EMBRACED BY EPIPHYTES, a lone pine tree shoots past a white gompa with colourful motifs. An elderly monk circumnavigates the sanctum against the soundtrack of his slow footsteps and birdsong. The serenity of Dorzong Monastic Institute is in keeping with the demeanour that befits a monastery. Even outside the complex, there is no clamour or any signs of commercial footprint. At first, it’s hard to believe that this gem exists barely under an hour from the sought-after Dalai Lama temple, but it’s less surprising when you get up close with Rakh, so content in its obscurity.
On the way from Dharamshala to Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, the
