13 REASONS WHY

THE CITY OF LOVE

13 REASONS WHY YOU WILL LOVE DEHRADUN

I was born and brought up in Dehradun so I have thousands of reasons to love this city but if you are a tourist or you are planning to shift in then these are the 13 reason why you will love the city.

1) Mountains

Picture courtesy: Siddhant kala

Dehradun is a beautiful valley in the foothills of the Himalayas. The valley lies in between the Himalayas and the Shivaliks. It is surrounded by the Shivalik Range and the Jaunsar bhavar on the sides. Two major hill stations near Dehradun are the Mussoorrie, the queen of hills and Nainital famous for the lakes. The beautiful view all around maintains the charm of the city. Dehradun is the gateway to the chota-char dham and char dham.
Dehradun looks amazing and completely different if you see it from the mussorie road.

2) Weather

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala

Something that one would never complain about is the weather. Being a valley the weather remains very pleasant in the summers and pretty cold during the winters. The city is also known as the Rainy city of India due to continuous and incessant rainfalls specially in monsoon. Rainfall can be witnessed anywhere and anytime. During the summers temperature reaches up-to 44 C but not just for few days during the peak summer and during the winters the temperature ranges between 1-20 Degree Centigrade.

3) Food 

You will never face any problem with food be it the vegetarian food or the non-vegetarian food. Dehradun is famous for its street food and some authentic regional food. The city is famous for the Basmati rice that is grown widely in the city. People in the city love to experiment with food and momos is one such item. You will find more than 10 types of momos in the city and more than 100 places to eat. One will find a wide range of fast-food in the city from the Indian fast food to the Chinese. You will fall in love with the food of the city.

4) Tourist place

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala

Even a month is not enough if you want to travel every place in Dehradun. There are a number of tourist spots in and around the city. To mention some like lachivala, shikhar falls,purukul,robbers cave,maldevta, sahastradhara, and many more. The religious places also known as chota char dham  Haridwar and Rishikesh are also nearby. One will never get bored of any place in the city especially during the summers. To beat the heat in the summers Dehradun is the best place as lots of rivers passes by and one can enjoy in the water and relax. Each place has its own story and speciality which will make you love the place.

picture courtesy: Siddhant kala

5) Mussoorie

Yes this is another reason to love Dehradun. The queen of hills mussoorie is just 35 kilometres away from Dehradun and is one of most favourite picnic and tourist spot. A lot of tourists and local people visit the place throughout the year. The serene beauty of the place cannot be described in mere words.A beautiful hill top called the George Everest is just 10 kilometers from mussoorie.

6) Education

Picture Courtney: Internet

The Dehradun city has a literacy rate of around 90% so one can determine the level of education in the city. The valley has some of the renowned schools of the country like The Doon School, Welham Boys, Welham Girls, CJM, St. Joseph's academy, Unison world school and lots more.
The city also has number of good private universities like University of Petroleum and Energy studies, Graphic Era University, Dehradun Institute of Technology etc. Dehardun is a perfect place to complete your education as it has all aspects to complete a students life.
"IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN".

7)Diversity

The people of the city are very welcoming and that is one reason why we are so diverse in our thoughts and beliefs. The state has the highest no of Brahmans in the country and alongside their are Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists etc. 82.5% people follow Hinduism, 11.25% Muslim population ,3.5% sikhs and a few of Jainism, Buddhism etc. Different religions and different beliefs but still we live in peace.  

8) Peace

This is a destination for the retired people. A lot people love to settle down in peace after their retirement and Dehradun is a one of the top priority for them. the people of the city are very soft spoken and chill. the weather and surroundings make the place better. So many different communities live together and one will rarely hear about any riots in the city. One can relax and enjoy their life doing nothing.

Picture Courtney: Internet

9) Government Offices


Dehradun has a number of government office's headquarters like Forest Research Institute, Wadia institute, IIP, ONGC, Indian Military Academy etc. IMA is the major officers training academy for the Indian Military.A bunch of dedicated Officers pass out every year. 

