Top 10 reasons to visit Dehradun

Nestled in the foothills of the high and poised Himalayas, the valley of Doon is better referred to as the Gateway to Mussoorie and Garhwal. Dera, meaning a camp, and doon, a colloquial term for a river valley, gives the city its name.

Here are 10 not-to-miss and not-so-heard-about particulars of the city:

Mussoorie, or the Queen of Hills, is the favourite freak-out-zone all Doonites vouch for. School kids, college-goers and grown-ups can be seen sauntering the Mussoorie Mall Road in the evening. About 45 minutes up-hill travel from the heart of the city, the place has a lot to offer. Lover’s Point, Gun hill, Kempty Fall, Cloud’s End and Camel’s Back Road are some of the hot tourist spots.

Sahastradhara, meaning ‘thousand fold springs’ in the local lingo, is a collection of cold sulphur springs. The water drips down thousand stalactites and holds therapeutic properties and is believed to be an ideal cure for all skin infections.

The Asan Barage is indisputably a treat for the bird lovers. Several trans-Himalayan migratory birds take a halt at the lake here. Several birds tagged as globally threatened species have been spotted here. Shoveller, Ruddy shelduck, Mallard, Coot, Cormorant, and Egrets are some of the migratory birds. The place also offers sports like skiing, boating, rowing, kayaking, canoeing, etc.

The Clock Tower, a pentagonal structure with five functional clocks at all faces, is a popular landmark, and was built in pre-independence era. Paltan Bazar is the best platform to savour the typical taste of the town- from clothing to grocery to stationary.
Wildlife becomes all the more fascinating at the Rajaji National Park, a home to asian elephants, tigers, king cobras, wild cats and several other species.

The traditional folk music of the city is losing its sheen. Bagpipes, shehnai and dhol-dama are now only played in the traditional garhwali weddings, a joyfully raucous celebration.

Vikrams for local transport is a unique feature of the city; what better than a four kilometre ride for three bucks.

While Tapkeshwar temple, Shiv-mandir, Laxman sidh, and the Buddhist Monastery are the perfect tranquilisers, places like Dak Pathhar, Malsi deer park, Tapowan and Bhagirathi Resorts are the favourite picnic spots among the kids.

One cannot afford to miss the urad-dal-pakauris, a sumptuous snack originally from the Garhwal hills.

Sweet-shops and bakeries in Doon offer lauki ladoos and kesar kulfi at Kumar sweet, besan ladoos at Ganpati, grilled sandwiches at Melting Moments and chocolate cake at Sunrise bakery are the best bet.

Besides, the fragrant and flavoursome basmati rice of Doon is a popular label the world over.