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What to do and see in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh: The Best Sacred & Religious Sites
Serenely spiritual Dharamsala is home to the largest Tibetan temple outside of Tibet. It’s known for its religious iconography and is the monastery of the Dalai Lama, who holds public lectures a few times a year. Once you’ve restored your spiritual energy, enjoy a picturesque stroll to Bhagsu Waterfall or climb the hill to Triund to bask in stunning views of the Himalayas.
Restaurants in Dharamsala
1. Thosamling Nunnery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 19 reviews
We are a not-for-proft Nunnery and Institute practicing in the Tibetan Buddhist Lineage. Our Nunnery is home to several ordained nuns, who teach our weekend meditation retreats. Thosamling has also recently opened its doors for women from all over the world to stay affordably for extended periods of time (5 days to 2 months) as a base for their own private retreat practices.
Reviewed By username19654
I joined Thosamling's two-month group winter retreat 'Cultivating Shamatha to Reveal Insight' from Dec. 2018 to Feb. 2019. I can only rave about the Nunnery and retreat, which provided wonderful outer conditions for cultivating inward contemplation and meditation in a supportive retreat setting. What I appreciate deeply was the opportunity Thosamling and its community gave me to focus on developing and deepening daily contemplative practice in a beautiful and nurturing setting. Without question, I hope to return and highly recommend Thosamling as a place to visit year-round as a guest, volunteer or retreatant, or even for longer term residential stays for studies and contemplative living. During retreat, we were gently awakened, early mornings, to the sound of a gong, beckoning us to gather in the beautiful temple (gompa) where we set our intentions and began our first session for the day. The opportunity to sit as a group with other retreatants and our teacher first thing in the morning was very supportive for me in terms of establishing motivation and regularity in practice. After a short one-hour early morning session, to my delight, we were often greeted and escorted outside the Temple by Queenie and Nyima, Thosamling's beautiful resident dogs of Thosamling, as we walked to the dining hall for breakfast. These two beauties somehow provided a nurturing warmth to my retreat, fueling bodhichitta practice for me. Meals, prepared by knowledgeable local staff and volunteers were tasty, nourishing and prepared with care. Daily lunch and holiday spreads were notably delicious and filling that I found myself being careful about the amounts and times I ate so as not to affect my meditations throughout the day. Planning ahead to have some fruits and nuts to snack on between meals might be helpful, allowing for light eating during meals as a support for deep meditation. But overall, the food was very yummy, and Venerable Sangmo's pastries and cakes a welcome surprise on occasion. Fred and Maya, in particular, made sure we were fed. During retreat, the temple offered a wonderful shared space for practice. We were given a relaxing daily structure and instructions, as well as freedom to join in or sit out of teachings, meditation sessions, and pujas held in the temple. The balance between structure and flexibly allowed me to feel guided and supported yet open to experimentation (which was encouraged) so I could find a personal balance between study, contemplation, meditation, and other activities (walks, yoga, 1 hour of daily karma yoga, rooftop sky-gazing, sleep, etc) throughout my day. Silence, mindfulness and introspection throughout all activities day and night were encouraged and cultivated. Daytime hours were, for the most part, dedicated to teachings and particularly practice, with the focus primarily on Shamatha, Vipashyana, and later in retreat, Mahamudra and Dzogchen as presented by skillful teacher Doug Veenhof. As retreat progressed, teaching time was reduced and practice time was increased. Delivery of the teachings were relaxed and clear, and the amount of practice time was abundant, allowing me, step-by-step, to cultivate relaxation, clarity and stability in my daily practice. Yippee!! Hurray! Thank you Thosamling for making this possible! As a change from the temple, I found the rooftops as exceptional "training grounds" for blue-sky gazing to cultivate awareness of awareness and to practice mindful walking and yoga asana. Outside of the temple, Thosamling's natural setting offered abundant and unique opportunities for peaceful contemplation and practice of simultaneous stillness and motion. Nestled amongst terraced fields where locals cultivate the land and a gorgeous backdrop of snow-capped mountains, the beauty of Thosamling's surroundings is sublime. On site, bamboo, citrus, bougainvillea, rose, banana bushes and trees, are only a few of the flora to enjoy while meandering the pathways through shaded picnic areas and numerous organic vegetable gardens. I loved doing karma yoga in the garden in the mornings and seeing the chickens fed. Countless exquisite birds of all sizes, colors, and shapes serenade with birdsong mantras from morning to evening and soar through the expansive sky of pristine awareness. Dusk signals a change in scenery with pristine sunsets gracefully painting a vast dreamscape on the canvas of sky, reflected on snowy mountains. I found this to be a special invitation for me to enjoy sky-gazing from the celestial rooftops on many evenings, cultivating a sense of wonder and awe as the mystery