Location: Popularly known as the Queen of Hills, Mussoorie is located at an elevation of 2003 m above the sea level. It is at a distance of 34 km from Dehradun in the Garhwal division of Uttarakhand
Queen of the Hills Stations
Rising as a horse – Shop foot – hill that overlooks on the one side the Great Plains sweltering in their pestilential heat with
the Holy Ganga, oiling its way though slowly sluggishly across them on the other the vibrant magnetic silhouette of the Himalayas is Mussoorie where the mountains go gay and the nobility mingles with the elite, when they sojourn there for the summer as they did in the past and they shall continue to do so in the future.
Post independence Mussoorie unlike some other resorts, still maintains the old world cram and way to life the gay camaraderie of kindred souls mixing in a mental free masonry the maharaja, sportsman and businessman making the town gay. Friendly and cosmopolitan. Such was the town it’s glittering past and such it still remains.
In 1827 Captain Young accompanied by a hunting party. strayed in to the mountainous regions of the Doon Valley he spotted the area now know as Landour 275 meters higher then Mussoorie which was first developed as a military station but gradually became an integral part of the hill resort. In India they say the British discovered their hill station for them it was not a ritual but had become a second natural for them to escape from them pestilential heat that surrounded the sweltering victims and spend a mere week end of weeks of leave and leisure away form the perspiration ridden turmoil of plains. They invaded the sanctuaries of snow and silence the haunts of hermits and hill – men brining of the solemn solitude a spirit of cultured ease and gaiety mixed with a dash of Along Saxon frivolity.
Captain Young responsible for founding Mussoorie fell in the love with the spot he had strayed into besides the scenic stance and splendor the weather was bracing the climate salubrious the situation of the locality offered immense possibilities. Military efficiency combined with an analytical mind produced immediate result in implementing the idea that had formed in his head. The very same year 1927 saw the first building that the come up in the area to be used the summer sojourn. In splendid condition it is now the premises of Malinger Hotel. Almost instantly the stream pf visitors began to pour in building appeared in sporadic outbursts all over the hill the architecture, Elizabethan English al most overnight a bit of Europe had been transplanted in India another hill stations had been born. Among first of the of the elite to join the caravan were the India Maharaja who contributed immense palaces on the Hills built to like the country seats of British aristocracy.
In the early founding days the only access was 11 km trek from Rajpur either on horse back on a ‘dandi” carried by porters. The rigors of the journey were quickly forgotten on reaching the idyllic spot. However in 1920 the first car arrived from Dehradun the connecting motor road had been completed al most as soon as the motor car made the scene in India. Coiling like a snake the road raises from 640 meters to an altitude of 2,005 meters with in is hour and a half.
Gay friendly and cosmopolitan Mussoorie with its sprit of mental free masonry welds in a hall fellow well met camaraderie the Maharaja and magnate the prince and pauper or any kinded soul. The spiral of gaiety pervades every where in the 64 square Kilometers area. making the town a good mixer. The infection holidays sprits has resulted in establishments that cater to the every whim of pleasure seeking society be it dancing siding theater and cinema going skating and sporting events etc. For the natural lover seeking sylvan bliss there are easy to reach beauty spots.
Mussoorie caters also the sporting ser the polo grounds holds annual touaments the rink stages a boxing tourney while a Savoy there is a Dog Show every September. In summers the Happy Valley Club with 19 courts holds tennis matchers. The best Ball Rooms are at the Savoy and Hickman’s hotels Billiards room are in the rink Happy Valley Club and picture palace while two skating rinks, in Kulir and October 31st. A beauty contest elects “The Queen who reins Mussooorie all thought the season.
Surrounded by hills and overlooking the Doon Valley is mantled in snow for winter bursts inviting all year round. The Delhi road to Mussoorie runs between golden sugars can and wheat fields interspersed with deep lichee and mango groves giving way to the densely forested Shiwalik hills leading to the rail –road junction of Dehradun in Doon valley. Winding past Rajpur dotted with monastic ashrams. The road climbs along the terraced fields of Bhatta into the mountains with red – roofed houses clinging to the wooded hills.
The hill – folk of Mussoorie are simple and hardy living in tiny Villages scattered over the surrounding hills. Cheery and honest their main heavy beams strong to stand the winter snows. The journey form Dehradun terminal at Masonic lodge of picture place Library – another bus terminal a few Kilometers apart. The roadways stations atop rock rickshaws. Soon almost overnight, Mussoorie become one of the most popular hiss stations in Northern India famous for it inherent scenic beauty and gay social life.
How to Reach
By Air: The nearest airport to Mussoorie is the Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun.
By Rail: the nearest railway station is at Dehradun, which is 60 km away.
By Road: Mussoorie is well connected by surface network with cities and towns like Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Lansdowne and Delhi.
General Information
Area : 65 sq km Altitude : 2005.5 m
Temperature in Summer : 31.2°C(max);7.2°C(min)
Temperature in Winter : 7.2°C(max);1.1°C(min)
Languages : Hindi and English
Best Time to Visit : April-June and September-October
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