Honeymoon in Dehradun
General Information
Area : 300 Sq. km.
Population : 520000 (1991 census)
Altitude : 640 meters above sea level.
Season : Throughout the year.
Clothing Summer : Cottons
Clothing Winter : Woolens
Language : Hindi, English, Garhwali.
Festivals : Jhanda Mela (March-April), Tapkeshwar Mela, Shivratri
Local Transport : Taxis, Buses, Cycle-Rickshaws.
STD Code : 0135
Dehradun is one of the oldest cities of India and the
Provisional Capital of Uttaranchal. Located at a height of 2,200 feet above sea level and nestled in the Himalayas, the beautiful Doon Valley is known as the "Abode of Drona". Dehradun is a popular tourist destination owing to its natural beauty and numerous religious and historical places.
The city has the Himalayas to its north, the Shivalik range to its south, the sacred Ganges to its east and the Yamuna to its west. Dehradun is the part of Garhwal Himalayan region, which was earlier known as Kedar Khand.
The idyllic location of Dehradun endows it with a pleasant climate that makes the city a popular getaway in the summers. The places of interest in Dehradun include Robber's Cave, Tapkeshwar Temple, Tapovan, Malsi Deer Park, Kalinga edicts built by Emperor Ashoka, Buddhist Monastries and Forest Research Institute. The Central Braille Press or Rashtriya Drishtibaditarth Sansthan Bharat is the largest producer of Braille texts in India. As a Hill Station in India, Dehradun is also home to the famed schools of the order of Doon School and Welhams as elite centers of learning in India. Apart from being a much sought after Hill Station in India, they qualify Doon valley to be a star class educational center.
Places to visit
1.Forest Research Institute
Established by the British in the early years of this century, the Institute is one of the finest of its kind in the world. Across the six galleries of its Museum are laid out some of the best collections of specimens of flora and fauna.
2.Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
Another place of interest worth a visit. A museum containing rock samples, semiprecious stones and fossils is the center of attraction here.
3.Tapkeshwar Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is beside a stream, which is directed to flow onto the lingam. During Shivratri, a large fair is held here.
4.Robber's Cave
Popularly known as Guchhu Pani, it is situated 8 km from Dehradun. The last kilometer has to be covered on foot. The cave is a picnic spot, surrounded by hills. Here, water vanishes underground only to reappear after a few yards in the form of a stream.
Other places of interest include
Malsi Deer Park (10 km) a newly developed spot on Dehradun Mussoouri diversion road.
