The Dalai Lama Temple

Back in town, I walked down to The Dalai Lama Temple, formally known as the Tsuglagkhang Complex. It is a sacred site, serving as the 14th Dalai Lama's residence and the spiritual centre for Tibetan exiles. Open daily from sunrise to sunset, it features the Namgyal Monastery, the Dalai Lama’s private monastery, a museum, and serves as a major, serene pilgrimage site with, prayer wheels, and views of the Dhauladhar mountains. Visitors can participate in morning prayers, spin prayer wheels, and walk the circumambulation path, which is adorned with mani stones and prayer flags. The site is characterised by its peaceful, meditative, and, intellectually stimulating environment. There were certainly lots of people praying, meditating, and studying quietly as I walked around.

I was struck by the scale of it. It felt like a village within the town with lots of shops, a café, and huge accommodation blocks. Sadly, I didn't see His Holiness - just lots of Buddhist monks who looked remarkably like him 😊.Read more