Little Lhasa - Mc.Leod Ganj

[Aryan]

A breathtaking view of snow capped mountains, lots of color, a bustling Tibetan settlement, and valleys covered with lush green trees—these are a few snapshots, which come to my mind when I think of a hill station called Mcleod Ganj.

McLeod Ganj, located in Dharamsala, at an altitude of 6,831 feet is also known as "Little Lhasa" or "Mini-Tibet" due to its large population of Tibetan refugees. The Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered in McLeod Ganj.

The last weekend I was there, and here I share a few photographs of Mc.Leod Ganj with everyone. :) I hope you like looking at them as much as I enjoyed clicking them.

Thanks,
-Aryan

Surreal - early morning sun greets the land; as viewed from a balcony...
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342220719877_649159877_4726858_5768459_n.jpg

Peak-a-boo - the snow-clad mountains peak through lush green forests of Pine and Rhodendron.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342220729877_649159877_4726859_878090_n.jpg

Greenery All Around...
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342220749877_649159877_4726861_5649523_n.jpg

Mini - Tibet - the town of Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342220744877_649159877_4726860_5258428_n.jpg

Vast - the wide land from a bird's eye view.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342220759877_649159877_4726862_2987078_n.jpg

Wheels of hope - the prayer wheels.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342224909877_649159877_4726868_7602809_n.jpg

Market place - a cassette/ CD shop in the market place in Mc.Leod Ganj stands 'empty', while a person walks by.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342224914877_649159877_4726869_5148828_n.jpg

Sun-bathing - a vendor sits soaking in the warm sunlight on a cold morning.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342228819877_649159877_4726877_2563380_n.jpg

Colors abound - the hand-woven mufflers, displayed at the Mc.Leod Ganj market.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342228804877_649159877_4726876_3362925_n.jpg

Walls and creeks - the complex of the Bhagsunaag Temple.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342228829877_649159877_4726878_327856_n.jpg

Views Abound - a few houses act like taking 'shelter' under those huge mountains.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/medium/26186_342237969877_649159877_4726901_4899921_n.jpg

In and around the Dal Lake, Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342237954877_649159877_4726900_791563_n.jpg

Follow My Lead...
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342228844877_649159877_4726880_8227119_n.jpg

High but dry - the current state of the Dal Lake, in Mc.Leod Ganj - the views are there, the atmosphere is there, but the water is missing!
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342228834877_649159877_4726879_3621022_n.jpg

Pretty Vibrant - the small Naddi Village, glistening with colors and vibrancy all around.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342243094877_649159877_4726911_984370_n.jpg

The mighty Dhauladhars.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342243089877_649159877_4726910_3749886_n.jpg

Mighty but pretty - the Dhauladhar ranges stand guard to a small village below.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342238009877_649159877_4726904_3760128_n.jpg

I stand mighty - at an amazing 18,500 feet tall Dhauladhar range.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342237994877_649159877_4726903_2263992_n.jpg


White and Blue beauty.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342237989877_649159877_4726902_8291688_n.jpg

In the Wilderness - the St. John's Church stands some-place away from the hustle bustle of the main town.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342243129877_649159877_4726914_7440217_n.jpg

St. John's Church, Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342248639877_649159877_4726924_4671199_n.jpg


Naddi Village, with the Dhauladhars visible in the background.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342243114877_649159877_4726913_3821231_n.jpg

Amalgamation- the Naddi Village in all it's colorful glory.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342243109877_649159877_4726912_1776676_n.jpg


St. John's Church, Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342248634877_649159877_4726923_2130856_n.jpg


St. John's Church, Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342248654877_649159877_4726926_2959607_n.jpg


St. John's Church, Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342248644877_649159877_4726925_8017712_n.jpg


History of Tibet - the Tibet Museum.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342248659877_649159877_4726927_6642448_n.jpg

The Tibet Museum tells about the hardships and their ongoing war for 'free Tibet'.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342251039877_649159877_4726933_2996197_n.jpg


The Language of Peace - inscriptions in the Tibet Museum.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342251054877_649159877_4726935_4992550_n.jpg


Future Visions - the Tibet Museum.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342251044877_649159877_4726934_485134_n.jpg

Frozen in Time - a beautifully sculpted statue stands in the Tibet Museum.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342251059877_649159877_4726936_7515962_n.jpg

'X' marks the spot - the sun-flare visible in between the 'X', at the Tsuglagkhang temple complex, Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342255134877_649159877_4726968_5812848_n.jpg


Architectural bliss - innards of the Tsuglagkhang temple complex, Mc.LeodGanj
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342255129877_649159877_4726967_1730388_n.jpg


Stairs of Peace - the Tibetan Monks' hostel.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342251064877_649159877_4726937_1004400_n.jpg


