Dehradun or Doon as most of us call it, a snugly town nestled in the Garhwal region of the state of Uttarakhand, well known as Devbhoomi or Devo-Ki-Bhoomi. Dehradun has always been a small city in India but has a captivating essence that attracts folks not only from within the country but people from around the world have also been visiting it to bask in its poetic & peaceful landscape. If you interrogate any Doonite on what it is like to live in Dehradun, you will surely see the person getting nostalgic and will paint a picture of a serene, calm, picturesque, soothing and a moralistic town. So today while celebrating the contentment and tranquillity that Doon has always offered us we have a list of some spectacular reasons that make living in Dehradun so soulful.
1. The Climate of Doon
The salubrious climate of Dehradun is what has always attracted people from all over the country. Being placed on the foothills of the Himalayas, the hill state of Dehradun is blessed with a pleasant climate that brings with it the unexpected drizzles, the sunny winters and Oh! the blooming spring of the town. The cool winds kissing your cheeks, the fresh aroma from the Himalayas after a summer downpour, the soothing climate of the hill tops and a ride in the cool areas of Premnagar, Garhi Cantt, Vasant Vihar, Jakhan etc are soul filling in Dehradun.
2. Peaceful City
When you walk in the metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore all you might find would be heaps of people rushing to get by through their everyday life in a haste. But being in Dehradun you have the privilege to walk around in the undisturbed colonies and lanes in the town. There are many areas where you will find a life free from interruption. You can travel to areas near Garhi Cantt, Kimadi, Old Mussoorie Road, Bidholi, Raipur, Vasant Vihar, FRI, Mussoorie Road etc to calm yourself and just be lost in your thoughts without experience any honking horns and crowded corners.
3. Greenery/Scenery
Whenever you will visit Dehradun, you will find the town encircled with the green landscapes that make it brighter, prettier and vibrant. Albeit the concrete jungle is making its way in the outskirts and industrial areas of the town, yet you won’t find a city which is completely stripped off of its essence. The best part about living in Dehradun is the Himalayan mountains, the Queen of Hills- Mussoorie peaking at the entire town from a distance. If you have never seen Mussoorie, when you travel to Dehradun, climb up the roof of any building and wallah! Mussoorie is before your eyes.
There are a number of Natural vistas in Dehradun. You can visit places like Maldevta, Kimadi, Mussoorie, Shastradhara etc to bask in the awe striking beauty of Dehradun.
4. Education in Dehradun
Dehradun has always been a hub of education since the British era. There are many well renowned schools and other educational institutes that have made a mark with their quality education in the entire country. Education is best in Dehradun. Some Famous Schools in Dehradun are The Doon School, The Welham Girls School, The Welham Boys School, Kasiga School etc. Living in Dehradun and studying in the town is a lifetime experience, the bunks to Maggie Point and the no school alert during the monsoon are some of the memories of a lifetime of every Doonite.
5. Dehradun’s Literary Background
There are many literature aficionados in the town of Dehradun. Well known as Dehra during the 40’s and the 50’s, Dehradun has been described in many literary works of Ruskin Bond as he resided in the town during his days of both childhood and boyhood. Not only Ruskin Bond but a number of other names like John Lang, Lowell Thomas, Emily Eden, Sir Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie and Rudyard Kipling are also associated with the Queen of Hills, Mussoorie, which relates them to Dehradun too.
6. Authentic Tibetan Cuisine & Renowned Bakeries
A number of Tibetan refugees came to India and they settled in town near the Himalayas and therefore the Tibetan culture has also been a part of Dehradun since 1950’s. Because of a large number of Tibetans residing in Dehradun you will find a couple of places where the authentic home cooked Tibetan food is served, travel to Old Rajpur if you want to try some. Just like Tibetan food, Bakery has also been one of the speciality of Dehradun. People from different parts of the country really love splurging on to the baked goods of the town. The Sunrise Bakers, The Vishal Bakery, Nanny Bakery, Ellora’s etc are some of the oldest and the most renowned bakeries in the town.
7. Dehradun is Inexpensive
Times have changed but still if compared, living in Dehradun is fairly inexpensive as compared to the metro cities. The Cost of Living in Dehradun is really low. The travelling cost is less and so is the rate of renting an apartment. In some cases you may also have to pay a bit much while renting an apartment in a posh colony but you get to live amongst the lap of nature in a clean and serene environment which is worth every penny.
With times passing, Doon has lost its charisma in an unprecedented manner and has been adjusting with the changing and the developing world. The concrete is smashing the green areas inside and outside the town. Dehradun has been the hometown of writers like Ruskin Bond who has praised every bit of this scenic beauty in most of his work, in his poem ‘Dirge of Dehradun’ Bond has described evolution of the town from what it was to what it is now.
“I wonder where the green grass went,
All buried under the new cement.
I wonder where the birds have flown,
They have gone to find another home.
I wonder where the footpath’s gone,
Right underneath your car, my son.
I wonder where the old folks go,
The nursing homes will surely know.
What grows so fast before my eyes?
A garbage dump, a million flies.
Is this the place you celebrate?
In prose you made it sound so great!
It was……..before I knew it was fate.