Dehradun
Nestled in the mountain ranges of the Himalayas,
Dehradun is the capital of Uttarakhand. It is one of the most
beautiful resorts in the sub mountain tracks of India, known for its
scenic surroundings. The name Dehradun is a collection of two words
"dera" meaning camp and " dun" meaning valley.
Said to be one of the oldest cities in India, it is believed that
Lord Rama and his brother did penance here for killing Ravana, the
demon king. During the 17th and 18th centuries Dehradun changed
hands several times: Guru Ram Rai retreated here from Punjab, the
Mughal Governor Najib-ud-Daula occupied it from 1757-1770 and the
Gorkhas overran it on their westward expansion before ceding it to
the British in 1815. Under the British, Dehradun became an elite
town with many a fine institutions like Forest Research Institute,
Doon School and Welham Schools for girls and boys, many more, like
the ONGC and Wadia Institute of Himalayan Studies, were added in
time. Dehradun has now become an important tourist destination.
PLACES TO VISIT IN DEHRADUN
Situated on the foothills of the great Himalayan, Dehradun is one of
the most visited tourist destinations in India. Surrounded by
beautiful hills, doon valleys and dense forests, city welcomes
tourists to come and enjoy real world of nature.
Robber's Cave
Guchhupani is one of the names of Robber's cave, situated at the
distance of 8 km from the city center. It is 600 meters long cave
having small river inside it.
Forest Research Institute
It is well known institute in the field of forestry, which is being
run by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education. It was
established in 1906 and chosen deemed university by the UGC. It has
also museum on forestry that is open from 9:30am to 5:00pm.



Malsi Deer Park
It is one of most visited tourist destinations, located at the
distance of just 10 km from Dehradun. Situated at the foothills of
Shivalik ranges, it is a mini-zoological park surrounded by
beautiful objects of nature, that makes it best place for picnic.
Tapovan
Situated at the bank of
river Ganga, it is one of the holiest places
for Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, it is the place where Kaurava's Guru Dronacharya has undergone penance.
Sahastradhara
Sahastradhara, which means, the 'thousand springs' is one of the
best picnic spots. It is a eye pleasing waterfall of 9 meters, that
attracts the tourists. Place has also Sulphur spring famous for its
medicinal value, it is believed that it cares skin disease.
Sai Darbar
As the name suggests temple is dedicated to lord Sai Baba, it is
located on Rajpur road.
Tapkeshwar Temple
It is one of the oldest temples in Dehradun, dedicated to lord
Shiva, it is at the distance of 5.5 km from city bus-stand and well
connected by road. A fair is organized every year on the occasion of
Shivratri. As the name suggests, temple is named Tapkeshwar as water
droplets from rocks falls on shivling and gives it marvelous look.
Laxman Siddha Temple
It is just 12 km from Dehradun. According to Hindu mythology, it is
the place where after killing the Ravana, lord Rama's younger
brother Laxmana has undergone penance..
Darbar Shri Guru Ram Rai
This place has historical significance from the time of Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb. The Sikh guru Ram Rai ji, the eldest son of the
Seventh Sikh Guru Har Rai Ji, stayed here in 1676 and now it has
changed into pilgrimage place for Sikhs.