Sight-seeing highlights:
Spread over a horseshoe shaped ridge in the Garhwal Himalayas overlooking the Doon Valley, Mussoorie offers visitors a range of holiday activities. Lovers of city life can enjoy the pleasures of the Mall, cards, billiards and skating; but the outdoor enthusiast has scores of fun activities amongst the forested hills
The mall
It's the hub of town. This is where the ladies and the officers of the Raj promenaded its length from the Clock Tower at Landour Bazaar to Library. For visitors today the Mall runs from where the old Picture Palace cinema used to be, to the Library. Souvenir hunters who know about the antique shop at the Clock Tower usually extend the walk to here. The middle section around Kulri is lined with scores of shops, restaurants, video parlours, and several lookout points from where you look onto the hills or down to the Doon Valley. Pick up books and comics at the Cambridge Bookshop near the old post office and opposite the landmark Raj era State Bank of India building. The ropeway to Gun Hill continues to draw the crowds. The skating rink, set along a quiet side street at Kulri is a big hit with all age groups.
Library bazaar
It is from the 19th century Victorian-style Library that this end of the Mall gets its name. In the evenings the townspeople would gather here to listen to the band which would play popular tunes. During the social season it would play nightlong during the fancy balls when the sahibs and memsahibs would arrive in all their finery.
Camel's back Road
Horse rides and rickshaw rides on this 4-km stretch overlooking the hills near the Library end of town are much favoured by honeymooners and those looking for a bit of quiet. The old cemetery here documents some Mussoorie's Raj-era past.
Gun hill
Said to be an extinct volcano Gun Hill rises to a height of 400 ft above the Mall. Clamber up to get those stunning views of the surrounding hills and the valley. In the days of the Raj a cannon here used to boom out the time of the day for the townspeople. You might feel intimidated by the busy collection of restaurants and souvenir shops, but concentrate on the glorious views instead of Banderpoonch and Nag Tibba peaks.
The walks
There are several quiet walks starting from the Mall area. From Library head for Happy Valley along the road below the Savoy Hotel. The road takes you under a canopy of old oaks, past the old Charlleville Esate, the IAS Academy, and the Tibetan School. Stop for momos and chowmien at road-side stalls.
Another option from Library is to take the valley view walk to Clouds End. Another stiff, but rewarding trail takes you past the Kapurthala Chateau, Waverly Convent and on to Company Bagh. The Camel's Back Road is another popular walk. In the hillsides of Landour there are several pleasant walking trails through unspoilt oak and rhododendron forests. The Barlowganj area too has several scenic trails through virgin woodland. Take a picnic basket and stop by the stream.
The churches
On the Mall there's the century old Methodist Church which is open most days. Christ Church is situated near the Kasmanda Palace now a hotel. Built around 1836 it's a beautiful landmark with its Gothic design and the pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows. The century old organ is a William Hill piece. Heading from here for Landour you'll come across the Old Union Church which holds service on Sunday mornings. En route to Lal Tibba in the Landour area is Kellog's Memorial Church, named after Samuel Henry Kellog who established the Landour Language School.
Landour
Heading up from the Clock Tower to the top of the hill, a stiff climb takes you to Landour. The once cobbled streets of this tiny bazaar have now been tarred. You can take a break from all that huffing and puffing by browsing in the antique shops lining the road. The Castle Hill Estate where the Survey of India office is now, was the place where Sir George Everest mapped the Garhwal region. Also located in the serene environs of Landour is Woodstock School which was set up in 1854. The cantonment area here is home to Mussoorie's famous Sisters Bazaar. Shop for home-made jams and cheeses at Prakash Brothers Store.
The waterfalls
Jharipani falls
A steady walk down from St Georges School end takes you to the turn off for these lovely falls, about a half hour walk from the market.
Kempty falls,
Accessed from the Happy Valley area of town Kempty is a noisier, more touristy experience than Jharipani. You can enjoy wading through the waters at the bottom of the falls. Hordes of tourists can't get enough of having themselves photographed in garish costumes on offer here.
Other activities:
Treks and hikes
You can enjoy various levels of trekking activities around the Mussooorie hills. Day hikes are up the slopes are very popular. Head for Pari Tibba, the Benog Wildlife Sanctuary and the serene environs of the Bhadraj Forest. A stiff and much longer trek takes you to Nag Tibba.
Dhanaulti (24 km)
Head east from Landour Bazaar along the old Tehri road to this favourite escape. Though the pine trees have mostly been replaced by concrete structures, Dhanualti still has beautiful walking trails in the surrounding forests. Devotees also head out for the nearby Surkhanda Devi Temple.
Tourism info:
GMVN
Hotel Garhwal Terrace,
The Mall, Mussoorie,
Tel: 0135-2632682
Website: gmvnl.com
The gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas and favourite summer holiday spot of people from Delhi and U.P., Mussoorie is 60km ahead of Dehradun. As you drive up from Doon leaving behind the grime and dust of the plains you take in deep lungs-full of fresh pine-scented mountain air, and feel rejuvenated and calmed by the rich green around you. As you enter the town at Kingcraig on to the Kulri Bus Stand or the Library Bus stand, depending where you are staying in town, the distinct ambience of a British hill-station envelops you.
Savvier guests may prefer to stay in the quieter environs of the Barlowganj area, high above a mountain stream that wends its ways past Woodstock, Wynberg, Allen, St Georges and Oak Grove schools. Or the Landour ridge in the northeast, and home to the old cantonment, from where the stream emanates as a gushing waterfall in the monsoons. Others still prefer the Library area on the western edge of the ridge. But those who want be at the hub of downtown action it is the plethora of hotels scattered around the Mall at Kulri.
Where you stay in Mussoorie certainly sets the pace of your holiday. For there are hidden gems of serenity scattered around the township that are a welcome escape from the overdeveloped, noisy environs of the Mall. For those who are looking for a quieter, magical place, there are gorgeous sunrises to watch from behind the hills, and stunning sunsets splashed across the horizon over the Doon Valley, where the first lights start the overture of the splendid nightly concert under the stars. Plan your holiday after a bit of research and you'll find Mussoorie one of your all-time favourite hill-side retreats.
Marooned in the heat and dust of the Indian plains, homesick Englishmen started searching for quiet retreats in the mountains to escape from the worst of the summer. Captain Young, the first British settler in this mountain enclave built himself a cottage up in 1823 at Mullingar, on the Landour Ridge (also where author Ruskin Bond now resides). Gradually the township started spreading southward and westwards.
The town gets its name from the mansur shrub (Cororiana nepalensis), which grows around these hills. If Shimla was the retreat of the high and mighty led by the Viceroy of the Raj, Mussoorie was the lesser cousin who attracted the commissioned officers and bureaucrats-many who set the town aflame with their going-ons that have since passed into Raj legend. In time India's royals and aristocrats made a beeline for its cool environs and set up their summer palaces around the quiet hills... among them the Maharajas of Kapurthala and Nahan. The township got a small reprieve from all the social action with the demise of the Raj in 1947, but it was rediscovered by holidaying Indians in the early 60s and the ball has not stopped spinning since then... |
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