Dharamshala

Seven Ways of Looking at Birds

I was first attracted to birds when I moved to Dharamshala in 1997. I remember being woken up every morning by the song of a blue whistling thrush (I didn’t identify it then). Slowly, as I settled in, I started recognising a few of the most common species of birds such as magpies, barbets, woodpeckers, … Continue reading →

New more exciting menus

Our good friend Lex has designed wonderful new menus for us. Please check them by clicking on the pictures below.

Moonpeak Thali

Moonpeak Espresso

Remembering Angus

I remember first meeting Angus when he sauntered into my office at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi back in 1990. There was none of the formidable security that guards the building today. But I doubt that the formalities that go into making appointments with diplomats would have deterred him. For me Angus was … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of Kirti Monastery

These images are from a photo essay that I did on the monks of the Kirti Monastery in Dharamshala for the Associated Press. A large number of Tibetans in Tibet who have immolated themselves since 2009 protesting Chinese rule were monks from the parent Kirti Monastery in Tibet.  The past year has seen an escalation in … Continue reading →

Tibetans assert identity with cross-border protest

A movement that outsmarts Chinese authorities by promoting Tibetan culture has crossed the Himalayas and is gathering strength in India Many people visit Dharamshala to get an experience of Tibetan culture, which has been under severe strain since the Chinese occupation of Tibet in the 1950s. For decades, exiled Tibetans have gone to great lengths … Continue reading →

Losar – Tibetan New Year

Losar or the New Year festival was a quieter affair than usual in Dharamshala in 2012. Missing was the  general exuberance. If there was any celebration, it was not public. Tibetans, urged by their Prime Minister, welcomed this Water Dragon year with prayers for those who have died in Tibet since March 2011 protesting Chinese … Continue reading →

Tibetans protest

On 23 and 24 January 2012, and again on the 26th, Chinese security forces responded to protests by Tibetans in Kham, now part of Sichuan province, by firing into the crowds, leaving at least three dead and injuring at least 30. Tibetan refugees in India protested the violence by holding candlelight vigils in Dharamshala, holding … Continue reading →

Snow white

Mcleodganj has been receiving snow since early Saturday morning. With no power and little communication, life has become hard. More snow is expected in the coming days. Ashwini has been photographing every day finding hotels with generators to keep his laptop/camera batteries charged.