The gateway to the famous Hindu pilgrimage Haridwar as well as to the famous hill station Mussoorie, Dehradun is the capital city of the state of Uttarakhand. Situated in the Doon Valley on the foothills of the Himalayas and nestled between two of India's mightiest rivers the Ganges on the east and the Yamuna on the west, the city is well-known for its natural beauty. It is about 235 km from Delhi and lies in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. It is an important city of the state and is renowned for its natural resources, publishing services and particularly for housing some of the premier educational institutions of India. The Indian Military Academy is as well situated in this city.
Geography and Climate
Geography of Dehradun District mainly comprises flat terrains having cooler temperatures and huge forests. However, it comprises both Himalayan mountains and Plains and Raiwala is the lowest point situated at 315 meters above sea level and the highest points are in the Tiuni hills that has an altitude of 3700 m above sea level. It is between latitudes 29 °58' N and 31°2'N and longitudes 77° 34' E and 78° 18'E. The district of Dehradun is bordered by the Himalayas in the north, the Sivalik Hills to the south, the river Ganges to the east, and the Yamuna river to the west. Towns in the foothills of the mountain ranges comprise Mussoorie, Sahastradhara, Chakrata, Lahkhamondal, Gautam Kund Chandrabani and Dakpathar. The main city Dehradun is surrounded by Shivalik and the Himalayas, and Jaunsar Bavar, which is in the foothills of Himalayas. In the north and northwest it borders on the district of Uttarkashi and in the east by Tehri and Pauri. In the west, it is bordered by Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh and the Tons and Yamuna rivers. To the south are Haridwar and Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district.
The city is also referred as the 'Rainy City of India' due to continuous and incessant rainfalls especially during monsoon seasons. The climate of Dehradun is humid continental, although it varies from hot in summers to severely cold during winters, depending upon the season and the altitude. The nearby hilly regions often get snowfall during winter. Summer temperatures can reach up to 40°C for a few days, whereas winter temperatures are usually between 1 and 20°C. During the monsoon season, there is often heavy and protracted rainfall.
Demographics
In 2011, Dehradun had population of 1,696,694 of which male and female were 892,199 and 804,495, respectively. The number of literates in Dehradun city is 463,791, of which 251,832 are males and 211,959 are females with an average literacy rate of 89.32%, whereas male literacy and female literacy rates are 92.65% and 85.66%, respectively. The sex ratio of the city is 906 per 1000 males. The number of children of age under six in Dehradun city is 59,180 as per figure from Census India report on 2011. There are 31,600 boys and 27,580 are girls. Child sex ratio of girls is 873 per 1000 boys.
History of Dehradun
Dehradun is has rich and eventful history and also finds mention in the religious scriptures that narrates the importance of the place. According to one of the oldest scriptures, Skanda Purana, Dehradun was a part of 'Kedar Khand', the abode of Lord Shiva. Another belief states that Dronacharya, the great scholar and teacher of Pandavas and Kauravas of Mahabharata, lived in this place. Hence, this place was also known as 'Drona-nagri'. According to another belief, numerous Lords and famous personalities visited this place to seek peace and enlightenment. As per Ramayana, Lord Rama and Lakshmana endured expiation for themselves for killing Lanka King Ravana in this place. The later records of the city states that the founder of Sikhism, Sri Guru Nanak sought shelter in the city of Dehradun in mid 1400 and he who the camps as Dehra-camp and Doon-Valley.
The present day Dehradun came into existence in 1675 with the settlement of Guru Ram Rai, the son of seventh Sikh Guru Har Rai. With the passage of time, the place under the rule Garhwal Kingdom who ruled this place for many years with only minor interruption from the Rohillas and the Rajputs during the period of 1757-75. However, with the attack of Gurkhas or Nepalese into the region, the Garhwals lost their power over Dehradun in 1803 and it came under the rule of Nepal Kingdom. Under the reign of Nepali King Bal Bhadra Thapa, the city experienced a peaceful status but the dynasty did not last long as the British wanted to acquire this region. With the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1814 to 1816, the Nepali dynasty was forced to leave the country and finally, with the treaty of Sugauli, the place came under the rule of British Raj. During the British Raj, the city was called Dehra and has witnessed a magnificent growth during this time as most of the development works began at this time like formation of municipality, introduction of railways and clean water supplies.
