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My travelogue today takes you to Dehradun – a pitcuresque town in a valley. The beautiful forested valley is called Doon Valley. With Shivalik range to the south and the higher ranges of the Himalayas to the north, there could not be a better setting for this town called Dehradun (Dehradoon).
Introduction:
Many tourists intending to go to Mussoorie or Auli use Dehradun as a transit point if they are travelling by air, rail or road. If they have a couple of hours at their disposal they try and squeeze in a visit to a couple of popular tourist spots of Dehradun. Little do they realize that this beautiful town endowed with natural beauty & salubrious climate has so many things to see & explore. In fact it warrants at least a stay of 48 hours.
Ruskin Bond – his love for Dehradun
India’s famous English writer Ruskin Bond has settled down at Landour, Mussoorie in 1963 as he had always loved and longed for Dehradun & Mussoorie. He spent a couple of years of his childhood and as a young man in Dehradun. Bond’s fond memories of the quaint small town Dehradun of the fities & sixties find a beautiful expression in his books ‘Our Trees still Grow in Dehra’ and ‘A Town called Dehra’. As one starts reading the book it seems that one has embarked on a fascinating journey. Bond in his inimitable style weaves magic through his description of Dehradun. My enchantment for Dehradun grew after I read Ruskin Bond and in fact it increased after I got the opportunity to visit Dehradun.
Pleasures of solo travel
“I think one travels more usefully when one travels alone, because one reflects more”
These words of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of USA sound so true after I have gone on a couple of solo travels. I was a bit apprehensive when I went on my first solo travel. Many of you may find it incredulous but now surprisingly I have started enjoying travelling alone. It gives you a flexibility to take the road less travelled. You see things at your own pace, seek new adventures and discover the hidden gems of a place. History, art, architecture, heritage & nature fascinate me and I seek out destinations that meet my expectations. When you travel in a group, you travel either purely for fun or with a religious/holy angle in mind. To satisfy your interests, you have to either travel alone or you have to seek out like minded travellers !
Uttarakhand- the abode of the gods
Uttarakhand with the four dhams, several prayags, holy towns of Haridwar & Rishikesh is considered to be Dev Bhoomi. I had visited the dhams – abode of the gods, long back in 1992.
My wife, along with her sister and mother has been going to Rishikesh for the past few years. They go either in the month of May or July for two weeks when their Guruji camps there. They stay in Swargashram which is located on the other side of Rishikesh. I have accompanied them a couple of times. I have explored every lane of Swargashram and quite a bit of Rishikesh too. We were there last time in July 2019 (the plans for 2020 were laid to rest due to Covid and 2021 also looks a washout). I shall be writing about Rishikesh in one of my subsequent blogs. During July 2019, while my wife stayed back at Rishikesh, I embarked on a solo trip. My wanderlust took me to Dehradun, Mussoorie, Dhanaulti & Chamba. In this blog my focus is on Dehradun.
Myths & history of Dehradun
According to some popular legends, in ancient India during the Mahabharata epic era, Dronacharya lived here. That is why this place is also referred to as “Drona Nagri” or “Abode of Drona”. However some believe that Guru Ram Rai established the present town in the early eighteenth century. He was the eldest son of 7th Sikh Guru Har Rai. The city name refers to his Dera (camp) or settlement in the Doon valley. In Skanda Purana, Dun is mentioned as a part of the region called Kedar Khand, the abode of Shiva. At different time periods Sikhs, Mughals or Gorkhas had controlled the city. It finally came under the rule of the British. They established an army cantonment and many elite education institutions in the town. It is due to that, the town was often referred to as ‘Eton of India’.
My Dehradun sojourn:
Since, I was travelling solo, I wanted to make it a budget travel. I took an early morning Uttarakhand State Roadways Bus from Rishikesh. It took one & half hours to cover the distance of 45 kms to Dehradun. I took an auto rickshaw from the bus stand to the hotel. They allowed an early check-in and after freshening up and light refreshment, I left the hotel at 10.30 am. I negotiated and engaged the same auto for two days at a pre decided amount.
In the last couple of decades Dehradun has grown manifold. The journey from a sleepy cantonment town during the British era to a thriving city of 1.3 million has not been without pain. One can only lament at the unbridled concrete growth of the city. Consequently, the roads of the main city area are choc-a-bloc with traffic. Shops, hotels, swanky malls & up market restaurants have mushroomed. Today, the town has lost much of its earlier old world charm. Despite that the town endowed with natural beauty all around it still feels like a haven.
