Dehra Dun Valley Tour
Distance : 34 km from Mussoorie, 236km from Delhi, 436km from
Agra
Population : 3,74,000
Altitude : 695m
Temperature : Min 7oC, max 38oC
¤ Dehra Dun -- The Valley
 Dehra
Dun (pronounced ‘doon’) is a quiet town in the foothills of
the Shivalik Range, and is called the ‘gateway to Mussoorie’.
Dehra Dun is a hot favourite with retired army officials, especially
because of its proximity to Delhi and Mussoorie. Dehra Dun takes its
name from the Hindi words, dera, which means camp, and dun, valley.
Famous for its educational institutions, lots of people and students
take up educational tour of this place. The town has one of the
largest railway terminuses in North India.
¤ Legends Associated With The Creation of Valley
According to a legend, Lord Shiva, the Hindu Destroyer of the
Universe, stomped his foot in anger in the Dun valley. Another lore
has it that that Lord Rama and his brother, Laxmana, did penance here
after killing Ravana, the King of Lanka (see Mahabharata).
During their exile, the five Pandavas (see Mahabharata) lived in the
Dun valley for a short while. A rock inscription near Kalsi has led
historians to believe that Emperor Ashoka ruled over the area in the
4th century b.c.
Yet another legend has it that Ram Rai, the seventh Sikh guru, made
the place his home in the second half of the 17th century. However,
Ram Rai’s father disputed his son’s elevation to the rank of
a guru, which forced Ram Rai to come to Dehra Dun valley. Ram Rai was
welcomed by the ruler of Dehra Dun, and built a gurudwara (Sikh
temple) here. Sikh devotees frequent the gurudwara, where an annual
fair called the Jhanda mela (flag fair) is held on the fifth day after
Holi, the festival of colours.
It is believed that Ram Rai came to Dehra Dun on this day. Till 1814,
the Gurkhas controlled Dehra Dun, after which the British took over
the area and remained there till India became independent.
¤ Places of Interest
Educational Institutes
The British established a number of educational institutions in
Dehra Dun, such as India’s first public school,Doon School,
Indian Military Academy (1932), and Royal Indian Military College
(1922). The Forest Research Institute (1914) has six museums that are
open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The headquarters of the Survey of India,
founded in 1767, are in Dehra Dun.
Tapkeshvar Temple
On your temple tour to Dheradun, visit Tapkeshvar tempe,just 5.5km
away from Dehra Dun. It is a popular Hindu pilgrim centre and the
venue of an annual fair held on Shivratri, which celebrates Lord Shiva’s
marriage with Parvati. Cool sulphur springs around the temple make
excellent bathing spots for pilgrims. Other interesting places to
visit are Laxmana Sidh (12km), Tapovan (6km) which has an ashram, or
hermitage, Robbers Cave (8km), and Dakpathar (45km), to name a few.
¤ An Excursion From Dehra Dun
Roorkee Town
From Dhera Dhun take an excursion tour to Roorkee,
a small town famous for its Institute of Technology. Formerly called
the Thomason Engineering College, the institute was established in
1847. Roorkee is also known for its canals, and is one of the first
Indian towns to channel river water for farmers.
Saharanpur
Saharanpur is another little town near Dehra Dun where woodcarving
is the main occupation.
Founded in 1340, Saharanpur was as a summer getaway from the heat of
Delhi for the Mughals. When the British annexed the town, they turned
it into a military base and laid the Botanical Gardens in 1817.
Chakrata
In 1866, the British turned Chakrata (92km from Dehra Dun) into a
cantonment. Located at a height of 2,135m, the place offers an
excellent view of the Himalayas.
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