All the official paper work of the ONGC is done here.
FRI is the biggest forest research institute in the country.

10) Mythology

The history and the mythology of the city is great and unbelievable. It is said that the valley gave
Guru Dronacharya to Mahabharata.From lord Ram to the Pandavas everyone traveled through the city. The city was part of both Ramayana and Mahabharata and has seen a lot.

11) History

The Chinese traveler Huen Tsang also traveled to the city.

The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who brought destruction everywhere in the world helped the Guru Ram Rai to built a Gurudwara that in itself says a lot about the city. The Gurudwara holds a fair yearly and sikhs from around the country come here. It holds historical importance.

12)Talented Youth

The youth of the city seem to be very focused towards their future. The city is full of talented people. Several people in different fields like acting, dancing, singing have made Dehradun proud. A number of people from dehradun are working in the industry which is a big deal because it is not easy to come up and make your name in such a big industry.

The city has produced brilliant actors, dancers, singers and lots of other talent.

13) Location

The location of the city is perfect. Just an hour away are three big tourist spots Mussoorie, Haridwar, Rishikesh. All the places are easily accessible via Dehradun. This is what makes Dehradun more important as only Dehradun has a airport which connects Dehradun to so many places and makes it convenient for the tourists and the local people too.

The author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School Of Communication. Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as an intern at Liberal Arts Productions Dehradun. He is passionate about writing and photography.

Connect to the author:

Email: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

8 Amazing Historical Facts About Dehradun.

11 Amazing Historical Facts About Dehradun.

Photo of the Doon Valley in 1850s.

Dehradun is not only a favorite tourist destination being full of landscaping beauty but also houses a diverse history starting right for the age of Ramayana thousands of years ago.

So in this article I'll take you to the significant historical events that the valley of Doon has witnessed,  even since it was a no-man's-land. And how it finds it's place in Indian history from  mythological time to the modern era of history and ever since. Here's a quick paraphrased timeline of the magnificent history of Dehradun.

1. Link to Dwapara.

After defeating Ravana in the epic war of Ramayana, Lord Ram is believed to visit the valley with Laxmana. There have been many evidences to support the above fact such as ancient temples and idols in the areas surrounding Dehradun. The local culture and literature provides the link of the place to the events of Ramayana in Dwapara yuga. And some more than 2000 year old relics and the ruins found in the place supports the fact archaeologically as well.

2. Dehradun has given Drona to Mahabharata.

All these idols and ruins similarly provides enough evidences that connects Dehradun to Treta yuga of Mahbharata. the Royal Guru of Hastinapur Dronacharya who taught archery to Kauravas and Pandavas is believed to be an inhabitant of this place. And after the 18 days war of Mahabharata, Pandavas had influence on this place keeping the Descendants of Subahu, (the Rakshasa of Ramayana) as the region's subsidiary ruler.

3. Places around Dehradun has a history too.

Likewise, Rishikesh is mentioned in the pages of history when Lord Vishnu answered the prayers of the saints, slaughtered the demons and handed the land to the saints.The adjoining place called Chakrata has its historical impression during the time of Mahabharata.

4. "Sudhnagar", as Dehradun and places around it, was way back then called.

In the seventh century this area was known as Sudhnagar and was described by the Chinese traveller Huen Tsang. Sudhnagar later came to be recognised as the name of Kaalsi. Edicts of Ashoka have been found in the region along the banks of river Yamuna in Kaalsi indicating the wealth and importance of the region in ancient India.

5. Then "Gurudwara", then "Dehra" and then finally "Dehradun".

Before the name of Dehradun was used, the place is shown on old maps as Gurudwara (a map by Webb, 1808) or Gooroodwara (a map by Gerard, 1818). Gerard's map names the place as "Dehra or Gooroodwara". Surrounding this original Sikh temple were many small villages that are now the names of parts of the modern city.Dehradun itself derives its name from the historical fact that Shri Ram Rai, the eldest son of the Seventh Sikh Guru Har Rai Ji, set up his "dera" (camp) in "dun" (valley) in 1676. This 'Dera' 'Dun' later on became Dehradun.

