Mcleodganj – Popular Hill Station

About Mcleodganj

Located in the Kangra district of the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, Mcleodganj is a suburb of Dharmsala and is a popular hill station in North India.

It is also commonly known by the name of “Little Lhasa,” or “Dhasa,” which in Tibetan culture means a small Dharamshala. The town also serves as the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile.

Situated on the Dhauladhar Range, the town has a height with an elevation of 2,082 meters. Hanuman Ka Tibba is the highest peak on the Dhauladhar range, which has a height of approximately 5,639 meters.

Historically, the term Mcleodganj came into existence after a lieutenant governor of the state of Punjab called Sir Donald Friell Mcleod. The term “Ganj” was added to its suffix to complete the name as it means “neighborhood” in both the languages of Hindi and Urdu.

The place has a total population of about 11,000 people and while the official language of the area is Hindu, other languages like Pahari, Tibetan, and English too are spoken here. While fundamentally, tourists visit the place for its essence of being a hill station, they come here for other purposes as well.

These include learning the crafts, culture, and elements of Tibetan Buddhism. The place has a wide variety of Tibetan handicrafts, garments, carpets, as well as souvenirs.

The main places of interest in Mcleodganj are: the Dalai Lama’s Temple—known as the Tsuglagkhang, the Namgyal Monastery, the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, the Mani Lakhang Stupa, the Norbulingka Institute, the Nechung Monastery, the Triund hill—which is a popular ridge that overlooks the Dauladhar ranges, the Dal Lake—which is a small and beautiful lake located at a distance of around 3 KM from Mcleodganj, and then the St. John in the Wilderness—which is an Anglican church, built in the year 1852.