After my trip to Buran Ghati, I went to Dharamshala with my family during Diwali. My wife and I were joined by our parents. We stayed in Dharamkot, a quiet, peaceful village perched above McLeod Ganj. McLeod Ganj is often called “Little Lhasa” because it is the heart of Tibetan culture in India, and home to the Dalai Lama himself. We were incredibly fortunate to have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet him in person!

I really love the calm, meditative atmosphere of Dharamshala. I would spend my days working from a Tibetan cafe near the monastery. The cafe drew an interesting mix of travellers and monks. I enjoyed listening to the conversations. One afternoon, I noticed a few people playing a board game with black and white stones on a wooden board. There was something about the simplicity of the game that grabbed my attention. The simplicity of stones meeting the infinite complexity of the board was fascinating. I later learned that the game was called Baduk (or Go). The game is deeply rooted in Chinese and Japanese culture, though I had never heard of it before. I’ve been fascinated by the game and have started learning it myself.

One morning, we set out on a short hike to Gallu Falls. Dogs in these mountains are incredibly friendly and helpful. They often accompany travelers and guide them to their destination. They seem to somehow always know where you want to go. I asked a dog to take us to Gallu Falls, and he immediately took the lead. After a few hours of hiking through a beautiful forest, we reached the warerfall. The water cascaded into a small pool that was crystal clear. We couldn’t resist taking a quick dip, even though the water was uncomfortably cold. Our furry friend waited for us, and once we were done, he escorted us back down the trail.

Later that week, we went on the famous Triund trek. It’s about a four-hour climb from the Gallu Devi Temple in Dharamkot. The trail wound through forests with beautiful views. When we reached the top, we were greeted by sweeping views of the majestic Dhauladhar Range. The snowcapped mountains were gleaming in the evening light. We camped overnight beneath a star-studded sky before descending the next morning.