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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Bir
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = village
| image_skyline = An aerial view of Bir, Kangra valley sights nature culture Himachal Pradesh India 2015.jpg
| image_alt = Aerial view of Bir
| image_caption = Aerial view of Bir
| pushpin_map = India Himachal Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Himachal Pradesh, India
| coordinates = {{coord|32.05|N|76.70|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of regions of India|Region]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh|Baijnath]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[Kangra district|Kangra]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 1525
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kangri language|Kangri]], [[Hindi language|Hindi]], [[English language|English]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 176 077
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 91-1894
| registration_plate =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Bir''' is a rural village located in the west of [[Joginder Nagar Valley]] in the state of [[Himachal Pradesh]] in northern [[India]]. It's the [[paragliding]] capital of India<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Maggie Hiufu |title=Welcome to Bir, paragliding capital of India |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/paragliding-india-himachal-pradesh/index.html |access-date=14 August 2022 |website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deependra |first=Dobriyal |date=29 September 2019 |title=Paragliding in Bir Billing |url=https://indiathrills.com/trip/paragliding-in-bir-billing/ |url-status=live |access-date=18 January 2023 |website=India Thrills}}</ref> and the location of the [[Bir Tibetan Colony]], founded in the early 1960s as a settlement for Tibetan refugees after the [[1959 Tibetan uprising]].

Bir is noted for several [[Tibetan Buddhist]] monasteries and supportive centres of the [[Nyingma]] school, the [[Karma Kagyu]] school, and the [[Sakya (Tibetan Buddhist school)|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.

==History==

[[File:ༀམཎིཔདྨེཧཱུྃ། Tibetan pilgrim spinning a prayer wheel (mani wheel) at the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery,Bir,HP,India.jpg|thumb|left|180px|A Tibetan pilgrim spinning a prayer wheel ([[mani wheel]]) at the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, 1998.]]

'''The Tibetan Colony''': 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 a new Neten monastery in Bir and disciples who had followed him to India formed its first [[sangha]]. When the third Chokling Rinpoche died in 1973, his eldest son, Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche (born 1951), assumed responsibility for completing his father's vision. The fourth Neten Chokling incarnation was born in 1973 in Bhutan and was 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.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

==Geography==
[[File:Fields and mountains near bir tibetan colony.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Fields and mountains near [[Bir Tibetan Colony]].]]
Bir is in the [[tehsil]] (administrative subdivision) of [[Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh|Baijnath]], in the district of [[Kangra district|Kangra]] in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

Geologically, Bir is situated in the [[Joginder Nagar Valley]], [[Dhauladhar]] Range of the foothills of the Indian [[Himalayas]].

==Orientation==

The historical centre of Bir is in Upper Bir (Bir proper).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://birhp.com/about-bir/orientation-bir-billing-himachal/ |title=Bir Portal - Bir Orientation: Bir, Tibetan Colony, Ghornala, Billing The Bir Portal |publisher=Birhp |date=21 March 2012 |accessdate=5 April 2012}}</ref>

The [[Bir Tibetan Colony]] (often simply called "Colony" by locals) is at the west end of the village of Chowgan, about a 20-minute walk (or five-minute taxi) below Upper Bir.

Sherab Ling Monastery is a 50-to-70-minute walk (or 15-minute taxi) from Chowgan, or slightly longer from Upper Bir.

The village of Ghornala is the location of the Dharmalaya Institute,<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://dharmalaya.in/ |title=Welcome to Dharmalaya |publisher=Dharmalaya |accessdate=5 April 2012}}</ref> a Sikh retreat centre, several homestays and camps, and a few cottages. It is about midway between Bir and Sansal.

==Population==
The population of Bir is primarily Indian agriculturalists. There is also a sizable community of Tibetan refugees in the [[Bir Tibetan Colony]] (see below) and a small community of international expatriates and long-term students, volunteers, and visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://birhp.com/about-bir/ |title=About Bir |publisher=Birhp |date=21 March 2012 |accessdate=24 August 2012}}</ref>

==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<ref>[http://www.deerpark.in/ deerpark.in]</ref> is a "centre for the study of classical Indian wisdom traditions" established by [[Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche]] in March 2006 under the patronage of the [[14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deerpark.in/ |title=Welcome to Deer Park Institute |publisher=Deer Park Institute |accessdate=5 April 2012}}</ref> The institute hosts frequent guest lectures and workshops with reputed scholars and meditation teachers.

The Dharmalaya Institute<ref>[http://dharmalaya.in/ dharmalaya.in]</ref> 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".<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://earthville.org/stories/education/2009/01/dharmalaya-sprouts-earthville-co-founds-new-charitable-organization-in-india/ |title=Dharmalaya Sprouts: Earthville Co-founds New Charitable Organization in India |publisher=Earthville News |date=19 January 2009 |accessdate=30 September 2018 }}</ref> 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 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 long-standing Bir cooperative, which offers tours for those interested in the process of tea production.

==Paragliding==
[[File:Paragliding at Bir.jpg|300 px|left|thumb|Paragliding at Bir]]
The Bir-Billing area is a popular site for [[paragliding]]; both Indians and visitors come from all over the world.<ref name=OGI>{{cite serial | title=[[Guy Martin#Our Guy In India|Our Guy in India]] |episode=1 |network=Channel 4 |year=2015}}</ref> The flying season is in September and October, with some flying in November. The village hosts international competitions and events.

The paragliding launch site is in the meadow at Billing (14 km north of Bir), at an elevation of 2400 meters,<ref name=OGI/> 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==
{{Main article|Bir Tibetan Colony}}
[[File:Tibetian monks on a Bir-Billing.jpg|thumb|220px|Tibetan monks in Bir]]
[[Bir Tibetan Colony]] is a [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]] refugee settlement located at the west end of the village of Chowgan on the south-western 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 centre, a [[Tibetan Children's Villages|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.

==In popular culture==
Bir was the setting for [[Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche|Khyentse Norbu]]'s first feature film, ''[[The Cup (1999 film)|The Cup]]'' (''Phörpa'') (1999), which was based on events that took place in Bir during the [[Football World Cup 1998|1998 World Cup final]] and was shot on location in Bir.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jakes |first=Susan |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,411452,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509052137/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,411452,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 May 2007 |title=The God of Small Films |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=27 January 2003 |accessdate=5 April 2012}}</ref>

== Transportation ==

=== Train ===
Ahju railway station, a [[narrow-gauge railway]], is 3 kilometres away. About 112 kilometres away is the [[Broad-gauge railway|broad gauge]] station at [[Pathankot]], Punjab, which is connected to major cities in India.

=== Air ===
[[Kangra Airport]] is 67 kilometres away. [[Chandigarh Airport]] is 152 kilometres and [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|New Delhi Airport]] is 520 kilometres away.

=== Road ===
Bir can be reached from the Bir Road turnoff (signposted) on [[National Highway 20 (India)|NH 20]] (now NH 154), approximately midway between [[Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh|Baijnath]] and [[Jogindernagar]]. It is approximately {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} south-east of [[Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh|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.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
{{wikivoyage|Bir}}
{{Kangra district}}

[[Category:Tourism in Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Villages in Kangra district]]
[[Category:Paragliding in India]]
[[Category:Adventure tourism in India]]

Bir, Himachal Pradesh - Revision history

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