A getaway to Little Lhasa | Nidhi, Bangalore

6831 feet above the sea level in the suburb of Dharamshala lies a small hill station blessed with the beauty of Mother Nature. Dotted with pine trees and chilled with mist, McLeodganj is often referred to as 'Little Lhasa'. HolidayIQ member Nidhi from Bangalore shares her McLeodganj experience with you.

I was looking for a getaway with my friends and could not think of a destination. One of my friends suggested McLeodganj. I was there once before and that memory was good enough for me to agree to her suggestion!
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Going back: I never liked history classes but for those who like to go back a little, here is a brief synopsis. McLeodganj is a small hill station located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. After the second Anglo-Sikh war in 1849, this land came under the control of British. McLeodganj got its name from David McLeod, the erstwhile Lieutenant Governor of Punjab.

In 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso fled to India after the Communist Party of China took over Tibet. Indian Government gave him refuge in Dharamshala and Mcleodganj became his official residence.

Check out what other member say about McLeodganj
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Sightseeing highlights: There are plenty to cover in McLeodganj, with the primary attraction being Tsuglagkhang Complex, the largest Tibetan complex outside Tibet.

- Tsuglagkhang Complex
- Namgyal Café
- Tibet Museum
- Tibetan Library
- Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts
- Kunal Pathari
- Bhagsunag Fall

Check out the virtual walkthrough of McLeodganj by P. Rajesh
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Things to do: There are some very cool things to do in McLeodganj! Besides classes in cooking, massage and meditation, the Tibetan government has all its offices here. With a little effort, you can even visit His Holiness' Department of Medicine and Astrology. Here, with a down payment of INR 2400 and an 11-month wait, you can get a detailed horoscope. You can also visit the new temple, which in my eyes was disappointing; looks more like one of those concrete high schools built in the 50s! Nevertheless, Richard Gere got his photo in the temple café while Pierce Brosnan's snap can be found at the main pub in McLeodganj. I guess we were in good company as we whiled away our time in between the two.

Check out other activities in McLeodganj
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