Dehradun

Dehradun - The capital city of Uttarachal is a complete blend of city and hill culture. It is set in the foot hills of Himalayas at the centre of the 120 kms long Doon Valley. The name Dehradun is literally made up of two words where Dera means Camp and Dun stands for Valley. The beautiful town is referred as the gateway to Mussoorie and Garhwal interior. It is perhaps one of the oldest cities in India and was occupied in turns by the Sikhs, Mughals and Gurkhas before coming under the reigns of the British. Elite educational and other institutions were established during the British period.

Dehradun is today proud of its institutions like the Forest Research Institute, Doon and Welham Schools, ONGC, Indian Military Academy, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Studies, Survey of India and Botanical Survey of India etc. The Survey of India was established in 1767 and its greatest achievement was to determine the height of Mt. Everest.

Dehradun Stats

District Headquarters: Gopeshwar
Area: 7951 sq km
Total Population: 12,82,143
Literacy: 76.23.%

Places to Visit in Dehradun

Municipal Garden: Beautiful garden and scenic picnic spot. An artificial lake and boating facilities.

Nag Devta Temple: The ancient temple on Cart Road is 6 kms from the town and is popular among devout followers, who believe that wishes are fulfiled here.

The Jheel: Fine picnic spot on Dehradun - Mussoorie road.

How to Reach

By Air: The airport for Dehradun is Jolly Grant (24 kms).

By Rail: Dehradun is well connected by rail with important towns of the country.

BY Road: It is connected by good network of roads and highways.