Location: Dharamshala is a small village of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, 15 kilometres away from Kangra town itself. This village offers a number of trekking paths to tourists and a majestic view of great Dhauladhar range of mountains. But why is Dharamshala internationally well-known? Not only because it is a head quarter for Kangra district! In the surroundings of this village the Secretariat of Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and the Tibetan Government in exile found their offices in 1960. Dharamshala area offers to you the long-life culture of Tibet and a different experience in the Indian subcontinent. Our project will take place between McLeod Ganj, the real headquarters of the Tibetan refugees, and Dharamkot/Bangsu, the villages located in the suburb-hilly area.
Work: the month of September hosts an Indian festival of national importance. The dates are decided on yearly basis as per Hindu calendar; sometimes this festival occurs in October, too. If you are specially interested in Indian history and culture this workcamp will provide you with the best taste of Hindu festival in a peculiar location, together with Tibetan culture exposure and cultural visit to some monasteries.
About Dussehra: Dussehra (also known as Vijaya Dashami, Dasara, or Dashain) celebrates the victory of good over evil; it remembers the victory of god Rama over Ravana, the evil king of Lanka who kidnapped Sita, Rama’s wife. It is a bank holiday in India, which is marked on the 10th day after the new moon of the month of Ashvin/Ashwayuja. During 2017, the main festival falls on 30th September.
The festivities of Dussehra are celebrated for ten days. The preceding nine days are collectively known as ‘Navratri’ and are dedicated to the Mother Goddess, Shakti. Dussehra is the culmination of the Navaratri festival. A short version of the epic Ramayana in the form of Raamlila is also performed for 9 days before this festival in Northern India; these plays describe the life saga of Lord Rama. The performance arts tradition during the Dussehra festival was declared “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO in 2008. Effigies of Ravana are burnt with fireworks on Dussehra night. This festival starts the preparation time for Diwali, the Festival of lights, which takes place 20 days after. Hindus believe that it is lucky to begin a new venture on Dussehra: that is why this is a good time for weddings too!
Accommodation: you will live in a local guesthouse with simple conditions and share accommodation with the other volunteers. All meals will be cooked and served there. Self-management is required. Please provide your own sleeping bag. The climate could be cool in this period, and sometimes rainy.
Leisure time: you will have opportunity to visit the seat of spiritual leader, the Dalia Lama and other historical Hindu temples. Opportunities will be there for short and long treks in the mountains after the camp (please remind your sleeping bag and appropriate clothes and shoes). During weekend visit to Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab can also be arranged.
International Terminal: New Delhi (320 Kms); Domestic Terminal: Gaggal/Dharamshala (15 kms).
Nearest railway station: Pathankot (60 kms).
Participation Fee: Euro 150.