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This travelogue reminisces my wonderful solo trip to Mussoorie during monsoon.
“Life is about the adventures you take and the memories you make. So travel often and live life with open eyes and an open heart”.
Beach or Mountain?
Sound of waves on sea shore or quiet of mountains? The debate has
razed for long. Each traveler has his preference and one’s personality
plays an important role in the choice. This is a simple test where one
makes the choice:
(1) Extrovert Vs Introvert
(2) High On Energy Vs High On Nature
(3) Restless Vs Reserved
(4) Go-Getter Vs Creative
(5) Socializing Vs Solitude
(6) Conversationalist Vs Listener
(7) Materialistic Vs Romantic
(8) Entertainer Vs Thinker
If
you opt for the first option 5 or more times then you are a beach
person but if it is vice versa then you are a mountain lover. If your
answers tie, then you are equally fond of both!!
Lure of the mountains
Even without taking this test I knew that I was a mountain lover. The test proved it conclusively since I selected the second option for all of them! The lure of the mountain is overbearing, probably, because of my visits to the mountains as a young boy. Every year we used to go on 10 days family vacation from Kolkata to one of the hill stations – Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Shimla, Kashmir, Mount Abu etc. The fond memories of those beautiful times spent amidst the mountains stayed. Unfortunately, the number of my visits to the mountains later in life have not matched up to my desire!! The majestic mountains are awe-inspiring yet so welcoming !
My solo trip to Mussoorie
When we went to Rishikesh in July 2019, I had made up my mind to go on a solo trip to Mussoorie & Dhanaulti. I spent two interesting days at Dehradun. On the third morning, I checked out of the hotel around 8 am. and came to the bus station to catch the bus to Mussoorie (35 kms). One bus had just left and the other bus was after an hour. A young couple and a young girl were also waiting. We decided to take a cab and split the fare. The three of them took the back seat while I sat in the front. They were pleasantly surprised to know that I was going on a solo trip.
The cab ride
The thought of climbing up to a height of over 6800 ft (Mussoorie) through winding serpentine road was filling me with excitement & anticipation. We raced out of Dehradun through a beautiful road lined with tall trees. As we started the climb, I rolled down the glasses of the cab window and a whiff of cool breeze hit me. I inhaled the crisp Himalayan air and felt blissful. July is off season for the hill stations and being a weekday there was less traffic. As the lush green, scenic vistas raced by, I was lost in my thoughts. The cab dropped us at Gandhi Chowk at Mussoorie. My hotel Pioneer was located at a distance of 1 km. As I had only a backpack and a small bag, I walked up to the hotel.
My place of stay at Mussoorie
Hotel Pioneer was located at a little higher altitude than that of Mall Road. I requested the Manager to give me a room with a mountain view and as the hotel had only 50% occupancy, he readily obliged me with a corner room on the first floor that had a nice view. As I looked at the mountain range from the window, I felt a sudden connect with the mountains. I quickly freshened up and was out of the hotel in 30 mins flat.
A bit on the history of Mussoorie
The name Mussoorie has come from Mansur, the name of a shrub that grew in the mountains here. Old timers called the place Mansuri but the Britishers named it Mussoorie. The Gorkhas captured Garhwal region in 1801. The Britishers defeated them in 1814 and re-established their control. A British Military officer Captain Young established Mussoorie as a hill resort in 1825. The Britishers developed almost all the hill stations of India. They could not bear the humid summers of the plains. The officers and the families moved to these hill resorts during summer months. Such was the beauty of Mussoorie that it soon acquired fame as ‘the queen of the hills’.
The Mall Road – lifeline of Mussoorie
As I set out to explore ‘the queen of the hills’ I remembered the words of Ruskin Bond “The best kind of walk is the one in which you have no particular destination when you set out”. I had no particular destination in mind. The Mall Road is the life line of Mussoorie and stretches for around 3 kms from Library Chowk to Picture Palace at the other end. It has shops selling woollen clothes, shoes, artifacts, artifical jewellery etc. There are restaurants, cafes, bakery & sweet shops, hotels, banks, book shop, churches on both the sides. I first walked up towards the Library Chowk. The route offers a beautiful view of the valley side.