Innocence - a child sits and enjoys quietly, at the Tsuglagkhang temple.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342255139877_649159877_4726969_5044071_n.jpg


Tsuglagkhang temple.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342255149877_649159877_4726971_6610562_n.jpg


Inside the Tsuglagkhang temple.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342255144877_649159877_4726970_6910452_n.jpg


Strakling - the Dhauladhars overlook the red and white buliding.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342258929877_649159877_4726973_7924819_n.jpg


Travel anywhere - the taxi stand, late in the evening.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342258974877_649159877_4726977_988563_n.jpg


Nature's Canopy - Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342258939877_649159877_4726974_2576255_n.jpg


"Colorful" Prayers - a monk rotates the prayer wheels above, while the colorf
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342263854877_649159877_4727042_3887119_n.jpg


Hustle-Bustle - the main 'Chowk' of Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342263909877_649159877_4727046_1366515_n.jpg

http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342263889877_649159877_4727045_1935161_n.jpg

The End of Day - The sun goes down, giving a bright red hue while the lights come on at the distant mountain homes.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342267644877_649159877_4727066_5592746_n.jpg

Hues - a Buddhist monastery is lit with a reddish hue showing it's beautiful design, late in the evening.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342263864877_649159877_4727043_7390145_n.jpg


Ancient Beauty - a gorgeous Buddhist Monastery.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342263874877_649159877_4727044_3883611_n.jpg


Sundown at Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342267649877_649159877_4727067_5909016_n.jpg


And the sun comes up - early morning at Mc.Leod Ganj.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342267634877_649159877_4727065_3457287_n.jpg


Irony - His Holyness Dalai Lama's poster up for sale, while the background is not really 'holy'.
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342267619877_649159877_4727064_2391158_n.jpg


Reflection - the early morning sun comes up, reflecting on a glass window
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342267664877_649159877_4727068_3308798_n.jpg


Glitter, falling from the sky...
http://www.thephotographer.in/galleries/data/553/26186_342271774877_649159877_4727117_2141744_n.jpg

[KrishnenduKes]

Some lovely photographs there. Thanks Aryan for sharing your assignment.

Approved

[hitanshu]

Fantastic work! lovely colors!

/what's this assignment bit? weekly assignment? or professional? Congrats!

[Aryan]

Some lovely photographs there. Thanks Aryan for sharing your assignment.

Approved

Thanks Ken da for approving. I was thinking whether the thread did not meet the submission criteria of thePhotographer. But, good to see that the photographs are finally approved. :) Thanks for the appreciation Ken da.

Fantastic work! lovely colors!

/what's this assignment bit? weekly assignment? or professional? Congrats!
Thanks Tau! :)

Yes, it's all professional for me - these photographs, the photographs you might have seen in the other threads (titled "Chandni Chowk - the Moonlit Square" thread and the "Surajkund Mela 2010" thread)

[Bibudesh]

Nice shots Aryan.
I would really appreciate if your give some more details about this place. As in a small log, how to reach, places to see etc.

BTW Have u PPed the images?

[Aryan]

@Bibu: It is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh, about 550kms. north of Delhi. For reaching the place, you can either take a bus (normal public buses or posh Volvos), and is generally an overnight journey.

Choc-a-bloc with cozy little shops and restaurants, this is an interesting place where you can spend your vacations shopping, sightseeing or even trekking if you want to! There are many places to see like the Bhagsunaag temple, Tsuglagkhang temple, Dharamkot, the Tibet museum and the likes. :)

As for your last query, the only "PP" that I have done is brightness and contrast adjustment. That's all I like to do anyways. Just like to keep it as natural and pleasing to the eyes as possible.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

some great shots there Aryan.

very tempting place indeed.

if u were considering this as an assignment then in some shots more work is required.the shots having clipped skies needs to be worked upon.

Anvancy

[Aryan]

@Anvancy: Thanks. :) As for more work, I am not really suppposed to PP the images. I am expected to submit RAW format, unedited images (in this project); actually, it depends from project to project. :)

[Technocrat]

Amazing Pics Aryan & great Colors, Me likes :)

[Aryan]

Amazing Pics Aryan & great Colors, Me likes :)
Thanks, Techno! :)

[Cyclops]

Very nice images, Aryan.

Its very tempting to visit the place and shoot all the colors presented.

[anvancy-(macro analyst)]

@Anvancy: Thanks. :) As for more work, I am not really suppposed to PP the images. I am expected to submit RAW format, unedited images (in this project); actually, it depends from project to project. :)

Ok.but the pics presented here carry those cracks in the sky.you can smoothen them out in PP.

Anvancy

[inder.cool]

Finally i get to see some pictures... :) Got to see some of the teasers on FB but the full blown report was pending..!!

Very nice captures Aryan..! Landscape ones are too good.. :)

[suvo]

Some very nice shots...keep up the good work...