Undulating hills

Our train from Delhi chugs into the Dehradun railway station at noon. At that hour, this tiny capital of the state of Uttarakhand is really warm. But our destination, Mussoorie, about 35 km from the capital city, is pleasantly cool and its picture-postcardish beauty is soothing, balm-like, for fatigued eyes and frayed nerves — constant companions of city-dwellers.

No wonder then that Mussoorie has a constant stream of visitors from neighbouring Delhi, about 250 km away, who nip down to this hill station for a weekend of calm and bliss to relieve the pressures of their hectic weekday lives. Undulating hills, pleasant weather, gentle people — these are what everyone is greeted with at Mussourie.

At our hotel, we are greeted with a deep-pink natural drink, extracted from the burans flower that blooms in abundance in the upper regions of the hilly terrain, and we are told, is the state flower. It tastes heavenly, and is quite addictive. Unfortunately, that was the first and last time I tasted the drink. Despite trying, I failed to get my hands on another burans fix during my stay there. Neither did I get a chance to glimpse the flower, which apparently grows wild in Danaulti, that lies higher up from Mussoorie.

Our hotel, the Jaypee Residency Manor, provided a magnificent view of the hills and the valley. Anyone can simply sit here at vantage points for hours and watch the world go by in slow motion — distant roads winding snake-like round the hills; deodar trees giving the hills its green colour; vehicles, merely specks, on their laborious climb uphill, or going downhill a wee bit faster; portions of the enormous Woodstock School, the renowned boarding school, emerging out of the woods, here and there; the mist coming in and going out at will.

Relaxed lifestyle

Apart from its natural bounty, Mussoorie’s ability to slow down the pace of life is precisely the reason people from neighbouring states flock here. The holiday season sees a number of people from Chandigarh and Punjab come down to unwind, enjoy the weather or simply connect with nature and their own selves. Moreover, Haridwar and Rishikesh are not too far off and a number of people doing a spiritual tour stop at Mussoorie for a sort of pilgrimage into the heart of nature.

For the tourist keen on seeing the place rather than enjoying it, two or three days are all you’ll need to see the whole of Mussoorie. The Lal Tibba is a must-visit place. It is a point from where you can get a lovely view of the Himalayas on one side and the Shivalik range on the other, when the sun decides to shine that is. On misty days the view can be blurred, yet beautiful. Mist has a way of giving a dream-like twist to the entire scene.

A short drive from Mussoorie is Landour, an erstwhile military cantonment. This is where you’re most likely to bump into Ruskin Bond. If you are as big a fan of his as I am, that might even be the highpoint of your visit. I, unfortunately, had to be content with wistfully staring up the stairs that led to his door, then hopefully standing under his window to catch a glimpse of him. No luck. Now, here’s a tip that I got too late into my visit: Ruskin Bond frequents the Cambridge Book Depot on Mall Road every Saturday
between 4 pm and 6 pm, interacting with those who walk in. So there, plan your trip accordingly.

Sisters Bazaar, named after nurses who lived here, is close by. While the name may suggest a big bazaar, it’s only a couple of shops that sell handicrafts and other items of the region. Look out for some excellent home-made peanut butter here.

Mussoorie also has a number of beautiful waterfalls, one of them being the Bhatta Falls. Travel up to Bhatta village by bus, car or bike and then trudge a couple of kilometers downhill by foot to reach the falls. The water that gushes down forms an inviting pool and you’ll find yourself jumping into the refreshing cool water. Local people say, this is
a less crowded place than the more popular Kempti Falls.

Mall Road is the most prominent shopping destination in Mussoorie, stretching from Picture Palace on one end to Public Library on the other. Packed choc-a-block with shops selling everything from Kashmir shawls to Tibetan knick-knacks, this is where you can do your major shopping, or simply walk around to get a feel of the place. You might be able to pick up some wooden handicrafts, Garhwali clothes, or Tibetan meditation gongs here.
You can also visit Camel’s Back Road and Gun Hill, which has a cable car going up from Mall Road. For those with a feel for the supernatural, local people even talk of a few haunted lodges, that you might want to check out.

 Travel tips

- Reaching there: Travel to Delhi or Mumbai and take a train to Dehradun. The Shatabdi Express from Delhi takes about 51/2 hours to reach Dehradun. Dehradun’s small airport, the Jolly Grant Airport, operates flights to and from Delhi, if you cannot travel by train. From Dehradun, Mussoorie is only a short drive away.

- What to see: Lal Tibba, Camel's Back Point, Gun Hill, Kempty Falls, Jharipani Falls, Bhatta Falls, Municipal Gardens, Van Chetna Kendra, Mussoorie Lake, Jwalaji Temple, scenic hills of Mussoorie and Landour.

Where to shop: Sisters Bazaar, Mall Road

Where to stay: Hotels like Jaypee

Residency Manor that have spas, gaming zones, temperature controlled swimming pools, etc for tourists who just want to relax. Mussoorie also has several budget hotels and cottages.

Best time to visit:  April to June and  September to November.