Sometimes I wonder how much the British as colonial powers have impacted India and contributed to its history, legacy and most importantly creation of hill stations. A case in point is McLeodganj in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. As the name itself suggests, the popular hill station was named after Donald Friell McLeod, Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab (1865-1870) who apparently had a role in the creation of the hill station and making it an army cantonment for the Gurkha Battalion. Of course, the credit for the retention of the British sounding name even in 2025, goes to some wise heads around who have not yet renamed the hill station and continue with its popular name suggesting its historicity and legacy.
The British came from the cooler climates so they kept going to the hills to escape the peak summer heat wave in the plains of North India and in the process, created several hill stations all over the hills in Himachal and the neighbouring Uttarakhand. State Capital Shimla was then the Summer Capital of India and some of the finest buildings bearing the British architecture still exist there. No wonder, British tourists still visit Himachal Pradesh in large numbers to recreate and relive the days of the Raj. Many come to the state to see the graves of their forefathers and pay their respects while some come to see the places where their forefathers had served either in the military, police, civil service or Judiciary. I have met a couple of British tourists who had a very well chronicled family history, simply going to all the stations where their great grandfathers served in the army in the early parts of the last century.
So one fine morning, I decided to drive down to McLeodganj again in what is called "Off-Season" in the language of those associated with tourism and related services. The drive from Chandigarh is practically through the foothills in the plains of Punjab. The Grand Gurudwara of Anandpur Sahib, painted in White, is on the right side of the road. It was here that the Khalsa panth was established by the tenth and last Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
You have to drive through towns in the plains like Nangal and Una, the first major town of Himachal, before taking the circuitous roads first to Kangra, Dharamshala and then finally to my destination McLeodganj. The snow peaked Dhauladhar hills majestically shine in the afternoon sun from quite a distance, giving a view to remember all life. It is here that I stop my car for a small break to have an eyeful of the majestic peaks. It is a stiff climb for a while and soon you arrive at a tri-junction or a Square where narrow roads converge from different directions amid a cacophony of noise generated by the honking of vehicles and the sound generated by their engines. As I had visited the place twice earlier, I was quite familiar with the street settings and I straight away drove to Hotel Bhagsu, a property of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department Corporation (HPTDC). Whenever I am on a visit to this hill state, which is quite often, I prefer the hotels of HPTDC as they are spacious and have adequate parking space. Though the maintenance and upkeep of the hotels need improvement and upgradation, they score over others because they have extra large compounds and quite often a small park, clearly a luxury for the privately owned hotels. The rent per day for a spacious suite was Rs 4800.
The best part which I personally like about McLeodganj is the availability of a large variety of restaurants and cafes, making it a foodie's delight. Just after checking in the hotel, the hunger pangs had struck and off we went in search of some authentic Tibetan food. The top restaurants of this hill station, made famous by the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans, are located in and around the Square, a rather small area and all you have to do is to choose whichever you fancy at first glance without reading reviews online. So, we chose Hotel Tibet in the alley for our first lunch here simply because we liked the way its entrance was decorated. Though it did not have a great view of the valley, you could still see people going through their routine chores from the corner table in the terrace. The restaurant had an indoor seating arrangement too but nothing beats sitting in the verandah of the restaurant, sipping your soup and gently trying different dishes. A smiling waiter took the order and also explained to us the dishes in the menu which were written in Tibetan as well as in English. After the soup, it was turn for Mutton Steam Momo and then Mutton Gyathuk or what is popularly called as Thukpa, a typical tibetan dish which I enjoy having whenever I get an opportunity. It was indeed excellent and I complimented the waiter and the chef. The Bill too was quite light on the pocket and I was surprised at the relatively low prices here. The Steam Momo with at least a dozen of them in a plate was only for Rs 200 and Mutton Gyathuk was only for Rs 190. Another chicken dish was only for Rs 300 for a big portion and I thought the prices were half or one third of the price of a similar restaurant anywhere in north India.
The hotel was at a distance of maybe 600 metres from the restaurant and a walk on the streets and to the room somewhat helped in the digestion process. An afternoon siesta was required after driving for almost 6 hours and having a satisfying lunch.
There is a flurry of activity in the evening. The famous Square of Mcleodganj was not recognisable now as lights and colors of all hues were dazzling and the neon signboards of the bakeries and restaurants were inviting us. I could hear music in the streets, a popular Kishore Kumar song, perhaps sung by the lead singer in a live music band in a restaurant. Shops selling Tibetan items, local handicrafts, souvenirs and street food like Momos and some local Himachali food items were lined up. At one stall, full maize corn was being roasted on coal and eager people were awaiting their turn to get it after it was sprinkled with salt and lemon. Next to it was a kiosk selling roasted groundnuts, both with shells and without it and those going for their evening drinks were perhaps buying it as an accessory for their booze. Another kiosk run by a Punjabi as the name of the joint suggested, was selling roasted chicken, Tikka, fried fish and readymade kebabs and a group of 4-5 people were ordering it. There were small kiosks of Gol Gappa, Pakode, Samosa and even Tikki and they had some patrons too. I wondered why people eat the same stuff available in every nook and corner of the country instead of trying something different when they are in a new place.
