The Tibetan community has been in McLeod Ganj for over five decades now, but nostalgia for home and country is evident on the faces of Tibetans on the streets of this dusty town in the hills. Despite the trappings of modern life that the community seems to have adopted in the form of mobile phones, Internet, fast food, what stands out is the way in which Tibetans strive to preserve their traditional way of life.

The most telling example is perhaps the Norbulingka Institute down in the valley, managed by a trust created by the Dalai Lama himself. The Institute was set up in the mid ‘90s to provide training and create employment opportunities for Tibetan youth, even in the absence of formal education.

We drive down the narrow, winding hill roads from McLeod Ganj to Dharamshala, cross the town with its bustling market and keep driving for a few more kilometers, leaving its noise and crowds behind. We veer off the main road into an ornate gate that leads into the Norbulingka Institute, a sylvan campus dotted with tiny bridges, cool streams and elaborate arches. Norbulingka, meaning ‘Treasure Park’ is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama back in Tibet and a short walk around the campus makes it evident that the Tibetan community has worked hard to recreate that feel here.

At the front office, there are young novice monks who offer to take visitors around the campus, explaining the kinds of activities that Norbulingka supports. The skills taught at the Institute include the traditional Tibetan art forms of Thangaka painting and appliqué woodwork and sculpture, which are particularly fascinating to watch.

Inside the large sunlit rooms, the apprentices are at work through the day, most of them silent and focused, music plugged into their ears to shut the noise of the outside world. They seem to be used to intrusive tourists gawking at them and taking photographs, and so ignore them as they go about their tasks. The products they make are sold both in the open market and in the souvenir shop inside the campus.

After the guided tour of the workshops, don't miss a stop at the Losel dolls museum, which has museum has a large and fascinating collection of dolls depicting traditional Tibetan costumes and rituals over the centuries. After a leisurely stroll through the museum, we spend some time walking around the Japanese–themed garden and then the large temple with its impressive statues and paintings.

The Norling Guesthouse is also part of this campus and offers comfortable rooms for visitors. A small café provides snacks and beverages for both visitors and guests staying at Norling. Overall, the Norbulingka Institute is testament to a community trying hard to hang on to its roots, down in the valley, if not up in the mountains where a modern and non-Tibetan way of life is slowly eroding everything that is familiar.