Culture of Dehradun
Dehradun is a part of the Garhwal region and the local customs of the people have had a great influence on its culture. Garhwali and Hindi are the chief languages spoken here along with Punjabi, English, Nepali, and Kumaoni. There are people from different religions and backgrounds residing here and after being declared as the capital, there has been continuous growth in education, communication and transport industry. Dehradun is renowned all over India for its quality education institutions. A number of fairs are held in the city among the notable ones are Magh Mela, held on the 14 January and Jhanda Mela in March, a fair for the Hindu community that attracts visitors from all over the World.
Tourist Destinations in Dehradun
Being a renowned hill destination, Dehradun is one of the favorite tourist destinations in India. Nestled in a wide and thickly forested valley of the Shivalik ranges, Dehradun is famous for its orchards and natural beauty. The temperate climate of the city as well attracts the people from all over the world, giving an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate their body, mind and soul, making the city is a popular weekend gateway of North India. The city houses a number of places of tourist attractions. Some of these travel places are
Transportation
Air
Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun is situated about 25 km from the valley of Dehradun offers Air India, Jet Airways and SpiceJet offer weekly flights from Delhi to Dehradun.
Railways
Dehradun Railway Station offers good connectivity to major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Trivandrum and Varanasi. Shatabdi Express, Jan Shatabdi Express and New Delhi—Dehradun AC Express are some of the express trains that runs to and from the city.
Roadways
The city is well-connected with major cities of the country via road. Luxury Volvo and deluxe buses are easily available from Delhi to Dehradun. Deluxe and semi-deluxe buses run to Shimla and Mussoorie from Dehradun Interstate bus terminal (ISBT) near Clement Town. A deluxe bus service is as well offered by UPSRTC to and from Delhi to Dehradun and buses connecting the neighboring cities starts from Parade Ground.
Geography and Climate
Geography of Dehradun District mainly comprises flat terrains having cooler temperatures and huge forests. However, it comprises both Himalayan mountains and Plains and Raiwala is the lowest point situated at 315 meters above sea level and the highest points are in the Tiuni hills that has an altitude of 3700 m above sea level. It is between latitudes 29 °58' N and 31°2'N and longitudes 77° 34' E and 78° 18'E. The district of Dehradun is bordered by the Himalayas in the north, the Sivalik Hills to the south, the river Ganges to the east, and the Yamuna river to the west. Towns in the foothills of the mountain ranges comprise Mussoorie, Sahastradhara, Chakrata, Lahkhamondal, Gautam Kund Chandrabani and Dakpathar. The main city Dehradun is surrounded by Shivalik and the Himalayas, and Jaunsar Bavar, which is in the foothills of Himalayas. In the north and northwest it borders on the district of Uttarkashi and in the east by Tehri and Pauri. In the west, it is bordered by Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh and the Tons and Yamuna rivers. To the south are Haridwar and Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district.
The city is also referred as the 'Rainy City of India' due to continuous and incessant rainfalls especially during monsoon seasons. The climate of Dehradun is humid continental, although it varies from hot in summers to severely cold during winters, depending upon the season and the altitude. The nearby hilly regions often get snowfall during winter. Summer temperatures can reach up to 40°C for a few days, whereas winter temperatures are usually between 1 and 20°C. During the monsoon season, there is often heavy and protracted rainfall.
Demographics
In 2011, Dehradun had population of 1,696,694 of which male and female were 892,199 and 804,495, respectively. The number of literates in Dehradun city is 463,791, of which 251,832 are males and 211,959 are females with an average literacy rate of 89.32%, whereas male literacy and female literacy rates are 92.65% and 85.66%, respectively. The sex ratio of the city is 906 per 1000 males. The number of children of age under six in Dehradun city is 59,180 as per figure from Census India report on 2011. There are 31,600 boys and 27,580 are girls. Child sex ratio of girls is 873 per 1000 boys.