7. Destructive Aurangzeb's constructive co-operation to build the hill city.

The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was highly impressed by the miraculous powers of charismatic Ram Rai. He asked the contemporary Raja of Garhwal, Fateh Shah to extend all possible help to Shri Ram Rai. Initially a Gurudwara (temple) was built in Dhamawala.

8. The proof of Mughal-Sikh nexus from building the first dwelling to set up a whole city.

The construction of the present building of Darbar Shri Guru Ram Rai Ji Maharaj was completed in 1707. There are portraits of gods, goddesses, saints, sages and religious stories on the walls. There are pictures of flowers and leaves, animals and birds, trees, similar faces with pointed noses and big eyes on the arches which are the symbol of the colour scheme of Kangra-Guler and Mughal art. High minarets and round pinnacles are the models of the Muslim architecture. The huge talab in the front measuring 230 x 80 feet had dried up for want of water over the years. 

NATURE PARK

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala

 THE DIVINE DIVE

Lachivala, Haridwar Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Just when you will feel that the you are out of the city and there is nothing left to see then you will come across another picnic spot in the valley.  Lachivala is one of the most popular picnic spot in the city.
 
It is in the out skirts of the city. Almost 22 kilometers away from the Dehradun city. It is now called NATURE PARK. It is a natural park. The river Suswa flows through the place. Small pools are made out of it where people can have a good time with family and friends.

It is a perfect family picnic spot in the middle of the forest with the River. There is a resort for the tourists to stay in but it is difficult to get rooms during the peak season because of the rush.

Picture courtesy: Siddhant kala

The lush green forest not only attracts a lot of tourists but also birds.It is also a good place for bird-watching as a lot of migratory birds can be seen. different and special species of birds are often found in the region.

A famous temple Lakshman Sidh is on the way and is visited by a large number of people. It is famous as it is the cremation site of the Saint Swami Lakshman Sidh.

The place is well connected by road.The local transport is very good even the roads to the Nature Park is beautiful, covered by trees on both the sides. The same road takes you out of the city towards the Dehradun airport , Rishikesh and Haridwar.

The peak of the summer season is the best time to visit the place but if you are a local or from near by place then take this as a warning *DO NOT VISIT THE PLACE ON WEEKENDS* . The fresh water looks like an invitation. It invites you to jump into it and feel its freshness.

Camera Specifications Used

• NIKON D 5300                                                              
• F-STOP: F/10
• EXPOSURE TIME: 1/200C
• ISO SPEED: ISO 100
• FOCAL LENGTH:18MM
• MAXIMUM APERTURE: 3.6
• WHITE BALANCE: AUTO
• NO FLASH
• EDITED VIA ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS6

The author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School Of Communication. Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as an intern at Liberal Arts Productions Dehradun. He is passionate about writing and photography.

Connect to the author:

Email: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

  

SHIKHAR FALLS

MOUNTAINS AND FALLS A PERFECT COMBINATION

Kairwan Village, Rajpur, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala

The place remains beautiful until it is explored but once it becomes a regular tourist spot then it looses its charm. Shikhar falls is one such place which is less explored and hence is still very beautiful place to visit.

The place is 13 kilometers away from the city in the lap of the nature.
The place has a waterfall of around 15-20fts. The flow of the fall is smooth and there is also a small natural pool around the waterfall which is sufficient for the people to enjoy. You will often find people cooking biriyani there.

The way to the waterfall is not a regular way. It a small trek of about 1 km. with small falls on the way and river flowing on one side and the mountains on the other. Not everyone can go up to the falls as it’s not easy and risky too.

The place is not only famous for the waterfall but also for the variety of birds and butterflies that are found in the region. It is not a seasonal fall. It remains almost same throughout the year. One can feel the nature’s freshness.

