Vacations in Mussoorie Hill Station
Distance : 271km from Delhi, 35km from Dehra Dun
Population : 32,000
Altitude : 1970m
Temperature : Min 1oC, max 32oC
STD : 0135
When to go : March to June
¤ Founded By British Empire
 Named
after the Himalayan shrub mansoor, Mussoorie lies in the Shivalik
Mountains, a part of the Himalayan foothills. Located on a
horseshoe-shaped ridge, Mussoorie was founded in 1826 by a British
called Capt Young, who accidentally stumbled upon this picturesque
spot.
Before Capt Young, the area was inhabited by cowherds, and was later
converted into a military cantonment by the British. Capt Young’s
house, Landour, is open to visitors. However, when Mussoorie was
established, one could reach it only at the end of a long and winding
climb, but its proximity to Delhi and its cool climate made it a
much-visited place.
¤ A Favoured Summer Station of British Royality
Towards the latter half of the 19th century, Mussoorie had became a
favoured hill station for Indians as well as the British. Sir George
Everest, after whom Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, is
named, lived in Mussoorie from 1832-60. In 1880, the ex-Amir of
Afghanistan, Yakub Khan, was put under house arrest in Bellevue Estate
in Mussoorie.
In 1884, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught spent summer in this hill
station. In the early 1880s, McKinnon’s brewery in Mussoorie
fermented wine that was also exported to England.
Trave vacations on Mussoorie will show you diverse colors of
beautiful nature. Even today, Mussoorie has a distinct colonial aura
around it, with a thriving club life reminiscent of the days of the
Raj. The famous author, Ruskin Bond, lives in Mussoorie. Limestone was
quarried in the hills of Mussoorie till 1995, when the Prime Minister
of India, Indira Gandhi, banned mining in the area. Mussoorie’s
local deity is Bhadraj, and an annual fair is held in his honour.
¤ Places of Interest
As in most hill stations, the Mall forms the heart of Mussoorie, and
is the main shopping centre. However, vehicles are allowed into the
Mall only after an entry fee of Rs 60. The Mall’s sidewalks are
lined with tiny shops that sell trinkets and mementos. One of the main
buildings in Mussoorie, the Library lies at the core of the Mall, and
still bears Queen Victoria’s insignia.
At the other end of the Mall is Landour Bazaar, where Tibetans sell
trinkets and woollens. At an elevation of 2,438m, Lal Tibba is the
highest point in Mussoorie.
Located at a height of 2,142m, Gun Hill was the point from where the
British fired a cannon precisely at noon every day, and can be reached
by a cable car that starts from the Mall.
Gun Hill now houses a water reservoir, and the cannon has been
removed long ago. From the Gun Hill you can be see the peaks of Nanda
Devi, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Another British building is the
Woodstock School. Camel’s Back Road gets its name from its
resemblance to a camel’s hump, when seen on a map. Happy Valley
is a Tibetan colony, and the Botanical Gardens make a nice picnic
spot.
¤ Picturesque Waterfalls Around Mussoorie
Kempty Falls (15km), Mossey Falls (6km) and Bhatta Falls (12km).
Situated 35kms away from Mussoorie, at an altitude of about 3,000m,
Dhanoulti is the highest point near Mussoorie, and has the Sukhanda
Devi Temple, dedicated to Parvati, Lord Shiva’s consort. The Nag
Devta Temple (6km) is in honour of a local snake deity.
|
