Thirty-eight years can bring a lot of changes to a place. McLeod Ganj has grown a lot since 1973. The prayer wheels at the center of the city did not use to have a temple structure enclosing them. All the retail shops along this strip through the middle section of the square have been built after my first visit here.

At least you retain the impression as you walk into town that the majority of the people here are seeking the middle way. I did not, however, see any of the bumper stickers that I had seen in the US, “My other vehicle is the Mahayana.”

McLeod Ganj – Graffiti

The center of town had seen lots of construction, as seen in the next photos. The other annoying change was the amount of vehicular traffic in this part of the city.

McLeod Ganj – Prayer Wheels

McLeod Ganj – City Center 1

McLeod Ganj – City Center 2

Transportation to and from McLeod Ganj still came and went from the same place that it does now. There’s just a lot more of it these days.

McLeod Ganj – Bus Stop

The Temple Road is still familiar. I could not find the path we used in 1973 to walk into Dharamsala to buy chocolate special beedis or the occasional sweet. That was also the location of a bank where travelers checks could be cashed. We would get a bundle of 100 one rupee notes so that we were less troubled by claims of “no change” from the shop keepers.

McLeod Ganj – Temple Road

There’s still construction going on. What is shown below is just off of Temple Road.

McLeod Ganj – Construction

Don’t be put off by my comments about changes to McLeod Ganj. The Dalai Lama does not give weekly public audiences as he did in 1973. He is more likely to be teaching or visiting somewhere else when you visit the seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile. But I have reason to believe you will be received in McLeod Ganj. (I am sure Paul Simon’s “Graceland” would have been titled “McLeod Ganj” if  it had rolled off the tongue a little better.)

Kingfisher Airlines had daily flights to Kangra Airport (Dharamsala) at the time of my visit.