Taking a stroll on the roads where the market was in full bloom was an experience in itself. You can roam around here like a vagabond for hours without getting tired by watching and reading the faces of the monks, Tibetan shopkeepers and the tourists. What they all must be doing and thinking! The smiling faces of the young Sikh tourist couple, dressed in their best, suggested that they were in awe of the place and were thoroughly enjoying the moment. A concerned face of a monk in robes perhaps suggested that he had a tough day spiritually. The smiling wrinkled face of an old Tibetan lady, with a walking stick, perhaps suggested that she was one of the original migrants from Tibet who came along with the Dalai Lama a few decades back and made this Himalayan hill her abode. Many White tourists and backpackers were simply getting in and out of shops, munching in the bakeries, sipping a drink and enjoying themselves. I could not immediately make out their nationalities as they were speaking languages other than English.
After tiring ourselves for a while and rotating the drums in a Buddhist temple on the main road, it was time again to choose a different restaurant for Dinner. Again, the idea was to have as much of tibetan food as possible during our stay so that the taste lingers on for days and weeks before the next good tibetan meal in the plains of north India. This time, we decided to go to the first floor of a restaurant called "Tibet Kitchen". You could watch the activities on the streets below from the corner table of the restaurant. We ordered Tingmo or steamed Tibetan Bread, Mokthuk which is small dumplings in soup, Mutton Pokchoy or sliced lamb with vegetables and Crispy Spinach chicken. The meal started with chicken Lung Fung soup which was just right for the palate. Apart from the food being great and typical Tibetan, the Bill again was almost one third of the price of similar food in the restaurant of a big city.
MORNING WALK TO BHAGSU NAG TEMPLE
There is nothing like getting up early and exploring a place on foot when the local residents are yet to wake up and you only have stray monkeys and dogs for company. When the sun was yet to rise, I woke up, brushed my teeth, put my walking shoes on and took on the beaten path which goes to the Bhagsu temple and also to Bhagsu waterfall some distance away uphill from the temple. I had once stayed in a hotel close to the temple around 12 years back and had a vivid memory of the place. I wanted to recreate what was stored in my memory for the last 12 years and check if I was forgetting the place or has my memory faded with years. Nothing of that sort happened as the 2 km walk was exactly the way I remembered. The Budget hotel with a Brownish building in which I had stayed was still there with a glass facade though I do not remember what its name was then but now, it had been given a Tibetan name.
The Bhagsu temple and the adjoining bathing pool was exactly the way I remembered. Fresh water from melting snow above the Triund peak was pouring through a couple of pipes in the waist deep bathing pool with a rhythmic regularity. The pool was constructed in a way that the excess water was draining out through another pipe and was perhaps being used for drinking purposes after being treated. Early in the morning, a devout Hindu was taking a bath and another sitting on the stairs was meditating. They were the only two people at that time and I was the third. I simply touched the cold water, sprinkled the droplets on my clothes and moved on. It was too early for a bath and in any case, I hardly bathed in open spaces as a matter of habit, cultivated over years.
There is a plaque at the entrance of the temple and it explains the mythology and says that the place is related to Lord Shiva. According to the legend, the snake God Nag devata was drawn into a battle with a local King Bhagsu, who had stolen water in a pot from the sacred Lake for his thirsty kingdom. King Bhagsu was defeated and forgiven by the Snake God and the site consecrated as Bhagsu Nag. In the battle, the pot of water fell and started flowing and it is said that the bathing area never got dry after that and continuous water flowed into it. As the temple in the modern era was built by the Gorkhas, who arrived in the area in the early to mid-18th century to establish the 1st Gorkha Rifles, Bhagsu is considered their home. A stone carved entrance to the temple from the bathing ghat proudly says "1st Gurkha Rifles".
By the time I finished exploring the temple and the nearby areas, a couple of shops selling pooja material and souvenirs had started opening. They played devotional Hindi songs and started setting up their shops, placing their goods for a better view. One tea and biscuit kiosk too had opened its shutter though it was yet to start its business for the day. Monkeys were frolicking around the temple, hoping for the first food of the day from the devotees who were yet to arrive. The street dogs were giving them stiff competition. I started my walk back to the hotel even as I overheard two English speaking White females talking about their experience in the area. They were 10 feet behind me and I could hear them talk about the natural beauty of the place and they had a list of things to buy for the day. Perhaps, they were backpackers and had been staying in the area for a while. I had more plans for the day and so walked back to my room, energised and rejuvenated. I didn't really have time to walk to the Bhagsu waterfall, a 25-minute uphill trek, leaving it for some other day.