The Mussoorie Library
The Mussoorie Library started in the middle of the nineteenth century with donation from the residents of Mussoorie. It is a landmark of Mussoorie and is open for the members. I walked up the stairs to the first floor and met the librarian. There was no one else in the library. She allowed me to take a round of the several reading rooms but cautioned me against taking any photo. It has some wonderful collection of classical English books. The furniture was the old colonial antique type.
The chowk area
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi occupies a prominent place in the chowk and people have now started calling the chowk as Gandhi Chowk. There is a temple & gurudwara close by. I then walked to the Picture Palace end of the Mall Road. I found a person selling freshly cut fruits & salad. He asked me to make my selection and then he cut them in front of me and gave me a bowl full. They tasted delicious.
Central Methodist Church
On the way, I came across an old Church. I found the gate open and walked in. The board there read the name as Central Methodist Church. It was built in 1885. The steeple of the church used to have clocks on all the four sides.
An interesting insight:
At one point of time Mussoorie used to boast of 7 cinema halls and it had one of the earliest cinema halls in India. 4 of them used to run the latest English movies while 3 showed Hindi movies. A large projector used in the early twentieth century is showcased in a glass enclosure on the Mall Road. By 1990’s all of them had closed down. I understand a new cinema hall called Ritz has started operating now.
It was 1 p.m. and I was feeling hungry. I found a nice cozy dhaba and ordered for a plate of Aloo Paratha along with a large serving of home made butter, pickles and a bowl of fresh curds.
Company Bagh
After lunch, I walked down to the cycle rickshaw stand and hired a rickshaw to Company Bagh (a botanical garden established during the British era). It has a beautiful collection of exotic flowers. A natural waterfall is an added attraction. The signs of neglect were evident in the park.
Tandoori Cha
I returned to the hotel around 4 pm. On the way, I saw a crowd outside a chai shop. It was serving tandoori chai in earthen cups. More than the taste of the tea, what was interesting was the way the tea was made. It is now available in many cities but it was a novelty for me at that time.
I rested for an hour in my room and was back on the Mall Road around 5 pm. The days are shorter in the mountains and it was almost dusk. Lights had come up & Mall Road was coming to life with tourists strolling leisurely on it.
Dehradun lights
There is a beautiful view point from where the lights of Dehradun are visible and look beautiful. Since it was a cloudy day, the view was not very clear.
A meeting that was not to be
I wanted to be in Mussoorie on a Saturday so I ensured that I reach there on a Friday. That day my favourite English author of India, Mr. Ruskin Bond visited the iconic Cambridge Book Shop. He comes in the afternoon on Saturdays to meet his fans and personally sign his books that his fans purchase. He had settled down at Landour and made his weekly visit to the bookshop. I went to the bookshop and the owner confirmed that Mr. Bond would come at 4 pm the next day. As we had to purchase the books in advance, I bought 10. I bought his autobiography ‘Lone Fox Dancing’ for myself and 9 other books to give as gift to all my near & dear ones for keepsake.
The disappointment
The next afternoon when I went to the shop, the owner told me that Mr.Bond wouldn’t be coming as he was unwell. I was crestfallen. They gave me the assurance that the books would be sent to him for his autograph and would be couriered to me. Sure enough, after two weeks I received the duly autographed books. The book shop charged me a bomb for couriering the books ! My relations & friends were delighted to receive Ruskin Bond’s autographed book with a personal message in their names. My personal meeting with Mr. Bond had to wait for another date.
Dinner at Cafe Tavern
I stepped into Cafe Tavern on the Mall Road for my dinner. The ambiance was good and all the tables on the ground floor were occupied. Fortunately, I got a table on the mezzanine floor. I ordered a medium size thin crust pizza with a can of Coke. The pizza was just perfectly done. I ended the day with a delicious pastry at the famous bakery shop Casa Mia. It was pure indulgence. I retired to sleep early looking forward to another hectic but interesting day ahead.
Day 2 at Mussoorie
I woke up early and stepped out of the hotel at 5.30 pm for my walk. It was chilly as the dawn was just breaking. I decided to go on a trek around the Camel’s Back Road starting from one end of the Mall Road. It has acquired the name of Camel’s back because it is in the shape of a camel’s hump. It was such a peaceful and invigorating walk in the lap of nature. The sun was rising and the sky had turned golden. Magnificent view of the mountains was mesmerizing. The distant snow-capped ranges were not visible due to fog. There is a beautiful vantage point that affords scenic view of the mountains and the valley. There were few morning walkers.
