In this article, we provide comprehensive information about the geography, history, population, and top tourist destinations of Dharamshala. Dharamshala is a city in the western part of Himachal Pradesh, located on the lower slopes of the Himalayas in northwestern India. Known for its picturesque scenery, Dharamshala serves as a health resort. The area is also known for bottling aerated water and has nearby slate quarries. Although the city was nearly destroyed by an earthquake in 1905, it was subsequently rebuilt. In 1959, the Dalai Lama established a government-in-exile in Dharamshala after fleeing from Tibet (China).
| About: | Dharamshala is a town located in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It has been the winter capital of the state and the administrative center of the Kangra district since 1855. The town is also home to the Tibetan Government-in-exile. Until 2015, Dharamshala was a municipal council, but it was then upgraded to a municipal corporation. Nestled in the Kangra Valley, it lies beneath the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas at an elevation of 1,457 meters (4,780 feet). Ancient Hindu texts, including the Rig Veda and Mahabharata, reference Dharamshala and its surroundings. The region was under Mughal influence before it was captured by the Sikh empire in 1785. The East India Company captured the region for the British following the First Anglo-Sikh War of 1846, from when it became part of the British Indian province of the Punjab. Post Indian Independence in 1947, it remained as a small hill station. In 1960, the Central Tibetan Administration was moved to Dharamshala when the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso established the Tibetan administration-in-exile after he had to flee Tibet. |
| History: | References to Dharamshala and its surrounding areas are found in ancient Hindu scriptures such as Rig Veda and Mahabharata. There are mentions of the region by Pāṇini in 4th century BC and by Chinese traveler Heun Tsang during the reign of king Harshavardhana in 7th century AD. The indigenous people of the Dharamshala area (and the surrounding region) are the Gaddis, a predominantly Hindu group who traditionally lived a nomadic or semi-nomadic transhumant lifestyle. The region was subject to attacks from Mughal rulers Mahmud of Ghazni in 1009 and Firuz Shah Tughlaq in 1360. In 1566, Akbar captured the region and brought it under the Mughal rule. As the Mughal rule disintegrated, Sikh chieftain Jai Singh brought the region to his control and gave it to Sansar Chand of the Katoch dynasty, legitimate Rajput prince in 1785. Gurkhas invaded and captured the region in 1806 before being defeated by Ranjit Singh in 1809. The Katoch dynasty was reduced to the status of jagirdars under the treaty of Jawalamukhi signed between Chand and Singh in 1810. Post the death of Chand, Ranjit Singh annexed the region into the Sikh empire. |
| Country : | India |
| State: | Himachal Pradesh |
| District: | Kangra |
| Language: | Hindi (Official) |
| Population: | 100,000 (2024) |
| Literacy rate: | Dharamshala has an average literacy rate of 87%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 90% and female literacy is 83%. |
| Major Attractions to Visit: | 1. Triund Hill 2. Dalai Lama Temple Complex 3. HPCA Stadium 4. Bhagsu Waterfall 5. Naddi View Point 6. Gyuto Monastery 7. Kangra Valley 8. Tushita Meditation Centre 9. Dharamshala Ropeway (Dharamshala Skyway) 10. Bhagsunath Temple 11. Aghanjar Mahadev Temple 12. Church of St. John |