FOUR POINTS OF DHARAMSHALA
Instead of having an industrial breakfast in the Hotel, which according to me is factory produced Bread, Butter, Jam and Eggs, Cereals and dip Tea, I decided to straightaway head for the ropeway to Dharamshala, built and operated by the Tatas. It was under construction when I last visited the place so in a way, it was a new attraction for me. One way ticket for a person costs Rs 500 and return ticket is for Rs 750. Being an off season, it was easy getting the tickets and so the panoramic journey started. It goes down 362 metre from the Dalai Lama Temple in Mcleodganj to the Bus Stand in Dharamshala in a few minutes. Hanging in the air, you can see the peaks of Dhauladhar even as gentle but cold winds get inside the covered glass boxes of the Cable Car. A must try for the visitors any day.
Lower down, the taxi operators take you to what they call as "Four Points" ride to the Cricket Stadium where IPL and International Cricket is played and is perhaps one of the most scenic stadiums for cricket in the world, nestled as it is in a valley, surrounded by snow-peaked Dhauladhar range. The next destination is the Tea Gardens a few distance away where Kangra Tea is grown amid a thick blanket of greenery. The third stop is a trip to Mata Kunal Pathri temple and finally to the Martyr's Memorial. It takes an hour and half to cover all these places. We are back at the ropeway again for our upward climb to McLeodganj. But unfortunately for us, some safety drill was being carried out on the ropeway and we were told that it could take 2-3 hours for restoration of services. Instead of being forced to wait, I decided to call for a taxi for McLeodganj. This time, the taxi driver of the Alto Car took a route which had a very stiff climb and extremely narrow roads. "This is the shortcut," he told me, proud of his prowess as a driver on those narrow, steep roads. I admit, I could not have driven my sedan through those roads despite being a skilled driver and having experience of driving in different terrain for years.
BACK TO McLEODGANJ SQUARE
As we had skipped breakfast and only had herbal tea so far in the day, the first destination after getting to the Square was a restaurant called "House of Tibet", which I had shortlisted a day before while walking on the streets. It was located on the first Floor and had an excellent view of the Square below from a corner table. Again excellent Tibetan Food was served. This time, I also asked for Trout Fish which was in the Menu and was perhaps the most expensive dish of the restaurant at Rs 990. The fresh fish, found only in ice cold flowing waters of the hills, came along with rice, some curry and salad. The taste of this would linger on for a few days as it was an exquisite preparation which combined Tibetan as well as Himachali-Punjabi way of cooking.
We deserved an afternoon siesta after the food and so it was back to the hotel. Then the Dalai Lama Temple in the afternoon was the next stop where you could easily walk down from the hotel. In fact, it was in 1959 that the fortunes of McLeodganj changed forever when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet following the Chinese occupation and the failed uprising against it. The Indian government offered him asylum and allowed him to establish the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and soon McLeodganj became the headquarters for the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan administration, transforming it into a global center for Tibetan Buddhism and culture. Tibetan refugees came in large numbers and set up monasteries and other institutions of spirituality which draws tourists from all over the world now. This is what made McLeodganj famous as "Little Lhasa" all over the world. After being enriched spiritually in the company of the Buddhist monks for a while and the temple, it was time to feel the worldly vibes again.
As the short climb from the temple to the Square began, a local was playing "Pardesi Pardesi Jana nahin" on a small locally made instrument, a popular song from an Aamir Khan movie 'Raja Hindustani', released perhaps three decades ago. It was perfect to the years in that particular setting as I recalled the scene from the movie. Listened to the music, made a video and paid the artist Rs 100 for the effort. Time again to go to the Square and relax by looking at people, studying their faces and expressions and also the signboards of the shops, window shopping and getting absorbed in the hustle bustle.
Dinner was at a place called "Piano Piano Restaurant & Wine Bar" which I had finalised a couple of hours ago and for a change it was not located at the Square but close to my hotel. It had an excellent seating arrangement on a huge terrace, facing the valley. The twinkling lights of Dharamshala were visible from the terrace and in the evenings, it was indeed magical. Time to unwind, order some Wine and look down below in the valley for a couple of hours. It was like doing meditation with open eyes. Also ordered Crispy Chilli Lamb which came for Rs 410 and Thukpa again for a price of Rs 350. It was a fine dining restaurant, excellent service, a smiling host and a memorable evening indeed. As it was getting chilly on the terrace and I had a long day, it was time to reluctantly go back to the hotel.
We checked out early in the morning so that we could visit the Church of St John in the Wilderness, the final resting place of Lord Elgin, one of the Viceroys of India who died in 1863. Situated just below the main Square of Mcleodganj, nestled in a lush pine forest, the Church built in the neo-gothic style, as was in vogue in the nineteenth century, has beautiful Belgian stained-glass windows and a Christian cemetery on its grounds. The British served in India and were also laid to rest on this soil as in those days, it was impossible to get a burial in their home country. "What an irony", I thought, "they were absorbed by the soil of this country". But that is the way life was in those days.