The best time to visit the place is during the summer season because the water of the fall is icy cold and with the sun hitting you hard with heat, you can enjoy the water.

There is way ahead of the waterfall also. There are multiple streams and small falls above.
People tend to jump from above with the fall which is fun but risky.

The area around the shikhar falls is a Tibetan area.
There are a lot of good places to sit and hang out near Shikhar falls. The most famous of all is the Marigold cafe and the Gupta Ji Restaurant. The foreigners and other tourists prefer the Marigold cafe but the local youth hangs out in the Gupta ji’s restaurant. The kulhad masala tea is their specialty. They also serve Maggie, chowmein, momo’s, pakoda’s etc.

The place is worth the time and everything you miss out for it.
If you are visiting Dehradun during the summers then must visit the place else your trip remains incomplete.

The author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School Of Communication, Manipal University and  a resident of Dehradun. He is currently working as a intern at Liberal Arts Productions in Dehradun. Siddhant is passionate about writing and photography.

Connect with the Author:

Email: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

Cabaret in Dehradun.

 Been A Step Ahead In Entertainment 

How much do you know about Cabaret and guess how it is Related to Dehradun.

Wikipedia says Cabaret is an artform featuring live music, song, dance, recitation, or drama for entertainment . It is mainly distinguished by the performance venue, which might be a pub, a restaurant or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, does not typically dance but usually sits at tables and enjoys the event. Performances are usually introduced by a master of ceremonies or MC. The entertainment, as done by an ensemble of actors and according to its European origins, is often (but not always) oriented towards adult audiences and of a clearly underground nature. In the United States striptease, burlesque, drag shows, or a solo vocalist with a pianist, as well as the venues which house such events, are often advertised as cabarets.

OK  so which city will come to your mind first when you will think of an old "western" form of art and entertainment being performed in, which is although considered to be very bold and something which is opposite to the Indian culture. So obviously, you’ll name some metropolises like Mumbai, Goa, and with a wild guess even Delhi, which are so-called a “little ahead” in being westernized than the other India cities. But this first world entertainment form of Cabaret was used to be performed in only three cities in India. One of the three cities was none but Dehradun, besides Delhi and Mumbai, which is rather believed to be too culturally acquired with the old Indian Tradition and customs. And the irony is all these regionally distinct cultures definitely does not have a place for this not-so-safe-for-kids act.

But the Cabaret was candidly used to be performed in the city of Dehradun in the first half of the twentieth century. At the time of world wars when the Indian Royals and European people (mostly Army men) who could not visit Europe for fun at those times and instead chose to party at the hills of Mussoorie. The Cabaret was used to be performed till 1960s after when Government of India intervened in the issue and banned the act. This entertain was prevalent in Delhi and specially Missouri as the hill town adds more beauty to the art-form contemporary to the jazz culture in Mumbai. Dehradun was the first city to invite cabaret in India. 

Although the tradition of hill-top partying in mid twentieth century was not only restricted to 
the live music, ball room dances and bold entertaining acts but also the auctioning of kisses, ranging from 5rs to 300rs (at the time of mid nineties), and the risque affairs were also common in the city. In fact there was a place called Scandal Point" in Massoorie about which the author/photographer Ganesh Saili describes for the "husbands who wanted to avoid their wives and wives who wanted to avoid their husbands" recalling the cabarets at The Savoy and Hakmans. Because of all this first world scenes, Mussoorie was well referred as the "pleasure capital of the Raj" and a "carefree station away from officialdom" where royals and soldiers could chill and get loose and even women had their share of fun.

LOVE FOR FOOD

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT IT

Food and places, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Dehradun is a lovely city. The weather is great, the girls are beautiful, the boys are smart so what else do we need?

YES, Food.

Here is how a foodie, living in Dehradun should plan his daily food routine considering these below mentioned places and its specialty.

Something to start with your day.

