Palampur

Norbulingka institute

As we left Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj behind, after we‘d said a frosty goodbye to Hotel Pong View, fondly talking to one another about the various things we’d seen and experienced so far we climbed into the same taxi we had spent much of the day before with Pancas. His driving had not slowed down overnight. We had a fair few kilometres to cover and a few stops along the way.

At the Nobolinka Institute, the temple was the main attraction, among a few other smaller museums. The entire place was inside a very well maintained and clearly cared for garden, decorated with prayer flags and water features. The Nepalese influence of the region was clear here too. It was a very calm and quiet place, the only occasional sound coming from the spinning of the prayer-wheels

Gyato Monastery

Set against the large southern mountains of the Himalayas, with the imposing front aspect, up a large, wide set of steps, this monastery was bright, and again, like many of the religious buildings and areas, very well maintained. We met a mother and her child sorting grain as we headed in, they kindly let me take their photo.

Inside, there was a simple, large room with benches for the various monks and other people to either meditate or simply find a little peace and quiet.

Chamunda Devi Temple

Chamunda Devi Temple is an odd place, a popular temple in the middle of nowhere - we had to walk across a building site to get there! It looked very tired and run down with pedalo trips available through stagnant green water around what looks like it may have once been a swimming pool but now contains large, 6-8 foot high likenesses of various Hindu Gods.

I know very little about the Hindu faith, and find the temples strange places. This is why I have linked the names in this post should you want to read more about them. Being totally non religious, I find it incredibly difficult to empathise with the sheer amount of faith people have in any God, whether they are Christian, Seik, or Hindu. I respect their right to believe whatever they like and in a way, if it makes life more bearable - and some people here have so little it is truly saddening - I can understand why they are inclined to trust in something that may bring them hope.

I take the temples we visit entirely on face value for what they look like and for whatever images I can make from being there. You‘d be amazed what a big smile and a ‘thank you‘ can diffuse out here. In less than 20 seconds I have gone from being scorned to being asked in for a cup of tea. It turns out not everyone hates the British here given our checkered past.

Occasionally, I‘ll show anyone who I have photographed the picture I have taken with a view to showing them that I am not merely snatching something from them but making an image that is worth keeping on its own merits.

Any of the temples we visited on this journey and so far in India can be calming in their atmosphere as the Golden Temple was but also, totally bonkers just in the sheer numbers of people queueing and shoving to make their offerings, usually from a wicker basket, consisting of some flowers and puffed rice, small red cloths and sometimes a coconut.

Palampur

At last, we arrived at the hotel, shaken up from the roads and a little late as in true Taxi-man fashion, the ‘yes, yes. I know this place‘ actually means ‘no but we‘ll make it somehow‘! It was a great place with a ‘heritage side‘ with old balconies and relaxing spaces and an overgrown garden with a tennis court in need of repair and a swimming pool in need of water. There was a newer built area that felt a little like the colonial hotels from the older James Bond films.

The owner was great fun and we were handed scarves as a welcome (it was about 28 degrees) and a glass of Coke each on a silver tray and shown to our room, kept safe with a marvellous lock the likes of which I had never seen.

Tashijong Monastery

There was a notice board in the hotel suggesting a walk to a local monastery so before we got too comfortable, and since we‘d just had a 5-hour taxi ride, off we set in search of Tashijong Monastery with the ‘1st left 500m down the main road, right out of the gates‘.

After 2km, we found the left turn to Tashijong monastery and headed through some farm land towards the monastery, matching pace with a couple of school-girls on their way home eager to practice their English. With little understanding between us but a lot of giggling from them, we parted ways at their home and carried on up the hill, passing a carpenters and blanket-makers and a school along the way before heading home to the hotel. Tashijong Monastery