Dehradun

It is the capital of Uttarakhand in the northern area of India and is an attractive place for the tourists. Due to the pleasant climate and amazing environment, the government of India has started developing it as an industrial hub so that it could become an alternative to Delhi. The location of the city is strategic and it is situated in the valley which is bounded by the Himalayas and the Shivalik ranges. In terms of transportation, the city is connected to Delhi as well as the different hill stations which are located at higher altitudes. There are offices of many government agencies in the city which include the famous Indian Military Academy and Defense Research and development organization. Dehradun is created with two words called ‘Dehra’ which means ‘camping’ and ‘Dun’ that symbolizes ‘valley’.

History

The land has a rich past because according to the mythological traditions, Ram visited the region along with Laxman after obliterating Ravana from the earth. The city is also referred in the epic of Mahabharata where Pandavas ruled the region from Hastinapur. Archeologists have found evidence in the form of temples and idols that have converted into ruins. Apart from the aforesaid evidences, the local tradition and the culture provided enough proofs that the region had witnessed settlement since the start of the ancient period.

At the start of seventh century BC, the city was known as the Sudhnagar and edicts of the great king Ashoka have been found here. It denotes the importance of the city in the reign of the king who was one of the greatest conquerors of all time. In 17th century AD, Guru Ram Rai jee constructed his dera in the valley and was ably supported by the Raja of Tehri Garhwal. He was revered by Emperor Aurangzeb who helped him in the construction of Darbar Sahib. It is a wonderful temple with the minarets that remind of the times of the Mughal period.

Due to its strategic location, the area was invaded by Muhammad of Ghazni and Taimoor Lung that brought great destruction to the place. At the start of 19th century, the ruler of Nepal had conquered the area. However, the control was relinquished when the East India Company entered into a war with Nepal. A large part of the region was ceded to the British with Mussoorie also coming under the British rule.

After Independence, the first Prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, spend the majority of his days in Dehradun. He was also there before his ultimate demise in 1964. Ras Behari Bose, the freedom fighter lived in Dehradun, however, he fled to Japan to participate in the freedom struggle. In recent times, the city has become an integral part of Uttarakhand and lots of developments have taken place in the region.

Climate

The climate of the city is known to be quite hot and humid during the summer season and cold during the winter season. By latest estimates, the temperature in December might drop to 1 degree, however, the summer has seen a jump of almost 40 degrees. The rainfall is very heavy and the alluvial soil is quite fertile. The region is known for the amazing rice it produces because the item is being exported to other countries as well.

Reaching Dehradun

One can easily fly off from Delhi to Dehradun which has a national airport located about a distance of 25 Km away from the city. Many tour operators provide direct flight to the city.

The city has a prominent railway junction with connectivity to the major capital cities across India. Shatabdi express plies to Dehradun from Delhi and travels at extremely fast speed.

Deluxe buses carry people from different parts of UP to Dehradun apart from the one that regularly arrive from the ISBT station in Delhi.

Attractions in Dehradun

The clock tower of the city has five faces and is very popular among the tourists who arrive in hordes to the city.

It is a pleasure to visit the forest research institute in the city which has many museums that house large varieties of flora and fauna. One could also do trekking in the forest campus to see new types of plants from a close distance.