Bir, Himachal Pradesh
Encyclopedia
Bir is a village located in the west of the state of Himachal Pradesh
in northern India
.
Bir is a noted centre for spiritual studies and meditation and a popular destination for adventure sports such as paragliding
and trekking. Bir is also home to a Tibetan
refugee
settlement with several Buddhist monasteries and a large stupa
.
(administrative subdivision) of Baijnath
, in the District of Kangra
, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
It is situated approximately 50 km (31.1 mi) southeast of Dharamshala at a distance of two to three hours by road. It is 14 km south of Billing, which lies on the way to the Thamsar Pass leading to Bara Bhangal.
Geologically, Bir is situated in the Dhauladhar
Range of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas
.
The nearest railway station is Ahju, on the narrow-gauge line running between Pathankot
and Jogindernagar
via Kangra.
Road access to Bir is from the Bir Road turnoff (signposted) on NH20
, approximately midway between Baijnath and Jogindernagar.
(see below) and a small community of international expatriates and long-term visitors.
The Deer Park Institute is a 'centre for the study of classical Indian wisdom traditions' established by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in March 2006 under the patronage of the Dalai Lama
. The Institute hosts frequent guest lectures and workshops with reputed scholars and meditation teachers.
Dharmalaya is an Indian charitable society (NGO) 'devoted to education, service, and compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, service-learning, and preservation of traditional wisdom' . Dharmalaya provides opportunities for long-term volunteers and meditation students to do karma yoga
(mindful service work with an unselfish, altruistic intention) for various charitable projects to benefit the local community and the natural environment
.
Chokling Gompa is the monastery of Neten Chokling Rinpoche, a reincarnate lama in the Nyingma
tradition of Tibetan Buddhism
and the director of the film Milarepa (2006). The Tibetan architecture and large stupa
are the principal attractions for casual visitors. In addition to its ongoing programmes for its full-time monastic students, the monastery periodically hosts Buddhist ceremonies open to the public. There is a guest house and restaurant on the premises.
The Bir Tea Factory is a longstanding Bir cooperative, which offers tours for those interested in the process of tea production.
The Bir-Billing area is a popular destination for adventure travel, offering paragliding, hang-gliding, trekking and camping.
is a Tibetan
refugee settlement located in the village of Chowgan on the southwestern edge of the village of Bir.
Bir Tibetan Colony was established in the early 1960s following the exile of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetans from Tibet
.
Bir Tibetan Colony houses several Tibetan monasteries (representing the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya traditions), a Tibetan handicraft center, a Tibetan Children's Village school (Suja), a branch of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang), a medical clinic, and the Deer Park Institute.
See the full Wikipedia article on Bir Tibetan Colony
for further information.
's first feature film, The Cup (Phörpa) (1999), which was based on events that took place in Bir during the 1998 World Cup final and was shot on location in Bir.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
in northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Bir is a noted centre for spiritual studies and meditation and a popular destination for adventure sports such as paragliding
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
and trekking. Bir is also home to a Tibetan
Tibetan people
The Tibetan people are an ethnic group that is native to Tibet, which is mostly in the People's Republic of China. They number 5.4 million and are the 10th largest ethnic group in the country. Significant Tibetan minorities also live in India, Nepal, and Bhutan...
refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
settlement with several Buddhist monasteries and a large stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
.
Geography
Bir is located at 32.05°N 76.70°E in the TehsilTehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
(administrative subdivision) of Baijnath
Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh
Baijnath is a town in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. It is roughly fourteen kilometres from the town of Palampur. It is very famous all over the world as it is believed to be one of twelve jyotirlingas according to popular legends.-Geography:...
, in the District of Kangra
Kangra district
Kangra is the most populous district of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Dharamsala is the administrative headquarters of the district.-Geography:Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is situated in Western Himalayas between 31°2 to...
, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
It is situated approximately 50 km (31.1 mi) southeast of Dharamshala at a distance of two to three hours by road. It is 14 km south of Billing, which lies on the way to the Thamsar Pass leading to Bara Bhangal.
Geologically, Bir is situated in the Dhauladhar
Dhauladhar
The Dhauladhar range is a southern branch of the main Outer Himalayan chain of mountains. It rises spectacularly from the Indian plains to the north of Kangra and Mandi...
Range of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
.
The nearest railway station is Ahju, on the narrow-gauge line running between Pathankot
Pathankot
Pathankot became 22nd district on 28th July 2011 and a municipal corporation in the Indian state of Punjab. It was a part of the Nurpur princely state ruled by the Rajputs prior to 1849 AD. It is a meeting point of the three northern states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir...
and Jogindernagar
Jogindernagar
Joginder Nagar or Jogindar Nagar is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandi district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Named after Raja Joginder Sen, Joginder Nagar is terminal point of 163 km long Kangra Valley Narrow gauge railhead...
via Kangra.
