renowned public schools and educational institutions. In recent times, widespread environmental degradation due to limestone quarrying around Dehradun has caused concern amongst local inhabitants and conservationist. After a lengthy process of protests and litigation, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on limestone quarrying, and efforts at re-forestation of the denuded hill slopes around Dehradun have begun. Today, Dehradun is the administrative centre of the hill region of Uttarakhand and the capital of the new hill state that has been carved out of Uttar Pradesh. Dehradun sees a lot of local tourists escaping the hot and dusty plains to its temperate climate.
Historically Speaking
The area around Dehradun has references in several ancient Hindu texts. It is known as the land of Shiva, the region where the Hindu mythological heroes Rama and Lakshmana performed penance, and the Pandavas of Mahabharata rested on their way up to the mountains. Apart from mythological associations,
Dehradun was once ruled by the great Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (1st century BC), whose rock edict was found near Kalsi, just off the town. Over the centuries, this area passed from one ruler to the next, including the Sikhs, Mughals and Gurkhas. Finally, the British established it as an army base and educational centre in 1815. In the post-independence era, Dehradun has witnessed dramatic transformations, from a quiet sub-Himalayan town to a bustling commercial centre. The spiralling local movement for a separate hill state was spearheaded from this town, which is now the new capital of Hotels in Uttarakhand.
Shopping
The main shopping areas are around the Clock Tower, along Rajpur Road, Paltan Bazaar and Astley Hall. The shops mostly sell woolens, jewellery and brassware. Pick up good quality Basmati rice from the wholesalers outside the railway station. Don''t forget to pick up your bag of "Kwaltoffs" available
at Standard stores and at Elloras. They are a must for all those with an incorrigible sweet tooth with their distinct unforgettable taste.
Events
Dehradun hosts several fairs and festivals. The Jhanda Fair is celebrated on the fifth day after Holi in March/April. The fair honours Guru Ram Rai who arrived in Dehradun in 1699 and built a Gurudwara called Guru Ram Rai Durbar. Guru Ram Rai hoisted his flag on the Gurdwara. Since then
followers assemble and the flag is unfurled amidst a lot of ceremony at the Jhanda Chowk of Dehradun. The Shivratri fair is celebrated at the Tapkeshwar temple in Dehradun.Thousands of devotees of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati assemble at the temple during the annual Shivratri fair. The Lakhawar Fair is celebrated in the Lakhawar village during the months of September-October. The festivities are heightened with music, sports competitions and dance performances.
Night Out
Restaurants attached to the larger hotels and some of the ones on Rajpur Road offer good food, ranging from steaming sizzlers to Chinese and tandoori fare. Kumar Sweets next to Ghantaghar is very popular for its mango shakes and Ellora''s opposite President Hotel serves excellent chicken sandwiches.The
Astley Hall area is a popular eating and hanging out joint amongst locals and tourists alike. The bakeries in here cater to the scores of hungry students out from the boarding schools on the weekends. Behind Hotel in Deharadun President is a little known chinese place called Countdown that serves a scrumptious ''Indian Chinese''meal. For a quick bite head to Hot Bites for freshly made burgers. For a budget meal try any of the roadside food stalls that dish up anything from Tibetan momos to ''bun tikkis'', samosas and spring rolls but exercise caution! Some hotels also have bars and some arrange games of golf and riding for their guests. Entertainment in Dehradun mainly invovles dining out or watching a movie at one of the many movie halls dotting the city. Most movie halls here are a far cry from the regular multiplexes popular in big cities, but you can enjoy a movie in the old style cinemas under ceiling fans and for a cheap ticket. You must be warned of the rats running helter skelter in some of the old cinema halls!
Activities
There is plenty to do in this hill resort. After a day spent sightseeing go for a good meal or enjoy a movie in one of the old style cinema halls.Sights
The most prominent landmark of Dehradun is the Victorian clock tower in the main commercial district, which incidentally you can''t tell from just another dusty marketplace. From here, the trunk line of Rajpur Road goes northwards right up to Rajpur, forking off towards Mussoorie after
a point. About 4 kms up the Rajpur Road is the sprawling campus of the Survey of India , set up by the British in 1767. The centre of all major mapping and survey activities in India, its historical high point was measuring the height of Everest, which was then named after the Surveyor-General, Sir George Everest. Across the dry river bed of the Bindal Rao on Kaulagarh road are the Doon School (the Eton of India) and the huge red brick campus of the Forest Research Institute . Built in 1914, the FRI campus is a verdant expanse of Botanical Gardens and forests. Within, is a library stocked with a huge collection of books on forestry, a bookshop and a museum divided into six parts. The museum is worth visiting, with its array of wood samples, insects and wildlife. The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology also has an interesting museum displaying rock samples, semi-precious stones and Himalayan fossils. 6 kms from the centre of town is the cave shrine of Tapkeshwar , dedicated to Lord Shiva. Lying next to a swift flowing forest stream, the cave has a stone lingam with milky water dripping onto it from the ceiling. Every year, during Shivratri the entire area is taken up with festivities because of a fair where devotees jostle with holy men to gain access to the cave. Outside, stalls selling knick-knacks, food items and toys drum up a festive atmosphere. You can also get a shot at having a special bhang (cannabis) drink. About 8 kms from Dehradun is Robber’s Cave , also known as Guchhu Pani . A popular picnic spot, the cave is reached after a kilometer trek up the hills. Here, waters of a spring vanish underground and reappear some distance away. At Rajpur , 12 kms from the centre of town is a Tibetan settlement with a new gompa called the Shakya Centre. Decorated with ornate frescoes, the settlement has a centre for Tibetan medicine. Sahastradhara (‘thousand streams’) with its sulphur springs is 14 kms away, the new Malsi Deer Park , 10 kms down the Dehradun – Mussoorie road and the shrine of Lakshman Sidh 12 kms away make for wonderful drives and picnics and are truly quite idyllic.
