Bir Tibetan
Encyclopedia
Chowgan, also known as Bir Tibetan Colony is a Tibetan
refugee settlement on the outskirts of the Himalayan village of Bir
in the state of Himachal Pradesh
in northern India
.
Bir Tibetan Colony was established in the early 1960s following the exile of the Dalai Lama
and other refugees from Tibet
.
The Tibetan Colony houses several Tibetan monasteries (representing the Nyingma
, Kagyu
, and Sakya
traditions), a Tibetan handicraft center, a Tibetan Children's Village school (Suja), a branch of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang), a medical clinic, and the Deer Park Institute. It is also home to a number of shops, cafés, and guest houses.
, in the Tehsil (administrative subdivision) of Baijnath
, in the District of Kangra
, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
Bir Tibetan Colony is located east-southeast of Dharamshala and is three hours by bus from Dharamshala. It is situated 6 km south of the popular paragliding destination of Billing
, on the way to the Thamsar Pass leading to Bara Bhangal.
Geologically, Bir is situated in the Dhauladhar Range of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas
.
The nearest railway station is Ahju, on the narrow-gauge line running between Pathankot
and Jogindernagar
via Kangra.
Road access to Bir Tibetan Colony is from the Bir Road turnoff (signposted) on NH20
, approximately midway between Baijnath and Jogindernagar.
is almost entirely Indian.
The majority of the Tibetan refugees based in Bir originally came from the Kham
region of southeastern Tibet, but many of the refugees living in the Colony today were born in India, and the population continues to diversify.
The Deer Park Institute is a 'centre for the study of classical Indian wisdom traditions' established by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in March 2006 under the patronage of the Dalai Lama
.
Chokling Gompa is the monastery of Neten Chokling Rinpoche, a reincarnate lama in the Nyingma
tradition of Tibetan Buddhism
and the director of the film Milarepa (2006). Chokling Gompa is a point of architectural interest, with a grand prayer hall and a picturesque stupa
.
There are also several other monasteries and temples in the Tibetan Colony, and the Tibetan herbal clinic (Men-Tsee-Khang) and handicraft centre also serve as tourist attractions. The major monastery of Sherab Ling is just a few minutes away in nearby Bhattu village. The Dzongsar Institute (a Tibetan Buddhist monastic college) is in nearby Chauntara.
Dharmalaya is an Indian charitable society (NGO) based in Bir, which is 'devoted to education, service, and compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, service-learning, and preservation of traditional wisdom.'.
's first feature film, The Cup (Phörpa) (1999), which was based on events that took place in Bir during the 1998 World Cup final and was shot on location in Bir.
Tibetan people
The Tibetan people are an ethnic group that is native to Tibet, which is mostly in the People's Republic of China. They number 5.4 million and are the 10th largest ethnic group in the country. Significant Tibetan minorities also live in India, Nepal, and Bhutan...
refugee settlement on the outskirts of the Himalayan village of Bir
Bir, Himachal Pradesh
Bir is a village located in the west of the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.Bir is a noted centre for spiritual studies and meditation and a popular destination for adventure sports such as paragliding and trekking...
in the state of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
in northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Bir Tibetan Colony was established in the early 1960s following the exile of the Dalai Lama
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years...
and other refugees from Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
.
The Tibetan Colony houses several Tibetan monasteries (representing the Nyingma
Nyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
, Kagyu
Kagyu
The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...
, and Sakya
Sakya
The Sakya school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug...
traditions), a Tibetan handicraft center, a Tibetan Children's Village school (Suja), a branch of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang), a medical clinic, and the Deer Park Institute. It is also home to a number of shops, cafés, and guest houses.
Geography
Bir Tibetan Colony is located in the village of Chowgan, on the southwestern edge of the town of BirBir, Himachal Pradesh
Bir is a village located in the west of the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.Bir is a noted centre for spiritual studies and meditation and a popular destination for adventure sports such as paragliding and trekking...
