SPECULATING DEHRADUN

This Rakhi had quite been special for me as I've ended into the most speculating city, Dehradun in Uttarakhand, which might be adorned by some or just a mischevious city for some where nothing is to explore. But for me Dehradun is quite an amazing place as it gives you a range of options to try out.

I reached Dehradun in the morning around 7 by bus via ISBT DELHI, its been quite tough to travel during festive days as you see the whole world is travelling with you, so in short you have to see yourself in trap of huge traffic, fewer or almost no seats that I've faced that day. The only way to get out from this is do all your bookings previously, if then it is of mere easily available bus tickets also.

I booked my stay in Raghukul Guest house which is located just few metres from ISBT DEHRADUN, its quite promisingly give you a pleasant and homely stay that too in an inexpensive way. The rooms are neat and clean with all the basic amenities.

In Dehradun as I mentioned earlier that there are plenty of options available to explore, similarly there are myriad of options to reach to those places, but the most safe and cheapest of all is hiring a taxi for local travel, as then you can save your time from hustle bustle of getting an autorickshaws or city buses and the most important the fast running blue coloured autorickshaws called as Vikram which are numbered for designated places, so you must be aware of local routes too for being travelled in them.

Vikram

My first destination is our all time favorite movie's college "Mohabbatein's Gurukul" or "Student of the Year's college"......yes, it is Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, the specialty about here is that it is made by Britishers and Its main building is just a masterpiece of Greek Roman architecture which makes it mindblowing place in between the dense forests and is being used as a research centre for botanical students nowadays .

Main building of Forest Research Institute

Inside View of FRI housing the various museums

Auditorium Of FRI

Way in Way

 It captures a wide variety of flora, the important of them are Rudraksh tree, Kapur tree, Eucalyptus tree or bamboo tree and many more.  Must say, if I had a college like this, I would spent whole of my life studying there. It houses Botanical museum for the attraction of tourists. 

Flower of Rudraksh Tree

The backside view of FRI

After FRI, I reached to Tapkeshwar mandir, here it is believed that Guru Dronacharya did his penance and offered his prayers to naturally originated shivlingam.

Entrance to Tapkeshwar mandir

The naturally originated Shivlingam

Lord Ganesha Guarding the entrance door

 Also, the sikh Guru Ram Rai stayed there in a camp for a while and hence the entire place got its name by his followers as "Dehradun". Inspite of its religious importance, the place has something more to offer, it has small narrow caves to explore with river Tisti flowing by its side makes it an adorable place to visit.

River Tisti flowing in B/w the temple

Then, I visited my all time favorite place "Gucchu Pani" or "Robber's cave", its the most relaxing place in Dehradun where the two mountains are intersecting giving it a dark narrow 600 metres cave appearance having an end to an about 10 m waterfall. It is called so as the robbers used to hide themselves from the Britishers after looting them by an narrow escape. Since, I had been there in the autumn season, so the flow of the river is quite tremendous, making almost my pants wet but with my legs being indulged in water, it takes away all my tensions and worries with itself. Its also been a picnic spot where one can enjoy Wai-Wai or more with his friends and family.

Entry to the mindblowing Gucchupani

Top view of hills in Gucchu Pani

End point of Gucchupani into a 10 m waterfall

Its a Wai-Wai time

Nearest to Gucchu Pani, there is around 200m trekking route to ancient Gupteshwar mandir covered with dense forests having trees of Chakotra(citrus fruit) all around making it exciting to trek to the heights.

Inside view of ancient Gupteshwar Mahadev Mandir

One thing that I note very interesting at Gucchu Pani is a Banyan tree guarding a Chakotra tree in itself, a tree protecting the entire shoot of a tree was quite a niche for me.

After Guchu Pani, I visited Malsi Deer park, its more of like a zoo with less fauna options and all densely covered with Sal trees which is meant to be of very importance in manufacture of furniture as the wood remains intact even after it is rotten. Surprisingly, it was my first time when I had seen leopard so close to me, my excitement was at sky high that time.

Entrance at Malsi deer park...fabricated with waste wood stock and natural colours

My first look to Leopard

One can also see a range of owls,  eagles, birds and yeah the most important,species of deer there, so at a single place you get many little adorable fauna to see.

The waking up  owl in daytime

I also got a chance to visit the most popular place all around the world and its Sastradhara which is a source of sulphur water able to cure all the skin diseases, I took an advantage of it also....It is called sastradhara as there are many small streams of water and small caves coming from the top of mountains which is just so pleasing to watch, but beware don't try to go inside the cave as there might be chances  of being troubled in earthquakes or flowing water as they might be slippery also.

Picture perfect view of Sastradhara

small streams confluencing to form Sastradhara

Next I visited Kalinga Memorial which is build in order to pay tribute to the Gorkha army general "Balbhadra Thapa" and General Gilaspy in memories of the Battle of Nalapani in the year 1814. This is one of the reason one can observe the lots of Nepalis settlement here and their love for the city, infact our taxi driver Suraj Bhaiya, who is my local guide too hails from Nepal but has a greater love and affection for the city.

Kalinga Memorial

The next day I headed towards my next two destinations Mindrolling Monastry and Clock Tower. First, I visited monastry, the ambience there makes me feel like that I was travelling in a Mini Tibet there as the houses are adorned with the parchas(flags) and the Tibetians Lamas roaming all around. Its quite a tranquil place as the sayings of Lord Buddha are spreading among the air over there. It was a great feeling to be in a Tibetian Monastry, one can observe a great architecture, culture and traditions of Tibet there.

Mindrolling Monastry

Inside View of Mindrolling Monastry

I was quite fortunate as the Great Stupa of Buddha at Clement Town was opened only for first half of Sundays and I got a chance to experience the inside views of the stupa and to be able to stand at the highest point of the stupa and observe the entire view of Dehradun. Inside the stupa, one could observe the different Tibetian preachers statue meditating in different aasans  and the walls beautifully craved with the stories depicting how their guru have taken birth and spread their preachings all over.

The Great World Peace Stupa

Idol of Lord Buddha at the Entrance 

My last destination is the most famous Ghantaghar in the dehradun, this is the beauty of all the cities in Uttarakhand that they are having atleast Clock tower at the middle of their location.

Clock Tower

The place is really special because of the oldest bakery "Gaylord Express" present at its corner which offers almost all the baked delicacies at its best and inexpensive price making your mouth watering and tongue licking. Its just impossible to resist your taste buds if you are there as the sponge is so soft and crunchy. I tried out there Punjabi toast and Paneer spiral roll and it was just delicious..!! I must say, its the must go place when staying in Dehradun.

Most Popular and Oldest Bakery near Clock Tower

This completes my two day tour to Dehradun with the pleasing memories with the people I met there who are as wonderful as their city.It is an educational hub and military commandent area as well, you can find Indian Military Academy and Airforce SSB board there too....so its quite a peaceful city as well. Infact, the Great Woodstock school is also located here, where the international students come to study. So, the people you met here are quite learned, knowledgable and resourceful.

I am really thankful to all the persons I met there especially Suraj Bhaiya, my student cum brother Vaibhav bhatia who guided me throughout my journey and help me taking so many pleasant memories all along with me to share with everyone through my writings and pictures.

To know more about the mini Tibet that I found on the roads of Dehradun, follow me on my next post "Buddha Temple" 

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