Dharamsala diary Dalai Lama to skip IPL Tibetian spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, currently in exile and whose temporary residence at Mcleodganj is just a few kilometers from here, will not be attending any of the IPL-IV matches. Spokesperson of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Sanjay Sharma said that the 74-year-old Nobel peace prize winner's international travel schedule coincided with the three IPL ties on May 15, 17 and 21. "The HPCA did send him an invitation but it is learnt that he is currently in the USA and will return only on May 16. Thereafter, for a couple of days he will be here but we have learnt that he will not be accepting any invitations during that period, after which he leaves India again," said Sharma.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 Tourism on top! The sleepy tourist town of Dharamsala has been bustling with activity in the run-up to IPL-IV. The traffic situation across the snaky and steep climbs of this hilly region is quite bad, with cops at almost every little junction desperately trying to maneuver the numerous cars that have arrived from neighbouring Chandigarh, Jallandhar and even Delhi. "All this is just for the IPL. Most of us locals here are not removing our vehicles, because if we do, it will only add to the chaos," said Deepak Sharma, a resident of the area. However, Mahesh Singh Thakur, who runs a small hotel, is not complaining. "The tourist influx for IPL is incredible. All my 13 rooms are full, and at prices way above even those during peak season. Off season rates here range from between Rs 600 to 800 while that shoots up to about Rs 1000 to 1200 during season time. However, during this IPL week rates of even budget hotels are anywhere between Rs 1500 to 2000 per room," explained Sharma. Add to this the fact that local taxi drivers are charging anything between Rs 300 to 500 for a 15 minute drive from Lower to Upper Dharamsala (Mcleodganj), and it is evident that almost everyone who is anyone is relishing a slice of the IPL pie.

Tibetian spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, currently in exile and whose temporary residence at Mcleodganj is just a few kilometers from here, will not be attending any of the IPL-IV matches

Dalai Lama to skip IPL

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