| FACTS
& FIGURES
Area : 30 sq km
Altitude : 640 meters above sea level
Population : 52,0000
Languages : Hindi & English
Best time to visit : Around the year
STD Code : 0135
LOCATION 
Dehradun is situated in the north Indian state of Uttaranchal
(formerly Uttar Pradesh) around 235 km from Delhi. Dehradun
extends from the latitude 30° 19’ in the North
to longitude 78° 04’ in the East. The city
of Dehradun is well connected to other cities of north
India by rail, road, and air.
CLIMATE
Due to its location in the hilly part
of the state, the climate of Dehradun is salubrious.
During the summer months, the temperature ranges between
36°C and 16.7° C. The winter months are colder
with the maximum and minimum temperatures touching 23.4°C
and 5.2° C respectively.
PAST
Dehradun is one of the oldest cities
in India. In the Vedic times, the Garhwal Mandal, of
which Dehradun is a part, was known as the Kedar Khand.
Legend has it that Guru Dronacharaya, a Brahmin teacher
of warfare, considered Dehradun a place fit for meditation
& worship and therefore, the valley of Doon was
christened Drona Ashram, which means "The Abode
of Drona".
The written history of Dehradun dates back to 250 BC
and King Ashoka’s inscription at Kalsi, on the
outskirts of the city, is proof of this. There are 14
edicts carved on a rock and nearby is the site of three
horse sacrifices by Raja Shilvarma of the Vrisheri dynasty.
Large bricks with writing on them are laid out in the
shape of a huge bird with a fire altar in the middle.
The Sikh saint Guru Ram Rai also camped here at the
place where the present Guru Ram Rai Durbar is located.
Like most other Indian hill stations, the British found
the climate and the serene environment of this place
closer to their home and established many well-known
institutions here.
SITES TO VISIT
Tapkeshwar is a cave temple dedicated
to Lord Shiva on the banks of a seasonal river. Here,
water falls on a shivling drop by drop from a rock and
hence the name Tapkeshwar. It is 5.5 km from the city
bus stand and is situated in the Garhi Cantonment area.
Robbers’ Cave is 8 km away from the city bus stand
and is an ideal picnic spot. Local bus service is available
upto Anarwala village, from where the caves are only
a kilometer away.
Tapovan is about 5 km from the city bus stand on the
Dehradun-Rajpur Road. The place is situated amidst beautiful
surroundings and legend has it that Guru Dronacharaya
underwent his penance here.
The Malsi Deer Park is a newly developed tourist spot
at the foothills of the Shivalik range. The place is
situated about 10 km from Dehradun on the road leading
to Mussorie. A mini-zoo with a children’s park
and lovely natural surroundings make it an ideal sightseeing
cum picnic spot.
The Forest Research Institute here is the biggest forest
based product-training institute in India. All Forest
Officers in India are trained here.
Kalsi is a historical place with an Ashokan Pillar,
which has inscriptions in Devanagari. An Ashokan rock
edict built in AD 450 is also situated here.
There are a number of important institutions located
in Dehradun that provide different academic and research
facilities. Some of them are the Anthropological Survey
of India, Botanical Survey of India, Survey of India,
Indian Institute of Petroleum, Rashtriya Indian Military
College, Zoological Survey of India, Wildlife Institute
of India, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Indian
Institute of Remote Sensing, and Indian Military Academy.
SITES NEARBY
Situated at a distance of 93 km from
Dehradun, at an elevation of about 7000 feet above sea
level, Chakrata is known for its serene environs and
sylvan charm. However, Chakrata is restricted for foreigners.
The Yamuna Hydel Scheme, Dakpathar, 45 km from Dehradun,
has emerged as a lovely tourist spot in the Western
Doon valley. It encompasses lush green lawns and blooming
gardens.
Sahastradhara is a cold sulphur water spring having
high medicinal value. The dripping caves and a refreshing
bath in the Baldi River rejuvenate the body and soul.
The place is located 14 km from the Dehradun city bus
stand.
Lakshman Siddh is 12 km away from Dehradun en route
to Rishikesh. The road is motorable up to the temple.
A large number of people visit this temple especially
on Sundays. Legend has is that a saint underwent penance
at this place.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
The Jhanda Fair is celebrated to mark
the arrival of Guru Ram Rai at Dehradun. In the year
1699, Guru Ram Rai built a gurdwara, Guru Ram Rai Durbar
and hoisted his flag on it. Now a fair is held on the
sixth day after Holi every year in March/April and a
flag (Jhanda) unfurled at the Jhanda Chowk.
A fair is held in February to celebrate Shivratri at
the Tapkeshwar Temple, 5.5 km from Dehradun.
The Lakhawar Fair is held at the village of the same
name in the months of September-October every year.
Many activities are held during the festival like dance,
music, and sports competitions.
SHOPPING
Dehradun is a good place to shop for
woolen garments. The main places selling woolens are
Sahakari Bazaar, Rajpur Road, Astley Hall, Paltan Bazaar,
and Connaught Place.
WHERE TO STAY
Accommodation is not a problem in Dehradun.
There are many standard hotels, which provide good services
to their guests. As Dehradun is quite popular with Indian
tourists, it is better to get reservation before reaching
there.
HOW TO REACH
By Air
The nearest airport from Dehradun is the Jolly
Grant around 25 km away, on the outskirts of the town.
There is a daily flight from here to Delhi, which is
the nearest international airport.
By Rail
Dehradun is a major railhead on the Northern
Railway line with direct trains to almost all the metropolitan
cities of India and some important tourist destinations
in Uttaranchal. The Shatabdi Express is the best option
for the tourists coming from Delhi and the other good
option is the Mussorie Express. The Dehradun-Mumbai
Express connects the city to Mumbai. There are also
trains to Varanasi, Calcutta and Lucknow.
By Road
Dehradun is well connected to other cities of Uttaranchal
and Delhi with regular bus services. Distances of some
major cities from Dehradun are Agra 381 km, Calcutta
1562 km, Chennai 2365 km, Delhi 235 km, Jaipur 493 km,
Lucknow 582 km, and Mumbai 1578 km.
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