A perfect hilly escape
The view of the Himalayas from Missouri
The chill in the air was in place. The warm sunshine’s embrace in the afternoons was infectious. The sending of icicles like conifer tops against a cold spewing sky was inspiring. The red cheeks of the local kids on the way to Missouri were reassuring of the hospitality. The blue and green of the undulating mountainous skyline was scenic order exemplified in a wild green chaos. Discovered by Captain Young, an adventurous military officer in 1827, Missouri has become a Mecca for the tourists especially from the north India, both young and old. And having visited the palce just last week, I can see the reason why. While Captain Young was lured by the extraordinarily beautiful ridge that connected the “Gangotri” and the “Yamunotri” shrines here, the Indian traveler looks for more here.
Missouri – The queen of hill stations in India
A surprised wife in Cafe Coffee day at the Mall Road, Missouri
A trip during winters in Dehradun and Missouri blurs the infectious metro fatigue like a drop of water on a blotting paper. Only the people from the Metros, unmindful of the bliss they gainfully reap in such heavenly abode, ransack it with their noise and litter. Known to attract local tourists mostly, Missouri the ‘queen of the hill stations in India’ is located at an altitude of 6000 feet above the mean sea level and is reached from the capital of the newly formed capital city of the Indian state of Uttranchal, Dehradun by a motorable road in about two hours. Known for its affable climate and sanatoriums during the British time, the city has changed a lot since then. Not very far away from New Delhi (about six hours by a car), it has remained one of the favourite weekend getaways for the middle class Indian tourist during summers to seek a temporary solace from the intense heat of the plains and a cuddly snow getting haven during the winters.
Indian tourists – please grow up!
The tourists give the city its prosperity. And in return the locals play their hosts, giving them what they aspire to get in a hill station: Food, place to stay and shopping options. And the nature provides them the rest: A picturesque horizon, excellent viewpoints and a salubrious climate to rejuvenate. So, if I found the city on its knees for want of a little bit of hygiene, it was entirely due to the visitors. Just to cite an example, I found many tourists sitting on the backs of mules and horses trotting the umbilical Mall road gorging on roasted peanuts and throwing the shells shamelessly, with their husbands noisily clearing their throats and spiting incessantly on the road walking behind them, their fat bellies rolling bottles of ingested beer. Whenever I see such sights, which is almost always when I try to observe the public civic behavior anywhere across the length and breadth of the country, I feel disheartened. So, on that score Missouri too failed.
What to see in Missouri
I, my wife, my MIL's sister and daughters, Leah and Jeanie, posing in front of Kempty waterfalls
Missouri has a lot to offer to the worn out spirit of a city traveler: from beautiful ‘Kempty waterfalls’ and ‘company garden’ with variety of flowering plants in its green house amidst a small pond to pedal a boat on payment at both places, on its outskirts, to, the accessible-by-cable-car ‘Gun Pont’ at 7000 feet putting on display a panoramic view of the white Himalayan mountain range around the city’s highest British made water tank, the mall road with shops next to each other on one side and a serene valley lying peacefully on one side and the boisterous mood of the desi tourists abound noisily keep your mood in place, in the heart of the city. But not the standard list of the tourist’s itinerary bind you down, please allow your spirit of adventure and imagination to run amok in the wilderness beyond the areas frequented by tourists. I have a suggestion here: Go for walks on the mountain roads whichever direction you feel like early in the morning. I took a two hour long walk from the mall road to the town of Landour and back. It felt heavenly. Every camera angle is breathtaking, every view to the eye is enchanting and every horizon is awe inspiring.
Ruskin Bond and Missouri
Behind me is the town of Landour where Ruskin Bond stays. Notice the early morning moon in the sky
While all of us know that the famous Indian writer of British decent, Ruskin Bond, who has chosen to make the town of Missouri as his home and has enthralled millions of readers ( me included) lives here, not many know that he actually stays in a small cottage in the town of Landour, about 10 KM from the Mall road. I spoke to him on our arrival and sought appointment. My 11 years old daughter Jeanie, a fan of the septuagenarian, was very excited when he agreed to meet us the next day. Sadly, when I contacted him the next day, he said he has to suddenly go out of town. So, the copies of two titles that we bought the previous day were left un-autographed. He has given us so much, even if we don’t meet him, his stories will continue to inspire and entertain us, is what I had said to Jeanie that day. I think over period of time she has gotten over the disappointment. For, the stories, which my daughter is reading even today, I am certain, have all the potential to make up for the loss.
