Rows of whitewashed houses and bright red-and-gold monastery spires rise above the fields in Bylakuppe, about 220 km from Bengaluru. Their architecture is reminiscent of the monasteries in Tibet. The air carries the nutty aroma of tsampa and butter tea, faintly mingling with the incense wafting from the temple courtyards. Monks in maroon and saffron turn prayer wheels in the distance. Local families run handicraft shops, and schools teach Tibetan culture alongside the Indian curriculum.

On a visit, I was struck by how, despite living far from the windswept plateaus of Tibet for over six decades, their daily lives still carry the echoes of their homeland. Ngawang Gyatso has been researching Tibetan settlements in Karnataka and provides a broad perspective on how life has played out for his

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