Forest Research Institute
I told the auto-rickshaw driver about the places I would like to visit in the two days. This helped him in chalking out the itinerary keeping in view the location & the driving time. He took me first to the Forest Research Institute. The Britishers had established it in 1906. Located amidst a lush green estate, the Institute Building is now a National Heritage Building. The architecture is such that it gives the feel of a majestic palace. It also houses an interesting museum with 6 galleries that showcase the flora & fauna of India. Photography was allowed in only one of the galleries. The sprawling beautiful campus spread over 450 hectares also has the Forest Academy that trains officers selected for Indian Forest Service.
Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple:
Next was the turn for some mythology & a religious visit. The ancient Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple Complex is located at a distance of 6 kms from the city centre in natural surroundings. The name Tapkeshwar is derived from the fact that water drips naturally over the Shivling and in the cave from the rocks of the cave. The cave here is also known as ‘Drona Cave’ because as per mythology Dronacharya stayed here for few years and his son Aswatthama was born in this cave.
Due to the dripping water, the cave & the steps become very slippery. I slipped and fell on the steps and twisted a toe. Fortunately, there was no injury even though the toe swelled and hurt me a bit for the next two days. Ice pack & pain gel did help. The ankle deep water of Tamsa river (seasonal one) was cold & crystal clear. Therefore, as I walked in the water, the pebbles were clearly visible.
In my opinion
I fail to understand why we spoil our religious places. The natural cave had a mystic feel about it. Marble flooring and use of tiles on the walls of the caves have robbed the cave of its natural beauty!!!
Robbers’ Cave – the place is as mysterious as the name
It was an exciting, thrilling & interesting adventure at Robbers’ Cave. From the parking area one has to trek down almost a km along a stream to the starting point of the cave. Here, I along with few other youngsters waded for 300 metres through knee deep, cold, clear water of the stream. The stream gets narrower as one wades further. At one point the opposite cliffs are so close to each other that the sunlight barely filters in through natural cave formation. Finally one reaches the end where the stream falls in a cascade creating a waterfall. Some people were having fun in the swirling waters. The place is popularly known as ‘Guchchu pani’. Britishers named it Robbers’ Cave as it is believed that the robbers used to hide here with their booty after committing a robbery !!
It was almost evening when I came back to the parking area and asked the auto driver to drop me back at the hotel. After tea, I stepped out for a walk around the Clock Tower which is considered to be the city centre and the Rajpur Road which has many shops. I had dinner at one of the restaurants and retired for sleep early.
Sahastradhara (thousand springs)
On the second day, my first visit was to Sahastradhara around 14 kms from Dehradun. I left the hotel at 8 am after an early breakfast.
Nestled amidst the tall mountains is the beautiful resort town of Sahastradhara . Sahastradhara literally means thousand fold springs. Here the Baldi River & its various springs fall in a series of cascading waterfalls creating a very pretty sight. There are several waterfalls and I also enjoyed taking bath under the ice cold water of a natural shower where water falls from a height of 9 metres !! The water is believed to have exceptional medicinal value and taking a bath in it is rejuvenating. Cloak room & changing facility is available here at a nominal charge.
Rope-way at Sahastradhara
There is a rope-way that takes you to the top of the mountain and one gets a panoramic view of the mountains & valley. There are cafes & a Sai temple at the top. I enjoyed a cup of refreshing coffee with some cookies. There are hotels at Sahastradhara for overnight stay. I spent about 2 hours at Sahastradhara.
Mindrolling Monastery
Would you believe if I were to tell you that the largest Buddhist Stupa in Asia and among the largest in the world along with the tallest Buddha Statue of India are located in Dehradun!
After Sahastradhara my next visit was to the Tibetan Mindrolling Buddhist Monastery & Stupa. It is located in the suburban area of Clement Town. A majority of the Tibetans-in-exile have settled down here. I was pretty impressed and awed by the grandeur & architecture which takes inspiration from the Japanese architecture. In 1965 Khochhen Rinpoche and few other Tibetan monks started the process of establishing it but the enthronement could be finally completed in 1976. The main purpose was protect & promote cultural & spiritual aspects of Buddhism. Ngagyur Nyingma College which is one of the largest Buddhist institutes of India is located in the complex.
The Stupa
The Stupa is 220 feet tall and 100 feet in width. His Holiness Dalai Lama inaugurated it in 2002 and dedicated it to world peace. The golden statue of Buddha is 120 feet tall !! The stupa is a treasure house of materials that highlights Buddhist religion, culture, tradition, art & heritage which are worth seeing. The two floors of Stupa has wall to wall murals depicting scenes from Buddha’s life but unfortunately photography is not allowed ! The stupa is open for public viewing only at designated timings.
