Sunday, January 30, 2011

Along the Streets of Dharamsala

The streets were a microcosm of the area’s inhabitants and visitors. Vermillion robed monks and nuns walked through the streets, their hands clasped behind them as they fingered their rosary beads. Others gathered on the steps of a store, sipping butter tea and chatting away. Bearded Hindu sadhus with their peach-colored outfits, multi-stranded necklaces, and tridents made their way through the street, seeking out donations. Many of the stands and shops selling Tibetan handicrafts and knitted caps were run by those with a more Asian look, while shops selling “Ali Baba” pants, Kashmiri textiles, and Rajasthani pillowcases had more “Indian” looking salespeople standing by the doorway, trying to entice visitors to enter their store. Tourists sporting newly purchased outfits and backpacks zigzagged through the streets, popping in various stores.
 See more photos of Dharamsala on Flickr

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