British Cemetery
Another interesting place you come across is a 192 years old British Cemetery that adds a mystic dimension to the walk. Among the many British & Europeans resting in peace here is John Hindmarsh. He was among the few survivors of the 600 strong cavalary unit that charged at the Russian Guns in the Crimean War due to miscommunication. This resulted in the attack being a suicidal one. Tennyson in his famous poem ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ has immortalized the chivalry & bravery of these soldiers.
I was back near my hotel around 7.30 am. None of the shops were open. Only a tea stall was open. A hot cup of green tea was refreshing. I found two khalasis sitting in front of a shop near the tea stall. I offered them tea and they were more than happy to get themselves clicked with me.
Kempty Falls
After breakfast, I hired a cab for 8 hours to take me to three spots in Mussoorie. There are several waterfalls around Mussoorie and the most famous is Kempty Falls at a distance of 14 kms from Mussoorie on the Yamnotri road. So my first call was to this majestic waterfall. It is a fascinating sight as the water drops from a height of 50 feet in a series of cascading falls. Along with the steps, there is a rope way to take the visitors down to the fall. Taking a shower bath under the cold waters of the fall is refreshing. The presence of a number of stall around the waterfall is an eye-sore spoiling the natural beauty of the place.
Happy Valley
It is an area little away from the main town where there is Dalai Hill and a Tibetan Monastery. This place has an historical importance as Dalia Lama and his entourage of 80 officials of Tibetan Government in exile came in 1959. They stayed for a year before deciding to settle down in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. Nearly 5000 Tibetans have settled down in Happy Valley area. Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration that trains officers selected for IAS is also located in the Happy Valley.
Tibetan Buddhist temple & Dalai Hill
There is a Tibetan Buddhist Temple along with a Monastery and a Tibetan School nearby. Near the temple there is a Hill called Dalai Hill. As one climbs up one comes across a Stupa and on the top of the hill there is a beautiful golden statue of Buddha. Panoramic view of the mountains & valley can be enjoyed from the top. On a clear day several Himalayan peaks could be identified. The lady owner of the Chai tapri on the hill top had two small pretty dogs !!
Lal Tibba
If you love nature -panoramic mountain views, tall pine (deodar) & himalayan oak trees then you should be heading to Lal Tibba in Landour, Mussoorie. At an altitude of 7200 feet it is the highest point of Mussoorie. On a clear sunny day through a telescope one can clearly see the snow capped peaks of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Neelkanth, Yamnotri etc!! There are two restaurants on the terrace of which are installed two powerful telescopes. While feasting my eyes with the captivating stunning views, I enjoyed one of the yummiest cheese grilled sandwiches on the top of Lal Tibba !! Next to it is the Childer’s Estate, established in 1829 which has British styled bungalows. Film producer Nahata bought it in 1990.
St. Paul’s Church is a beautiful Anglican church near Lal Tibba in Landour. The church was built in 1839.
Evening at the hotel
It was nearing 4 pm when I returned to Mall Road. It was a surprise to see Mall Road bustling with tourists. I realized that the weekend boisterous crowd from New Delhi & Dehradun had descended on Mussoorie spoiling the tranquility of the place. I decided to call it a day and came back to the hotel. On entering my room, I was amazed to find a couple of langoors sitting outside the window. The hotel had a sit out on the rear side. I occupied a table overlooking the valley and ordered for tea & a plate of mix pakoras. All of a sudden, I saw the mist approaching and everything was shrouded in it. It was an unique experience.
Third day in Mussoorie
I woke up around 6 am. The sky was covered with grey clouds and there was a slight drizzle. I decided against going for a walk and sat down lazily near the window. The simple act of sitting back, enjoying the soulful music, watching the changing scenes outside felt like a treat. What a relaxing way to absorb the beauty of nature ! Got ready by 8.30 am and had fruits that I had picked up from Mall Road the previous evening and ordered for toast & tea.
Christ Church
With my backpack containing my rain cheater jacket & a folding umbrella I was on Mall Road at 9.30 am. It was a Sunday and on an impulse I climbed up to the Christ Church that I had been seeing from a distance on the previous two days. I was amazed to see the beautiful interiors with stained glass. The church was built in Gothic Architecture style in 1836. I attended the Sunday Mass. Even though not many people were present but the experience was blissful.
