17th November, 2021
Bir is a village located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.
Mostly referred as “Paragliding Capital of India”, Bir is also a noted centre for ecotourism, spiritual studies and meditation.
History
Bir is a rural village located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. It is also the location of the Bir Tibetan Colony, founded in the early 1960’s as a settlement for Tibetan refugees after the 1959 Tibetan uprising.
Bir is noted for several Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and supportive centers of the Nyingma school, the Karma Kagyu school, and the Sakya school, located either in the town of Bir or nearby. A large stupa is also located in Bir. Ecotourism, spiritual studies, and meditation draws visitors.
In 1966 the third Neten Chokling (1928-1973), an incarnate lama of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, brought his family and a small entourage to Bir. With the help of foreign aid, Neten Chokling purchased over 200 acres of land and established a Tibetan settlement where 300 Tibetan families were given land to build houses. At this time Chokling Rinpoche also started building in Bir a new Neten monastery and disciples who had followed him into India formed its first sangha. When the third Chokling Rinpoche died in 1973, his eldest son, Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche (1951), assumed responsibility for completing his father’s vision. The fourth Neten Chokling incarnation was born in 1973 in Bhutan and brought to Bir at a young age where the family of the third Chokling took him under their wings. In 2004 full responsibility for Pema Ewam Chögar Gyurme Ling Monastery in Bir was passed to the fourth Neten Chokling.
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.The Institute hosts frequent guest lectures and workshops with reputed scholars and meditation teachers. Recreates the spirit of Nalanda the great university of ancient India in which all traditions of Buddhism were studied and practiced, alongside other schools of classical Indian philosophy, arts and sciences.
The Dharmalaya Institute is an eco-campus for service-learning and contemplative practice. Dharmalaya is an Indian charitable society (NGO) ‘devoted to education, service, and compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, contemplative service-learning, and immersive ecotourism. Visitors must contact them via the website before visiting, as they are sometimes closed to visitors for silent retreats and special programmes.
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 site for paraglider pilots, both Indians and visitors from all over the world. The flying season is from September to October, with some flying also done in November. 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 2400 metres, while the landing site and most tourist accommodations are in the village of Chowgan (also spelled Chaugan), on the southern edge of Bir.