The
variety Dharamsala offers for sightseeing ranges from temples,
churches and monasteries to museums, ancient towns and places
of natural beauty. Every season and every spot has its own
special offering.
KANGRA ART MUSEUM, KOTWALI BAZAR: This treasure trove
of the Kangra Valley arts, crafts and rich past, displays
artifacts that date back to the5th century. It includes a
gallery of Kangra's famous miniature painting and a
representative collection of sculptures, pottery and
anthropological items. Shamianas and dresses used by local
royalty, old carved doors, jails, lintels and pandals are also
on display Coins, jewelry and manuscripts are included. A
section houses the work of contemporary artists, sculptures
and photographers. The library is just below this.
WAR
MEMORIAL: At there start of town, landscaped lawns and a
web of narrow paths fill a pine grove where a monuments has
been raised to commemorate the post independence war heroes of
Himachal Pradesh.
KUNAL
PATHRI: A 3 km level walk from the Kotwali Bazar leads upto
this rock temple.
ST.
JOHN'S CHURCH: 8km from Dharamsala, between Forsythganj
and Mcleodganj is the charming dressed-stone church of St.
John in the Wilderness. Under the shade of deodar branches, a
memorial has been erected over the body of the British
Viceroy, Lord Elgin who died at Dharamsala in 1863. There is a
well tended old graveyard on these grassy sloped.
MCLEODGANJ: Often called the Little Lhasa at 1770m this
is the residence of His Holiness Dalai Lama. The Tibetan
Government-in-exile has been here for over three decades. The
impressive monastery has larger than life images of the
Buddha, Padmasambhava and Avaloktwshwara. The large Tibetan
community and the presence of traditional architectural
designs drawn from Tibet hace enhanced the area. Tibet
handicrafts, and garments are available on sale on every
Sunday. The Tibetan institute of performing Arts is just a km
away and it organises a ten day festival from the second
Saturday of April. |