Nature is so fickle
The typical ever changing hill station weather was quite evident in Mussoorie that day !! The day started with the clouds & sunshine playing hide & speak. Then by mid morning the fog & mist descended suddenly and engulfed the entire place with the visibility falling to almost zero. This was followed by pounding rain. After an hour the clouds cleared and then it was a bright sunny day with the sky shining in its blue pristine glory !! I had masala dosa at Madras Cafe for breakfast. It was a bit disappointing as it turned out to be below expectations.
It was so much fun trekking and taking long leisurely walks enjoying every moment of this beautiful weather with a rain cheater and an umbrella for protection. In between I was taking breaks to have masala tea, bhutta & sakarkand chaat !! Filling the lungs with pure pristine air too !!!
Gun Hill
A cable car ride to Gun Hill (at an altitude of around 7000 feet) was a bit disappointing as eating joints and make-shift shops have mushroomed on the top. Not much space has been left for viewing the surroundings !!! Any how due to fog & rain nothing could be seen !! Other than a young man in his early twenties, there was none there in the pounding rain. I struck up a conversation with him. He was delighted to know that I was from Nasik since he hailed from Satara in Maharashtra. He started conversing with me in Marathi. As we sat there enjoying the rains, we shared a plate of chana chaat followed by piping hot tea. He clicked a couple of my pics and I clicked his with his mobile phone.
A quiet afternoon
I was at the same dhaba for lunch and I opted for a plate of Gobhi Paratha with dollops of home made butter. By afternoon the weekend crowd had departed and Mussoorie was back to its peaceful environs. Mall Road was almost deserted. I enjoyed a cup of hot tea with local rusk biscuit from a tea stall run by a pahadi woman
Indulging in sweets after a long trek
It was then a long trek to the Picture Palace end of Mall Road and from there to Landour Bazar. It was more crowded & less clean as most of the locals lived in this area. I was told that local artifacts were cheaper here as compared to Mall Road. I picked up a walking stick, a pahadi cap and few trinklets. While returning, I stopped at Mussoorie Sweet Shop famous for its hot gulab jamuns, samosa chole & rabdi milk with jalebi. I first had freshly made tikki from a chaat wala and then feasted on gulab jamun and jalebi with hot rabdi milk at the sweet shop. It was the best I ever had. With my dinner done, I was back at my room around 8 pm.
A good night’s sleep after reading Ruskin Bond
I picked up Ruskin Bond’s book ‘Roads to Mussoorie’ and read few of his interesting stories where he gets nostalgic about Mussoorie of the good old days. I found the following lines very interesting “The adventure is not in getting somewhere, it’s the on-the-way experience. It is not the expected: it’s the surprise.” This Mussoorie trip indeed had many pleasant surprises and adventures. Next morning I was headed for Dhanaulti, an unexplored destination with unknown surprises in store! I don’t know when I fell asleep but I slept like a log and got up fresh at 6.30 am. Watch out for my next blog.
Where to stay in Mussoorie?
There is no dearth of good places to stay in Mussoorie. Among the luxury hotels, the well known names are JW Marriot Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa, Welcome Hotel The Savoy, Jaypee Residency Manor, The Claridges Nabha Residency. Among the 4-Stars are Rokeby Manor, Hotel Pine Retreat, ITC Group Fortune Resort Grace. There are budget hotels too. The Pioneer hotel where I stayed was a budget hotel with a traiff of Rs 2000/- per night during off season and Rs 3500/- during season. Villas & apartments are also available on rent.
Travel tips:
One should avoid going to Mussoorie during the summer months. There is always a crowd, the days warm at times and hotel tariff is very high. Instead depending upon your preference go during monsoon or winter. It is no longer much peaceful in winter too. If you want a peaceful vacation, avoid the weekends. You have a lot of flexibility if you travel in your car or cab. Solo travellers/ couples without a vehicle can hire a scooter for local travel. Taxis are available at the taxi stand in Mussoorie for visiting the different spots around Mussoorie and they have several packages. I found that the charges are exorbitant. Travel extremely light.
Adventure sports in Mussoorie
For the young and adventure seekers there are many adventure sports they can try out around Mussorie. They can indulge in Sky walk, River Rafting, Rock climbing, Rappelling, Camping, Mountain Biking or Hiking etc.
In conclusion
A quote by Aldous Huxley “My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing”. So when are you packing your bags to go to the church?
Regular updates
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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