ധരംശാല
ചരിത്രം
thumb|right|200px|[[Library of Tibetan Works and Archives]] <!-- .....തർജ്ജമ ചെയ്യണം.... In 1860, the 66th Goorkha Light Infantry was moved to Dharamshala. The Battalion was later renamed the historic 1st Gorkha Rifles, the beginning of the legend of the world-famous Gorkhas 'Bravest of the Brave'. Consequently, 14 Gorkha paltan villages grew from this settlement which exist till date, namely Dari, Ramnagar, Shyamnagar, Dal, Totarani, Khanyara,Sadher, Chaandmaari, Sallagarhi, Sidhbaari, Yol,etc.The Gorkhas patronised the ancient Shiva temple of Bhagsunag. The Gorkhas called Dharamshala, Bhagsu and themselves as Bhagsuwalas. The Gorkha cantonment reached its zenith during World War 11, when battalions from here created history during the war. The 2/1st GR from Dharamshala also performed heroic feats during WW1 and the NWFP campaigns. The Gorkha Rifles built the sleepy hamlet of villages into the town Dharamshala. Most names still follow the cantonment terminologies. Depot Bazaar, Pensioners lines, Tirah lines (named after the 19th century Battle of Tirah), Bharatpore Lines (named after the 1826 Battle of Bharatpore, names of famous Gorkha battles tc. IN 1905, the Kangra valley suffred a major earthquake which demolisehd much of the cantonment and also the Bhagsunag temple. The Gorkhas rebuilt the town and also rebuilt the demolished temple of their patron diety Bhagsunag Temple which is today acknowledged as the 1st Gorkha Rifles heritage. The Gorkhas of Dharmshala have not only contributed majorly to India's defence but also freedom fighters of the INA founded by Netaji Subash Chandra Bose. INA CAPT Ram Singh Thakur, a Gorkha of village Khanyara has composed India's most popular and stirring patriotic songs including 'Kadam kadam badeya jaye'. He is acknowledged so by the Netaji Research Bureau, Kolkata. Noted social writer Gorkha Late Master Mitrasen Thapa of village Totarani has also been acknowledged by the HP govt. Recently, a park dedicated to the memory of Late Brigadier Sher Jung Thapa, MVC, 'Hero of Skardu' has been opened alongside the road between Lower and Upper Dharamshala. The Gorkhas of Dharamshala have made historical contributions to India. The Dharamsala came into existence in 1849, it was selected as a site to accommodate the 1st Gorkha Rifles, a native regiment that was being raised in the town. Thus Dharamsala originally formed a subsidiary cantonment for the troops stationed at Kangra Valley was fully occupied by its garrison and there was insufficient space for the civil station, a search for an alternate location was made. The ideal location for the cantonment was found at the slopes of the Dhauladhar, upon which stood an old Hindu sanctuary or 'Dharamsala' the name adopted for the town. www.mcllo.com An Non-Profit Informative, Travel and Community website of Dharamsala, Mcleodganj and Kangra Valley The Tibetan settlement of Dharamshala began in 1959, when His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who had to flee Tibet alongwith the Tibetans, was alotted Mcleodganj (in Upper Dharmshala), a colonial British summer picnic spot, as his new home of refuge. Dharamsala has been connected with Hinduism and Buddhism for a long time, with many monasteries having been established there in the past, built by Tibetan immigrants in the 19th century. The local Gaddi people are Hindu, Gorkhas (Hindu) and for the most part worship many gods and goddesses, principally Durga and Shiva.