Shopping
There are curio shops in the complex which have colourful Tibetan handicrafts, ceramics & potteries. I picked up a pair of coffee mugs and a set of 6 tea cups.
I spent more than two hours at this Complex.
Gurudwara Ram Rai – hidden gem of Dehradun
What an amazing discovery I made at Dehradun – 312 years old Guru Ram Rai Gurudwara or Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib. It is a treasure trove of paintings & murals like of which can beat even those of the havelis of Rajasthan!! I felt as if I was in an open air art gallery.
Guru Ram Rai (1645–1687) was the eldest son of the seventh Sikh Guru, Guru Har Rai, and the founder of the Ramraiyas, an unorthodox sect in Sikhism. Guru Ram Rai settled in Dehradun in the mid-17th century along with his followers after he was banished by the Sikh orthodoxy for incorrectly translating the scripture in front of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, so as not to cause offence.
Speciality of the Gurudwara
The Gurudwara Ram Rai is a perfect example of Indo-Islamic architectural grandeur. It’s structure is quite different from that of the other Gurudwaras. The building showcases domes, minarets, and murals reflecting a mixed culture which suggests spiritual enlightenment. Several portraits of gods, goddess, saints, sages, kings, queens and religious descriptive paintings can be seen adorning the walls. The portraits of Ram, Lakshman & Sita, Krishna & Rukmini washing the feet of Sudama, Shiv & Parvati, Krishna & Radha in particular are quite interesting. What is surprising is the presence of a painting of Mughal Queen Noorjahan !! The paintings are simply amazing. Illustrations of brightly painted murals of flowers, leaves, animals, birds, and trees can be seen here – the colour scheme is predominantly of Kangra-Guler and Mughal art.
Hidden treasure of Dehradun
What is surprising is that this Gurudwara is relatively unknown to the outside world. I could reach this place after some effort. Only after reaching here I came to know that the name of Jhande Sahib Gurudwara is popular among the locals. A Jhanda festival & fair is held here every year around Holi time. Even my auto-wala knew it by this name. After reaching here he told me that if I had told him this name he would have immediately brought me here!!
I felt that it is worth coming to Dehradun if for nothing else but just for this Gurudwara. I was amazed that a beautiful place like this is hidden in the heart of the city near the railway station and lies in obscurity!!! Neither of the travel sites mention about this nor does it figure in the list of top 10 tourist spots of Dehradun.
Pictorial tour
I am sure you would enjoy the pictorial tour of this unusual Gurudwara. In fact I could have written a separate blog on it!
Summing up
I missed visiting the Malsi Deer Park, Tapovan, Indian Military Academy & ONGC Museum. May be I shall cover them in the next visit.
Hope my blog has kindled your interest in visiting Dehradun. Wouldn’t you want to pack your bags and fly to Dehradun at the earliest opportunity?
Connectivity & stay
Dehradun has air connectivity with some of the major cities. Trains also connect Dehradun with all the major cities. There are a number of trains that connect New Delhi with Dehradun. The fastest train is the early morning Shatabdi Express that takes 6 hours. It can be the base for travelling to other locations of Uttarakhand by road. Trekking & Mountaineering groups also come to Dehradun in large numbers.
There is no dearth of good hotels in Dehradun ranging from the luxury to the budget. Home stay is also an option.
Eating
There are number of restaurants in Dehradun that offer a variety of cuisines ranging from Tibetan, Thai, Chinese, Continental, North Indian & South Indian. If you are the one who loves to try new cuisines then you can opt for Pahadi cuisine. Dehradun’s rusk, pastries and pista & atta biscuits are famous all over India. If you love momos then you should head to the Tibetan Market.
If you happen to visit Dehradun during summer then you can enjoy luscious lychees.
Weather
Dehradun has salubrious climate almost through out the year (except for the summer months of April to June). In winters you need warmers as the minimum temperature can go down to 5 degree celsius.
Shopping
Paltan Bazar, Moti Bazar & Tibetan Market are the famous markets of Dehradun where you can bargain. Dehradun is known for handicrafts made out of wood, bamboo or cane and locally made paintings. Tibetan market offers woollen garments, sweaters, cardigans, shawls, stoles & hand-woven carpet at reasonable prices.
Dehradun’s speciality is Basmati rice known for its size, aroma & taste.
Regular details:
I have clicked all the pics (except my own pics).
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Disclaimer: I have made sincere efforts to provide you the correct information about all the places that have been culled out from various sources. I do not take any responsibility for any errors that might have crept in the narration. There is no intention to hurt the faith or religious sentiments of any person or community.
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