Skip to Content

The Routine, The Circling of Namgyal Monastery, The Plan for Traveling to Other Part of India

The Routine, The Circling of Namgyal Monastery, The Plan for Traveling to Other Part of India

Please share this article if you think it's awesome!

By the eighth day in McLeod Ganj, we have pretty much come to a routine. Most of the time, we eat breakfast at Snow Lion. After breakfast, I would go to Tushita Meditation Centre for daily guided meditation, and Elena would have 1-to-1 conversation with a nun (assigned by LHA).

We would then meet for lunch. After which, I would continue with my daily volunteering for computer class at LHA, while Elena does her own thing. In the late afternoon and night, we would find some activity to do, or simply just rest. It felt great to have a routine!

Snow Lion cafe at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

We were regulars at Snow Lion cafe

Snow Lion cafe at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Black tea for me, for all meals

Mount View Hotel Restaurant at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Mount View Hotel Restaurant

Vegetarian spring roll at Mount View Hotel Restaurant at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Vegetarian spring roll

So we began toying with the idea of leaving McLeod Ganj earlier than what we had planned. Our initial plan was to spend 3 weeks volunteering in McLeod Ganj, and then Elena would fly back home and I would spend another week somewhere in India before flying back.

But we felt the urge to travel to other cities because we don’t want to miss our chance to travel around India. So we went to a travel agency and exploring possible destinations. We also went to internet cafe to do some research. We contemplated about visiting Golden Temple at Amritsar for 1 day, Agra for 1 day, Varanasi for 1 day, and then back to Delhi.

We were told by Neil (president of LHA) that some people walk circling the Namgyal Monastery everyday. According to the website, Namgyal Monastery is the personal monastery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We were interested to give it a try. So in the late afternoon, we went for it. We encountered interesting sights along the way. Prayer flags, inscribed stones, prayer flags, inscription artist, a villa, a hindu monk (sadhu), and a cow!

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

The road filled with prayer flags

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Friends of Tibetan People

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Friends, maybe, having afternoon chat

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Inscribed stone

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

On the way circling Nyamgal Monastery

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

May all sentient beings be happy

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Inscribing the stone

Namgyal Circle Walk at McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

Namgyal Monastery

A prayer for all sentient beings

A prayer for all sentient beings

rotating the prayer wheels

Rotating the prayer wheels

Wheel of Avalokiteshvara's mantra

Wheel of Avalokiteshvara’s mantra Om Mani Padme Hum

The Horizon Villa, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, India

The Horizon Villa

17 view from namgyal circle walk

Sadhu, and cow

Sadhu, and cow

Tibetan nun in harmony with Indian man

Heart warming to see the harmony between Tibetan and Indians

On the tenth day in McLeod Ganj, we eventually finalized our trip to other city. We decided to ditch Golden Temple in Amritsar due to tight schedule.

So our itinerary is: McLeod Ganj – Delhi – Agra – Varanasi – Delhi. We booked overnight bus ticket to New Delhi, train ticket from Delhi to Agra, and Agra to Varanasi, from a travel agent. There were no more seat for Varanasi to Delhi, so we didn’t book the train. A couple of days later, we decided to book a flight on Spicejet from Varanasi to New Delhi.


This is Part 7 of 14 in my “India Trip in 2011” series. To read from the beginning of this trip, click here.

To see all articles I’ve written about this exotic country, visit my India page.

If you like my work, you can buy me a coffee! Your support will help me to keep going!

Please share this article if you think it's awesome!