Dharamsala History

History

Pre-20th-Century History

Dharamsala was founded in the year 1855 and the British used it as a summer retreat simply to escape the scorching heat of the summers. The annexation of Tibet in the year 1959 forced the 14th Dalai Lama and his government to leave their land. In those turbulent days, no other country was prepared to take the risk of providing shelter to them as it would entail the wrath of the then emerging Republic of China. At that time India came to their rescue and provided shelter to them and since 1960 they have been the permanent settlers at this place. Hence, there is also something religious and spiritual about Dharamsala apart from its lush green hills and scenic locale.

Modern History

Recent History

Fondly, known as the little Lahasa, Dharamsala has Buddhist roots dating back 2700 years. It was a coincidence that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru offered this place to the Tibetan exiles in 1960.This region is rich in unexplored archaeological sites of great importance especially helpful in understanding Buddhism. Hsuan Tsang the famous Chinese monk and pilgrim recorded fifty monasteries with around 2,000 monks in this fertile region in and around 635 A.D.

It is said that Lord Elgin, Viceroy of British India and a former Governor-General of Canada, was so enchanted by the forests of Dharamsala that, before dying in Dharamsala in 1863, he asked to be buried in the graveyard of St. John’s Church in the Wilderness.

Dharamsala has established itself as the travelers base camp, the small town bazaar of Kotwali provides the visitors the color and charm of the simple life style.

Sponsers Links

Close Move