Economic tensions in Dharamshala

One of the story threads I regret not being able to cover in the NPR series was the economic and cultural tension in Dharamshala -- "Little Lhasa" -- between Tibetan exiles and Hindu locals. In Dharamshala, the Tibetans enjoy a somewhat higher place on the economic scale than some of the Indian ethnic groups who were there first. Western aid has something do to with it, so does the tourist attraction to all things Tibetan. Journalist Scott Carney lives in india, and notes this in a blog post about the NPR series:

The disparity in wealth between Indians and Tibetans is something of a problem in Dharmsala. There were riots a few years ago where Indian shopkeepers and youths savaged Tibetan establishments and every year the celebration of Holi is unusually tense on McLeod Ganj.

The struggle of the Tibetans surely deserves worldwide attention, yet the disparities in Technological advancement and adaptability highlight inequalities between successful refugee movements, and movements that never quite got off the ground.

Link to "Nomadic Herds and Himalayan Nerds."

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