Road access to Bir is from the Bir Road turnoff (signposted) on NH20
National Highway 20 (India)
National Highway 20 is a National Highway in India that runs almost entirely in the state of Himachal Pradesh connecting Pathankot in Punjab with Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. The total length of NH 20 is . -See also:...
, approximately midway between Baijnath and Jogindernagar.
Population
The population of Bir is primarily Indian agriculturalists. There is also a sizable community of Tibetan refugees in the Bir Tibetan ColonyBir Tibetan
Chowgan, also known as Bir Tibetan Colony is a Tibetan refugee settlement on the outskirts of the Himalayan village of Bir in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India....
(see below) and a small community of international expatriates and long-term visitors.
Prominent Institutions and Attractions
There are several institutions in Bir that attract students, tourists, volunteers and other visitors from around India and from abroad:The Deer Park Institute is a 'centre for the study of classical Indian wisdom traditions' established by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in March 2006 under the patronage of the Dalai Lama
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years...
. The Institute hosts frequent guest lectures and workshops with reputed scholars and meditation teachers.
Dharmalaya is an Indian charitable society (NGO) 'devoted to education, service, and compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, service-learning, and preservation of traditional wisdom' . Dharmalaya provides opportunities for long-term volunteers and meditation students to do karma yoga
Karma Yoga
Karma yoga , or the "discipline of action" is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the science of achieving perfection in action...
(mindful service work with an unselfish, altruistic intention) for various charitable projects to benefit the local community and the natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
.
Chokling Gompa is the monastery of Neten Chokling Rinpoche, a reincarnate lama in the Nyingma
Nyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
tradition of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
and the director of the film Milarepa (2006). The Tibetan architecture and large stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
are the principal attractions for casual visitors. In addition to its ongoing programmes for its full-time monastic students, the monastery periodically hosts Buddhist ceremonies open to the public. There is a guest house and restaurant on the premises.
The Bir Tea Factory is a longstanding Bir cooperative, which offers tours for those interested in the process of tea production.
The Bir-Billing area is a popular destination for adventure travel, offering paragliding, hang-gliding, trekking and camping.
Paragliding
The Bir-Billing area is noted as a popular site for paraglider pilots, both Indians and visitors from all over the world. The flying season is from September to November, with some flying also done in October. The village continues to host periodic international competitions and events. The paragliding launch site is in the meadow at Billing (14 km north of Bir), at an elevation of approximately 2400 metres (7874 feet), while the landing site and most tourist accommodations are in the village of Chowgan (also spelled Chaugan), on the southern edge of Bir.Bir Tibetan Colony
Bir Tibetan ColonyBir Tibetan
Chowgan, also known as Bir Tibetan Colony is a Tibetan refugee settlement on the outskirts of the Himalayan village of Bir in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India....
is a Tibetan
Tibetan people
The Tibetan people are an ethnic group that is native to Tibet, which is mostly in the People's Republic of China. They number 5.4 million and are the 10th largest ethnic group in the country. Significant Tibetan minorities also live in India, Nepal, and Bhutan...
refugee settlement located in the village of Chowgan on the southwestern edge of the village of Bir.
Bir Tibetan Colony was established in the early 1960s following the exile of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetans from Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
.
Bir Tibetan Colony houses several Tibetan monasteries (representing the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya traditions), a Tibetan handicraft center, a Tibetan Children's Village school (Suja), a branch of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang), a medical clinic, and the Deer Park Institute.
See the full Wikipedia article on Bir Tibetan Colony
Bir Tibetan
Chowgan, also known as Bir Tibetan Colony is a Tibetan refugee settlement on the outskirts of the Himalayan village of Bir in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India....
for further information.
In popular culture
Bir was the setting for Khyentse NorbuDzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche , also known as Khyentse Norbu, is a Bhutanese lama, filmmaker, and writer. His two major films are The Cup and Travellers and Magicians . He is the author of the book What Makes You Not a Buddhist...
's first feature film, The Cup (Phörpa) (1999), which was based on events that took place in Bir during the 1998 World Cup final and was shot on location in Bir.
External links
- http://deerpark.in/birmap.html (map of greater Bir area, not to scale)
- http://wikitravel.org/en/Bir
- http://www.world66.com/asia/southasia/india/himachalpradesh/bir_billing/accommodation
- http://www.dharmalaya.in/ashram
- http://www.siddharthasintent.org/gentle/GV14-5.htm