Mystic McLeod Ganj …traversing through the clouds (Part 2)

If you are an art aficionado, McLeod Ganj will not fail to surprise you. There are many big, as well as small art galleries in the town, selling Thangka paintings, a form of Tibetan Buddhist painting, along with other art pieces. As the drizzling rain turned into heavy outpour, I took refuge in a beautiful art shop–Thankas & Gifts–and struck a conversation with the owner, Marleen. On asking her about her views on Buddhism, Marleen said, “For me Buddhism means just two words–be kind.” How simple, yet profound those words have been, as I headed out of the gallery just as the sky cleared and the sunrays glittered on the puddles on the road.

I turned towards the Bhagsu Nag road, which leads to Bhagsunag temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and Bhagsu waterfall, which is a major attraction of McLeod Ganj. This road is also full of hotels and a lot of Indian tourists could be seen here. Being monsoon session, the waterfall has almostturned into a massive cascade, and people restricted themselves to the nearby pond.

Thereafter, I traversed towards the Dal Lake road that leads to Naddi village, a paradise for trekkers. Not many were seen braving the rain, but some die-hard trekkers still managed to find their spot in this quite village. There are many hotels and resorts on this road, including some luxury hotels as well.

McLeod Ganj also has a share of Kashmir’s beauty in the form of Dal Lake, a small mid-altitude lake near the village of Tota Rani. The lake has greenish water and is surrounded by deodar trees. As I sat on the banks of the lake, contemplating about the teachings of the Buddha, I saw many others like me sitting in silence or enjoying the rainy weather by eating corn.

McLeod Ganj is truly an amalgamation of different cultures of the world, as you could see monks, lay people, foreigners and others alike soaking in the blessings of this holy place. And, rain, trust me, makes it all the more wonderful!

A philosophical seeker, bitten by the travel bug, Sumit Kundra likes to crack life with humour, and opine on everything Buddhism. Follow him on Twitter @Sumkundra. McLeod Ganj is best

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