and international cuisine.

Tibetan Shops 

Kashmiri shop at McLeod Ganj

Located in the heart of McLeodganj, the shop was set up in 1860, Nowrojee and Sons General Store is one of the oldest shops in Himachal Pradesh. It is still working and has maintained its original grand wooden structure

Nowrojee and Son General Store at McLeod Ganj

McLeod Ganj is also known from ancient traditional Tibetan medicine. Men-Tsee-Khang Therapy Center and Dr Yeshi Dhonden Cancer Treatment Clinic are famous one, people came from allover the world for treatment.

Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts

The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts(TIPA) was founded by the 14th Dalai Lama on reaching McLeod Ganj, in August 1959. It was then called Tibetan Music, Dance and Drama Society, which was one of the first institutes set up by the Dalai Lama, and was established to preserve Tibetan artistic heritage, especially opera, dance, and music.

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