, in the Tehsil (administrative subdivision) of Baijnath
Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh
Baijnath is a town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is roughly fourteen kilometres from the town of Palampur. It is very famous all over the world as it is believed to be one of twelve jyotirlingas according to popular legends.-Geography:...
, in the District of Kangra
Kangra district
Kangra is the most populous district of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Dharamsala is the administrative headquarters of the district.-Geography:Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is situated in Western Himalayas between 31°2 to...
, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
Bir Tibetan Colony is located east-southeast of Dharamshala and is three hours by bus from Dharamshala. It is situated 6 km south of the popular paragliding destination of Billing
Billing
Billing may refer to:*The process of sending a bill to customers for goods or services is called billing...
, on the way to the Thamsar Pass leading to Bara Bhangal.
Geologically, Bir is situated in the Dhauladhar Range of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
.
The nearest railway station is Ahju, on the narrow-gauge line running between Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
and Jogindernagar
Jogindernagar
Joginder Nagar or Jogindar Nagar is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandi district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Named after Raja Joginder Sen, Joginder Nagar is terminal point of 163 km long Kangra Valley Narrow gauge railhead...
via Kangra.
Road access to Bir Tibetan Colony is from the Bir Road turnoff (signposted) on NH20
National Highway 20 (India)
National Highway 20 is a National Highway in India that runs almost entirely in the state of Himachal Pradesh connecting Pathankot in Punjab with Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. The total length of NH 20 is . -See also:...
, approximately midway between Baijnath and Jogindernagar.
Population
The population of Bir Tibetan Colony is primarily Tibetan refugees, but there are also a number of Indian families and a small community of international expatriates and long-term visitors. Note that it is only the Bir Tibetan Colony itself that is primarily Tibetan refugees; the population of the town of Bir properBir, Himachal Pradesh
Bir is a village located in the west of the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.Bir is a noted centre for spiritual studies and meditation and a popular destination for adventure sports such as paragliding and trekking...
is almost entirely Indian.
The majority of the Tibetan refugees based in Bir originally came from the Kham
Kham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
region of southeastern Tibet, but many of the refugees living in the Colony today were born in India, and the population continues to diversify.
Attractions
There are several institutions in Bir that attract tourists, students, volunteers and other visitors from around India and from abroad:The Deer Park Institute is a 'centre for the study of classical Indian wisdom traditions' established by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in March 2006 under the patronage of the Dalai Lama
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years...
.
Chokling Gompa is the monastery of Neten Chokling Rinpoche, a reincarnate lama in the Nyingma
Nyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
tradition of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
and the director of the film Milarepa (2006). Chokling Gompa is a point of architectural interest, with a grand prayer hall and a picturesque stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
.
There are also several other monasteries and temples in the Tibetan Colony, and the Tibetan herbal clinic (Men-Tsee-Khang) and handicraft centre also serve as tourist attractions. The major monastery of Sherab Ling is just a few minutes away in nearby Bhattu village. The Dzongsar Institute (a Tibetan Buddhist monastic college) is in nearby Chauntara.
Dharmalaya is an Indian charitable society (NGO) based in Bir, which is 'devoted to education, service, and compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, service-learning, and preservation of traditional wisdom.'.
In popular culture
Bir was the setting for Khyentse NorbuDzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche , also known as Khyentse Norbu, is a Bhutanese lama, filmmaker, and writer. His two major films are The Cup and Travellers and Magicians . He is the author of the book What Makes You Not a Buddhist...
's first feature film, The Cup (Phörpa) (1999), which was based on events that took place in Bir during the 1998 World Cup final and was shot on location in Bir.
External links
- http://deerpark.in/birmap.html (rough map of Bir Tibetan Colony and surrounding area, not to scale)
- http://www.siddharthasintent.org/gentle/GV14-5.htm
- http://wikitravel.org/en/Bir
- http://www.world66.com/asia/southasia/india/himachalpradesh/bir_billing/accommodation
- http://deerpark.in/location.html
- http://www.dharmalaya.in/ashram