The economy of the region is highly dependent onagriculture andtourism. The town is now a major hill station and spiritual center. It has been selected as one of a hundred in India to be developed as asmart city under Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi's flagship "Smart Cities Mission".[8]
Dharamshala (Devanagari: धर्मशाला;ITRANS: Dharmashala;IAST: Dharmaśālā) is aHindi word derived fromSanskrit that is a compound of the wordsdharma (धर्म) andshālā (शाला), literally 'House or place of Dharma'. In common usage, the word refers to a shelter or rest house for spiritual pilgrims.[9] When permanent settlements were established in the region, there was one such rest house from which the settlement took its name.[10]
Due to a lack of uniform observance of conventions for Hinditranscription andtransliteration of the script used to write it,Devanagari, the name of the town has been variouslyromanised in English and other languages asDharamshala,Dharamsala,Dharmshala andDharmsala.[10] These four permutations result from two variables: the transcription of the word धर्म (dharma)—particularly the second syllable (र्म) and that of the third syllable (शा). A strict transliteration of धर्म as written would be 'dharma'[ˈdʱərmə]. In the modern spoken Hindi of the region, there is a commonmetathesis in which the vowel and consonant sounds in the second syllable of certain words (including धर्म) are transposed, which changes 'dharma' to 'dharam' pronounced somewhere between[ˈdʱərəm] and[ˈdʱərm]. Regarding the third syllable, the Devanagari श corresponds to the Englishsh sound,[ʃ] and thus शाला is transcribed in English as 'shala'. Therefore, the most accurate phonetic transcription of the Hindi धर्मशाला into Roman script for common (non-technical) English usage is either 'Dharamshala' or, less commonly, 'Dharmshala', both of which render thesh (/ʃ/) sound ofश in English as 'sh' to convey the correct native pronunciation, 'Dharamshala'[dʱərəmˈʃaːlaː] or 'Dharmshala' ([dʱərmˈʃaːlaː]). Regardless of spelling variations, the correct native pronunciation is with thesh sound (/ʃ/).[11]
Durvasa Rishi had come here fromMaharashtra to cool his right side. Pointing to a slab of stone,she [shri Mataji] said Durvasa Rishi had done tapasya on this shila (stoneslab) and that is why the city was calledDharam shila ( धर्म शिला ), but theBritish pronounced it as Dharamshala! From the book : "The Tenth Incarnation", by Yogi Mahajan, Paperback, in Volume I, Chapter 14, page 89
Dharam shila ( धर्म शिला ) is a name meaning "Dharma Rock", "rock of righteousness" or "pillar of virtue," and suggests strength and a strong moral compass. The names meaning itself is powerful: a steadfast rock representing righteous conduct.
References to Dharamshala and its surrounding areas are found in ancientHindu scriptures such asRig Veda andMahabharata.[12] There are mentions of the region byPāṇini in 4th century BC and byChinese travellerHeun Tsang during the reign of kingHarshavardhana in 7th century AD.[13] The indigenous people of the Dharamshala area (and the surrounding region) are theGaddis, a predominantlyHindu group who traditionally lived a nomadic or semi-nomadictranshumant lifestyle.[14]
The region was subject to attacks from Mughal rulersMahmud of Ghazni in 1009 andFiruz Shah Tughlaq in 1360. In 1566,Akbar captured the region and brought it under the Mughal rule. As the Mughal rule disintegrated,Sikh chieftainJai Singh brought the region to his control and gave it toSansar Chand of the Katoch dynasty, legitimateRajput prince in 1785.Gurkhas invaded and captured the region in 1806 before being defeated byRanjit Singh in 1809. The Katoch dynasty was reduced to the status ofjagirdars under the treaty of Jawalamukhi signed between Chand and Singh in 1810. Post the death of Chand, Ranjit Singh annexed the region into the Sikh empire.[12]
Several thousandTibetan exiles have now settled in the area where monasteries, temples, and schools have come up. It has become an important tourist destination with many hotels and restaurants, leading to growth in tourism and commerce.[22] In 2017, Dharamshala was made the winter capital of Himachal Pradesh with the legislative assembly located atSidhbari.[23]
Dharamshala has an average elevation of 1,457 m (4,780 ft), covering an area of almost 8.51 km2 (3.29 sq mi).[24] Dharamsala is located in theKangra Valley, in the shadow of theDhauladhar mountains. The town is divided into two distinct sections "Lower Dharamshala" andMcLeod Ganj with a narrow road surrounded bypine,Himalayanoak, andrhododendron connecting the regions.[25]
Dharamshala has amonsoon influenced,humid subtropical climate (Köppen:Cwa). Summer begins in early April and peaks in May when temperatures can reach 36 °C (97 °F) and lasts until the start of June. From June to mid-September is themonsoon season, when up to 3,000 mm (120 in) of rainfall can be experienced, making Dharamshala one of the wettest places in the state. Autumn is mild and lasts from October to the end of November.
Autumn temperatures average around 16–17 °C (61–63 °F). Winter starts in December and continues until late February. Snow and sleet are common during the winter in upper Dharamshala (including McLeodganj, Bhagsu Nag, and Naddi). Lower Dharamshala receives little frozen precipitation except for hail. Historically, the Dhauladhar mountains used to remain snow-covered all year long; however, in recent years they have been losing their snow blanket during dry spells.[26]
As of the2011 Census of India, Dharamshala had a population of 30,764. In 2015, the area under the administration of the municipal body was expanded with a revised population of 53,543 in 10,992 households.[31] Males constituted 55% of the population and females 45%. Dharamshala has an average literacy rate of 87%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 90% and female literacy is 83%. 9% of the population is under 6 years of age with asex ratio of 941.[32]Hinduism is the most followed religion followed byBuddhism.Hindi is the official language while other languages spoken includeGaddi,Kangri,English,Lhasa Tibetan,Nepali andPahari.[33]
Dharamshala is a major hill station and spiritual center.[40] It hosts a number of trekking trails across theHimalayas into the upperRavi Valley andChamba district. Trekking trails includehikes to Indrahar Pass (4,342 meters or 14,245 ft) Toral Pass (4,575 m or 15,010 ft), Bhimghasutri Pass (4,580 m or 15,030 ft), Dharamshala—Bleni Pass (3,710 m or 12,170 ft), Kareri Lake, Himani Chamunda, Thatarna andTriund.[41][42]
Traditional shopping streets are located in Kotwali Bazaar. Malls and multiplex cinemas are found on the National Highway Road in the Chilgari area, near Kotwali Bazaar and the main bus stand.DIFF was established in 2012 to promote contemporary art, cinema and independent media practices in the Himalayan region.[53]Hari Kothi is a historic property located in the town.[54]
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