My familly with Landour behind them
Winter, Whiskey and Golf
With the Seagram’s ‘Something Special’ firing the inside (God bless my hosts!) and the electric hearth firing the outside, the evening chill of 0 degrees at Missouri and 3 degrees at Dehradun seemed far away. And after a train of excellent eats that I popped ever greedily, it just didn’t feel like peak winter at all.
I am not a keen golfer so had to turn down the offer for a game each day in the mornings. Instead, an avid walker, I enjoyed the long walks on the winding roads, going up and down the mountainous road, catching the first warm rays of the sun in snatches during the stretch. But on the last day of my stay, giving in to an insistent daughter, I gave in and agreed to visit the 9 hole expanse of the greens along with our host. Nestled amidst tall and protective cypress trees, we practiced in the ground for a while until my daughter gave up, to the collective relief of all of us, the caddy included.
Must sees in Dehradun
Indian forest Research Institute
Posing in front of a stem section of a 704 year old Deodar tree in the Museum at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun
The construction of the building was initiated by the Raj in 1900. And Lord Irwin, the erstwhile Governor General of India, inaugurated the building, built on the Greek- Roman theme and covering a sprawling land area of 7 acres, in 1906, as Imperial Forest Research Institute. The guide that we hired (costs only 50 Indian Rupees) informed us that the forest research building is the second largest in the world and was built under the supervision of one CG Blomfield without any cement or iron. The campus of the institute that has over 400 types of trees is spread over an area of 1200 acres. The building has a total of six museums and these are called Pathology Museum, Social forestry museum, Silviculture Museum, Timber Museum, Non-wood product forest products Museum and Entomology Museum. In addition, it has well equipped laboratories, library, herbarium, arboreta, printing press and experimental field areas for conducting forestry research.
Keep aside at least three hours of education and entertainment.
Beautiful coridors , Forest research Institure, Dehradun
War memorial at the Indian Military Academy
The War memorail near Chetwode hall at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun
Chetwode Hall is the most prestigious building at the Indian Military Academy campus. Red, black and white coloured in appearance, it has many facilities for the young and enterprising cadets at the Academy before they don the military uniform and get ready to fight for the nation. The most remarkable is the museum in its main auditorium that has many interesting pictures of the time gone by and the weapons used by our fighting predecessors. The most interesting are the green coloured chandeliers that were presented to the academy by the King of Hyderabad before independence and which add grandeur hanging from the high ceiling even to this day.
Close to the Chetwode hall is the War memorial which is a must visit. Bathed in silence is the statue of a brave Army officer that instills a rare to be felt confidence in the visiter. It indeed is a overwhelming feeling to read the names of numerous officers of the academy who have laid down their lives for us - us Indians. You won't shed a tear here, I am sure, but surely will bow down to the immortality of the statue. Join me in saluting the real heroes.
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Thanks santhemant ,
Yes, I have seen the ICS ( now IAS ) academy there. Dittoe for Savoy and the Cecille. In fact on the Dhanuti road, The Claridges is a good place to stay.
Will try to look up for more in the next visit.
Just posted a comment on your blog too.
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thanks.please visit my travellogues at my page.
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Thanks santheman,
I did see the ICS ( now IAS) training center at Mussorie. Also the Savoy and Cecillee. In fact, on the Dhanulti road, Claridges too is great place to viist, or stay.
Many thanks for your kind comments and info. Have you stayed there? Looks like it. Lucky you! I was there only for three nights and four days. But would like to get back more often.
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Mussourie it is.It also has the indian adminstrative services older ICS 's training center at Library end with the age old Savoy hotel all wooden at the hill top there .You may not miss the Cecille hotel old and the new JP residency.Dhanaulti and Surkhanda devi -3000metres ht.ahead to east ,are pristine places to see himalayas esp.a hill top hotel at Chamba tehri or Buraskhanda spot in the jungles on the main road...
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