Places to visit in Dehradun - Uttarakhand

Dehradun city is extremely important as a Gateway to Uttarakhand , in regards to the tourists coming from all over the country . The travellers flock this city because of the air and railway connectivity to the rest of the country .

With the Himalayan foothills to the north and the Shivalik range to the south, the charming town of Dehradun is nestled in the Doon Valley. When the state of Uttarakhand was hewn out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000, Dehradun became its capital.

So swift was its development that Dehradun soon turned from a charming little town hidden among the folds of the Himalayas into a chaotic urban space. But despite its frenetic pace, its reputation as a sylvan retreat for the retired remains intact so far. Indeed, some parts of Dehradun have resisted the building boom.

Dehradun is the gateway to the 'Queen of the Hills', Mussoorie, a mere 36-km climb from the Doon Valley. The holy city of Haridwar is 52 kms away.

Legend has it that the name Dehradun is derived from Guru Dronacharya's ashram, Dronashram, mentioned in the Mahabharata. The antiquity of the region was traced to 3rd century BC, with the discovery of an Ashokan rock edict at Kalsi, 49 kms from Dehradun, on the Dehradun-Chakrata road. Discovered in 1860, this 3-m high edict, written in Brahmi, encourages people to adopt the path of non-violence.

Dehradun's more recent history only begins in the 17th century, when emperor Aurangzeb exiled Ram Rai, of the Udasi Sikhs, to the Doon valley. Ram Rai and his followers pitched their tents in what is today the Khurbura Mohalla and also built a temple near Dhanawala.

Dehradun is believed to have developed around these two locations. In fact, the roots of the name Dehradun can be traced to dera, meaning camp, and doon, meaning valley.

The British established Imperial Forest Research Institute in 1906 (now Forest Research Institute); in 1922, Royal Indian Military College (now Rashtriya Indian Military College); and in 1932, Indian Military Academy.

At the heart of the town is the six-faced Clock Tower or Ghanta Ghar on Rajpur Road, an important landmark and very close to both the railway station and the bus terminus. Once known for the distinctive chiming of its clock, the tower today stands as a silent guardian overlooking the urban sprawl.

The impressive Forest Research Institute is one of the best research institutes of environmental sciences in the world. Situated 5 KMS north-west of Ghanta Ghar, the FRI was established in 1906 as the Imperial Forest Research Institute by the British Imperial Forestry Service. It was declared a 'Deemed University' by the University Grants Commission in 1991.

Standing amid lush green lawns, spread over 4.5 sq kms, with the incredibly scenic backdrop of the outer Himalayas, the FRI is also the headquarters of the Indian Council of Forestry Research. The Institute's main building houses a botanical museum, a library, several laboratories, as well as a bookshop. The sprawling campus of the institute was recently filmed in the 2012 Bollywood movie Student of the Year.

The FRI is open from Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm. Entry: 15

Above: Forest Research Institute's main building is a blend of Greco-Roman and colonial styles of architecture facing page top: Mindrolling Monastery.

Six kilometers from the, city centre the revered Tapkesh war Temple, dedicated to 71-1-iva. The name of the cave temple comes from the continuous dripping of water (tapak means drip in Hindi) on to the shivalinga, from the roof of the cave.

Dehradun is also home to the prestigious Indian Military Academy, 3 kms south-west of the FRI. Established in 1932 by the British to meet the growing demand for trained military personnel, its most famous alumnus is Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, who led India armed forces during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Interested tourists must take prior permission to visit the war memorial and the museum, which are open from 10 am till 2 pm.

The Survey of India, the country's principle mapping agency, is headquartered in Dehradun. Set up in 1767, it was at the initiative of two of its foremost surveyors, Sir George Everest and Sir William Lambton, that the Indian terrain was first mapped. The Survey is responsible for surveying and mapping the entire country.

Among other responsibilities, the Survey also looks after the demarcation and depiction of inter-state and international boundaries on all maps published in the country.

Other important institutes in Dehradun include the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, the Zoological Survey of India, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd and the Indian Institute of Petroleum.

Five kilometers from the Ghanta Ghar is the Kalanga Monument, erected in memory of the martyrs of British-Gurkha war of 1815.

Mindrolling Monastery is located on the outskirts of the city, as is Tapovan which is believed to be the place where Dronacharya once performed penance.

Robbers' Cave, located 8 kms from Dehradun, is a popular jaunt for the town's residents.

Malsi Deer Park, 10 kms from Dehradun, is a beautifully maintained complex, enclosing a small zoological park and a children's park.

Yet another favourite of the locals are the sulphur springs at Sahastradhara, whose waters are believed to have curative powers. A mere 11 kms from Dehradun, this is one of the most picturesque places to unwind at. The name Sahastradhara meaning 'thousand springs’ derives from the water perennially dripping down from the numerous limestone stalactites inside a cave here. A temple dedicated to Dronacharya here attracts many pilgrims.

Uttarakhand is one the top most rated tourist states in India , For more information on travel packages in Uttarakhand contact Swan Tours , One of the leading travel agency in India promoting tourism in this sector , The top selling tourist circuits in this area are Nainital Corbett Tour, Rishikesh Mussoorie Tour and Uttarakhand Tour Packages.