History of Dehradun
Dehradun is has rich and eventful history and also finds mention in the religious scriptures that narrates the importance of the place. According to one of the oldest scriptures, Skanda Purana, Dehradun was a part of 'Kedar Khand', the abode of Lord Shiva. Another belief states that Dronacharya, the great scholar and teacher of Pandavas and Kauravas of Mahabharata, lived in this place. Hence, this place was also known as 'Drona-nagri'. According to another belief, numerous Lords and famous personalities visited this place to seek peace and enlightenment. As per Ramayana, Lord Rama and Lakshmana endured expiation for themselves for killing Lanka King Ravana in this place. The later records of the city states that the founder of Sikhism, Sri Guru Nanak sought shelter in the city of Dehradun in mid 1400 and he who the camps as Dehra-camp and Doon-Valley.
The present day Dehradun came into existence in 1675 with the settlement of Guru Ram Rai, the son of seventh Sikh Guru Har Rai. With the passage of time, the place under the rule Garhwal Kingdom who ruled this place for many years with only minor interruption from the Rohillas and the Rajputs during the period of 1757-75. However, with the attack of Gurkhas or Nepalese into the region, the Garhwals lost their power over Dehradun in 1803 and it came under the rule of Nepal Kingdom. Under the reign of Nepali King Bal Bhadra Thapa, the city experienced a peaceful status but the dynasty did not last long as the British wanted to acquire this region. With the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1814 to 1816, the Nepali dynasty was forced to leave the country and finally, with the treaty of Sugauli, the place came under the rule of British Raj. During the British Raj, the city was called Dehra and has witnessed a magnificent growth during this time as most of the development works began at this time like formation of municipality, introduction of railways and clean water supplies.
Culture of Dehradun
Dehradun is a part of the Garhwal region and the local customs of the people have had a great influence on its culture. Garhwali and Hindi are the chief languages spoken here along with Punjabi, English, Nepali, and Kumaoni. There are people from different religions and backgrounds residing here and after being declared as the capital, there has been continuous growth in education, communication and transport industry. Dehradun is renowned all over India for its quality education institutions. A number of fairs are held in the city among the notable ones are Magh Mela, held on the 14 January and Jhanda Mela in March, a fair for the Hindu community that attracts visitors from all over the World.
Tourist Destinations in Dehradun
Being a renowned hill destination, Dehradun is one of the favorite tourist destinations in India. Nestled in a wide and thickly forested valley of the Shivalik ranges, Dehradun is famous for its orchards and natural beauty. The temperate climate of the city as well attracts the people from all over the world, giving an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate their body, mind and soul, making the city is a popular weekend gateway of North India. The city houses a number of places of tourist attractions. Some of these travel places are
- The Kalinga War Memorial
- The Gurkha Fort
- Museum
- Mindrolling Monaster
- Chetwoode Hall, the Indian Military Academy
- Clock Tower
- Ram Rai Darbar
- Tapkeshwar Temple
- Sai Darbar Temple
- The Char Siddhs
- Tapovan
- Jaspal Rana Shooting Ranges
- Tiger View Jungle Camp
- RIMC
- Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
- Robber's Cave
- Sahastradhara
Transportation
Air
Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun is situated about 25 km from the valley of Dehradun offers Air India, Jet Airways and SpiceJet offer weekly flights from Delhi to Dehradun.
Railways
Dehradun Railway Station offers good connectivity to major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Trivandrum and Varanasi. Shatabdi Express, Jan Shatabdi Express and New Delhi—Dehradun AC Express are some of the express trains that runs to and from the city.
Roadways
The city is well-connected with major cities of the country via road. Luxury Volvo and deluxe buses are easily available from Delhi to Dehradun. Deluxe and semi-deluxe buses run to Shimla and Mussoorie from Dehradun Interstate bus terminal (ISBT) near Clement Town. A deluxe bus service is as well offered by UPSRTC to and from Delhi to Dehradun and buses connecting the neighboring cities starts from Parade Ground.
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