of nightfall arrived and stars began to twinkle. I loved the shared bathrooms, which were spacious and very clean. The rooms also were spacious and comfortable with large windows. I spent most of my time meditating in the temple or rooftop, but found my room very suitable as well. As there is no central heating during winter months, some people arranged for small space heaters through the office. I definitely recommend bringing a rubber hot water bottle in the winter to fill up and keep you warm when you climb into bed in the evening. As night falls, temperatures drop, so bring ample clothes for layering. I also brought a light waterproof raincoat which turned out to be helpful on a few occasions. Beyond the wonderful teachings and natural setting, it was also the dedicated and supportive people that made Thosamling special. What a pleasure it was to retreat alongside three of the resident nuns--Venerables Sangmo, Yeshe, and Yangkyi--each an inspiring example of service, compassion, and wisdom. As a wrap up, post-retreat, I loved joining some of the nuns and our retreat teacher in making rounds to regional monasteries and nunneries to deliver food basket offerings during Losar--Tibetan New Year--as well as joining a 3-day pilgrimmage to Tso Pema. If staying for a while, not to be missed is a visit to the library, a jewel atop the Temple, managed mindfully by Venerable Yeshe, who knows the books inside and out, and can help you find just what you are looking for! I could literally, spend months reading in that library! Yangkyi is another inspiration to watch. See how she takes on any task, from giving medicine to the dogs and making water bowl offerings to setting up tech systems in the Temple, with zeal and readiness. And how much I learned watching Venerable Sangmo, who would fly in and out of the Temple and cross the grounds swiftly and silently, making sure everything ran smoothly for retreat. An embodiment of giving, she would lead us through weekly pujas, tirelessly load firewood to keep everyone warm, generously bake special breads and pastries to everyone's delight and care for everyone, including Queenie and Nyima without a bat of the eye. Venerable Tenzin, staff, and volunteers were also amazing in taking care of retreatants' needs. Post-retreat, Fred in particular was so helpful in answering questions about local activities and teachings in Dharamshala and many other things. Bottomline, Thosamling opened its doors to me generously and gave me a place to take refuge during retreat. With everyday concerns of food, laundry, shopping, cleaning, etc taken care, I could focus on practice. This alone is reason to retreat at Thosamling. The rest is icing on the cake. I highly recommend Thosamling as a place for individual or group retreat or as a place to stay for only a few days, or longer term for contemplative practice and living. From Thosamling, also visit Norbolingka Institute, Queenie's Bakery, local tea gardens and terrraces for quiet walks, and regional monasteries and nunneries.
2. Tsuglag Khang
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
The exiled-Tibetan Dalai Lama's temple complex.
Reviewed By sharmamanishjmd - Jalandhar, India
Its inside Dalai Lama temple, its very peaceful, beautifully decorated, walls are having stories on it. We felt blessed here.
3. Namgyalma Stupa
4. Tushita Meditation Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 120 reviews
Reviewed By FrenchyClarence - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
I follow this course last Novembre and it was incredible. First of all the centre is very peaceful and relaxing. You hear very little noise from the street, you are surrounded by the forest and mountains. The food was delicious, vegetarian and different everyday. The quality of teaching, the content of the course and the variation of the meditation session were really great. I ve enjoyed every single day there, time went by very quickly, and to get a real break from our daily busy routine is sometimes very necessary and brings so much. There is such a positive energy there and Ienjoyed so much my cup of tea every day just sitting there and admiring the beauty of nature.
5. Gyuto Monastery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 179 reviews
Reviewed By atinderv2018
This place is a must watch you can skip the stadium but not this. This place is known to hardly a few tourists so you don’t have to worry about the queues. It also has a small cafe where you can have Tibetan food and teas
6. Dalai Lama Temple Complex
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,333 reviews
Reviewed By sanjaymehta503
It's a place where you really find a different world altogether. The idols inside are a treat to look at and you experience an inner peace
7. Men-Tsee-Khang
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
8. Shiva Temple
9. Namgyal Monastery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By arjunajb - Greater Noida, India
Located at Mcleodganj we paid a visit to the Monastery..very well organized to facilitate the movement of visitors with ease..very neat and clean..an easy Darshan with arrangements to sit and relax if required to do so
10. Guna Devi Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 80 reviews
Reviewed By AdventureTrails2014 - Dharamsala, India
If you aren't ready for a tough hike, do take this day hike, an approx 2 hours 30 mins one way and is worth a visit. But avoid during monsoons s a part f the route always gets a heavy landslide and may not be worth a try. The temple is worshiped by the locals and the premises used for the related ceremonies