Every street has its own specialty. It’s very difficult to make the choices. To come to a conclusion was not easy, from tea to shakes, a variety of momos, burgers and lots more.
Being a pahadi it is hard to live without tea. (Only pahadi’s will get that)
There are hundreds of tea vendors in the city but not everyone has something missing.

To mention few best in the city:

1. If it is the morning tea then visit Ram Uncle, Tilak Road. The tea of the place tastes same every day and the Bun-Makkhan is the best in the city.
2. If it’s too late in the night then you might not get many options but Joshi ji opposite CMI Hospital.

And when you think of Breakfast the first thing that will come to your mind is the PARATHA’S so yes, we have a special place for that too.
PAHALWAN KE PARANTHE KHAE NAHI KYA?

1. Then you must go and eat at Pahalwan. It is a dabha kind of a place near DIT university which serves variety of parantha’s from a regular aloo parantha to special chicken parantha.
2. Another thing that you would not like to miss is the special KACHORI-JALEBI, ALOO-POORI at hanuman chowk and CHOLE KATLAMBE at sharanpur chowk. The crispiness of the kachori, the sweetness of jalebi, the mouth-watering smell of the Chole-Katlambe is what will make your breakfast complete.

For the afternoon delicacies.

After a tiring first half, maybe because of boring lectures or hard time at office one needs a proper tasty and filling lunch. US DA DHABA is my first choice. US DA DHABA is right behind the district court. It is a pure-vegetarian Dhaba but the food you get is amazing. The plate starts from Rs.50 and most expensive plate is Rs.120. They serve naan, kulche, missi roti’s, dal makhana, rajma, chole,paneer and KHEER. The place is a perfect place for lunch.

Some other places where you can enjoy your lunch:

1. Gagar, Kargi Chowk.
2. Doon Darbar, Inamullah Building.
3. Chillies, Nehru Colony.

For a good evening snack.

There are lot of places that will make your evening. The speciality of the city is the fast food and MOMO’S are love. You will find momo’s in every street of the city with different shapes and different tastes. You can find a number of varieties of momo’s as people love to experiment with momo’s. Types of Momo’s Veg Momo’s, Chicken Momo’s, Mutton Momo’s, Paneer Momo’s, Cheese Momo’s, Afgani Momo’s, Achari Momo’s, Tandoori Momo’s, Fried Momo’s etc.

  Best places to enjoy Momo's in the city:

1. Lala Ji Ki Angeethi, Chakrota Road, Near Bindal Pul.
2. Raj Fast Food Corner, Jogivala.
3. Bobby , Patelnagar.
4. Siliguri, Clement Town.
5. Shagun Fast Foods, Suri Chowk, Race Course.
6. K C soup bar. Jakhan, Rajpur.

Another speciality of Dehradun is BUN-TIKKI. It is yet another delicious thing also known as the Indian Burger. The tikki is made up of potato and again the taste varies to place to place.

Best places to enjoy Tikki/ Bun-Tikki in the city are:

1. Gupta ji, Patelnagar. 
2. Thakur ji, Nehru Colony.
3. Dwarka chowk vale, EC Road.
4. Ahuja, Near Rispana Pul.

Spring Rolls(Dry/gravy), Manchurian(Dry/gravy),Veg kababs, chicken lolipop, Paani-Puri, Chats, Burgers are some other delicious food items that one should try.

Best places to drink special things in the city:

1.  Grand Juice Corner: (DO TRY CHIKU-OREO), Karanpur.
2.  Fresh Juice Corner, Paltan Bazaar.

If it’s Dinner time when you get on with your beast-mode.

The best place to have dinner is your own home. But if you want to spend some quality time with your family then you may visit:

1.  Doon Darbar, Inamullah Building.
2.  Black Pepper, Astley Hall
3.  Kumar Vegeterian, Rajpur Road.
4.  Bawarchi, ISBT.

Bon Appetit!


The Author Siddhant kala is a student of Media and Communication at School of Communication, Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as a intern at Liberal Arts Productions, Dehradun. He is passionate about writing and photography.

Connect with the author:

Email: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit