Mussoorie is located in the state of Uttaranchal which is to the northern part of India. This state lies on the foothills of the Himalayas .The capital of Uttaranchal is Dehradun which is another popular hill station.
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Uttaranchal is a beautiful place lying in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. It comprised of two regions, the western half known as Garhwal and the eastern region going by the name of Kumaon, the two having different chieftains in history and different lingual and cultural influences due to proximity and neighbourhood of different cultures. Inseparable and complementary nature of their geography, economy, culture, language and traditions, however, have formed strong bondages between the two regions. The place is bless with nature, you can find so many gorgeous landscaping, enchanting rivers, magnificent countryside, exotic hill stations a and honest and hospitable people.
Mussoorie has a rich history. It started in the year 1825 when a British military officer Captain Young and the Resident Superintendent of Mussoorie came to the present state to construct a shooting ledge. From than on, this place became a popular tourist station.
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| Regarding the name Mussoorie its quite interesting to know that is derived from the name of a shrub “mansoor” which is indigenous to this place. Locals often call this place “Mansoori”. |
This place has also a part to play in the freedom struggle, as during the British days,The Mall – the main promenade in Mussoorie had a hoarding stated “Indians and Dogs are not allowed”. This irritated Jawaharlal Nehru a lot and whenever he visited the hill station he entered this place and broke the rules. Thus he ended up paying fines every time. Nehru family liked this place very much and former Prime minister of India Indira Gandhi was also a frequent visitor.
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In fact Vijaylakshmi Pandit, sister of Jawaharlal Nehru settled here permanently. One historical attraction of this place is the houses and resorts. They are named after their owners and many of them from well to do families and lived a western lifestyle during the British Raj. To this date the old names of houses and estates are not removed.
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The best time to visit this place is the summer months like any other hill station. But you also need to keep in mind about the monsoons. Rains can completely dampen your holidays. So the ideal months are April to June and September to October. Mussoorie at an altitude of 6,950 ft (2,000 m) above sea level offers a pleasant weather. Summer temperatures range between 29°C-7°C. Winter temperatures can dip to 1°C. The monsoon pours down on the hill station from June to August, causing landslides and even cutting off road links with Dehradun. The summer rush remains from April to July. The evergreen forests around Mussoorie break out in bloom in September, and remain so till November, making it a good time to visit. If you want to see Mussoorie under snow, then end December-early February is your best bet.
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Climate of this place like any other hill station is quite pleasant all throughout the year. But the best season is the spring time from September to November. During this time the Himalayas become clearly visible from this place. During spring time greenery is at its best and the numerous parks in this town springs to life. In winters the roads are blocked due to snowfall and also during monsoons because of the rains the roads here becomes too bad. So these two seasons are to be left out. |
Garhwali is the local language of the area. English and Hindi are also two dominant languages in this hill station.
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Most of the tourist places can be visited on foot. Those spots that are on hilltops can be visited with the help of horses and mountain ponies. You can trek your way to the hill spots which would be another exhilarating experience for you. |
This town has a strong and rich culture. This is evident in three things – fairs, temples and the houses. Fairs and festivals are organized with pomp and show all throughout the year which is constant reminder of the culture that this place has. Further this place has a number of temples, in fact for every religion which again highlights the rich culture that this place has. In this town most of the houses are named after their ancestral owner which is again a highlight of this region.
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Fairs and festival that the Garhwal and the Kumaon region organizes are are Hatkalika Fair, Surkhanda Devi Mela, Tapkeshwar Fair, Kunjapuri Fair, Mata Murti Ka Mela ,Lakhawar Village Fair Hatkalika Fair, Tapkeshwar Fair, Kunjapuri Fair, Surkhanda Devi Mela, Lakhawar Village Fair Mata Murti Ka Mela |
| This town has a place of worship for every religion. It has numerous temples, mosques, gurudwaras and churches. Some of them are the Arya Samaj Mandir , Laxmi Narayan Mandir, Radha Krishna Mandir, Sai Baba Mandir, Masjid Bucharkhana, Masjid Nalapani, Central Methodist Church , St. Clare's Catholic Church. |
By Air : The nearest airport is Jollygrant, Dehradun
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By Rail :The nearest railhead is Dehradun, followed by Haridwar and Rishikesh
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By Road : Mussorie is 35 from Dehradun and which is well connected to all major towns and cities. |
| Tourist Places In Mussoorie |
| Mussoorie Lake |
This lake is located some 7-kms on the highway to Dehradun. The gateway of this lake appears to be welcoming tourists from Dehradun. One can enjoy boating at this lake. One also gets a very good view of the Dun Valley from this lake. The villages surrounding Mussoorie can also be seen from here.
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| Lal Tibba |
This place is highest point in Mussoorie. Lal Tibba is located in Landour area that is the oldest inhabited place in Mussoorie.
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| The Mall & Camel's Back |
Rickshaw rides down the Mall, and around the wooded road of Camel's Back with its timeless views of the northern ranges of the Himalayas, are a pleasure which is virtually unique to Mussoorie. Younger, and younger-at-heart, people prefer to amble down the Mall. And, in keeping with our informal atmosphere, it is fashionable to eat roasted peanuts while you amble. These are bought from barrows and little roadside vendors who keep them around little terracotta Gharries-pots filled with glowing, smoking, faggots. One of the barrows offers a bonus; it stands beneath a hoarding depicting Mussoorie's attractions so that you can get the lay of the land while you crack-crunch-relish. |
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| Kempty Falls |
Past Kempty Fall, 12 km downhill, you cross the Aglar River and reach the legendary Yamuna River. Trout are in abundance here, and fishing permits can be obtained form the Divisional Forest Officer, Mussoorie. |
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| Surkanda Devi |
Situated at an elevation of 3030 mts above sea level near village Kaddukhal the temple of Surkanda Devi is 33 kms from Kaddukhal and one has to trek about 2 kms. The temple of Surkanda Devi is situated on the of the mountain and is of great religious significance. A fair is held every year on “Ganga Dussehra” during May-June in which thousands of people participate. |
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| Charlieveli Hotel |
This was the first hotel in Mussoorie. Charlieveli Hotel was only hotel in India that was under Queen Mary, who later became Queen of Britain. Since the last century till independence this hotel was very famous both in India and abroad. |
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| Cloud End |
A British major had a building constructed in 1838. This beautiful building was converted into hotel and was named Cloud End. It got the name because it appears that the clouds have ended here. From this place one can have a good view of the valley. Cloud end is located some 8-km west's of Mussoorie hills. Due to its location, at the end of horizon, it is very popular among the Honeymooners and foreign tourists. Good place to take break from crowd. |
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