Dharamsala Tibetan Buddhist Heritage and Living Tradition

Dharamsala in Kangra district is the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and home to the Dalai Lama since 1960. The Tibetan refugee community has established a living cultural centre maintaining Tibetan Buddhism, arts, crafts, and education through institutions including the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, Norbulingka Institute for traditional arts, and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Traditional Tibetan thangka painting, wood block printing, handmade paper making, and sculpture are actively practiced and transmitted to younger generations. The Tibetan medical system (Sowa Rigpa) with its unique pharmacopeia using Himalayan medicinal plants is maintained by the Men-Tsee-Khang institute. This living tradition in exile represents an effort to preserve an entire civilisation's knowledge.