As committed the driver came to our hotel at about 5.30 AM and asked us to be ready by 6 AM. He went to take fuel.
He pointed it out, ” there are two ways to reach Dehradun but we will go via Kaladungi – the shortest route from here – Dehradun is located at a distance of 275 Km. and it will take at least 8 hours to reach there. ”
The driver hailed from Andhra State, very young chap behaving very nicely. We left at about 6.30AM.
Seeing the children he said to us to sit calm and quit, not to shout, not to talk even unless or until he finished the curved roads of Kaladungi Hills about 20Km in all.
At both the sides of the roads we noticed a number of apple, mango and lichi gardens and the watchmen at the gates. The driver stopped at one tea stall and said to us to take tea and biscuits. We stayed there for half an hour, walked around to regain the physical fitness.
We left and reached the main road – perhaps so far as I remember NH 74. The car took its speed on the main road. I was sitting in the front seat and noticed the speedo meter, the indicating needle was in between 90 – 100 /Km /per hour. Everyone was sitting calm and quit, no talking or gossiping from behind. I had never travelled in life in such a speedy car. The car stopped just in front of a hotel and the driver opening our doors said, “ Just see your hotel before your eyes and please get down quickly as I have to go back to New Delhi. We got down quickly and paid him the fare with thanks. We introduced ourselves and asked to open our reserved rooms.
We reached our rooms and laid down to take rest. Bablu, my second son, went out and came back soon.
He said to us, “ Just beside the hotel there is a cinema hall and a good movie is going on. The most of the shooting was done in Mussoorie – a beautiful hill station located nearby – where we will be visiting after 3 days. Let us go to see it. Hurry up.
My eldest son asked, “ What’s the name of the movie?”
“ Jo Jita Wahi Sikandar, Aamir Khan is the hero.”
We rushed to cinema hall except my wife and saw this movie from 3.30PM to 6.30PM. It was really a very good movie. Excellent role by Aamir Khan. I was surprised to see the management of sitting arrangement, only one man controlling all the people. Nobody was at the gate, one can sit at own seat according to the number of his/her ticket
From a distance he was watching the vacant seats only, counting one by one and getting tallied with the total number of tickets already sold and that of the viewers occupying their seats class wise.
It was my first impression about Dehradun and its people. We enjoyed the movie together and came back to hotel. We took vegetable polao, tandoori roti, mixed vegetable, and panir butter masala.
The dishes were very tasteful. We made programme to visit Sahastradhara first.
Early in the morning we bathed and came to the dining hall. We ordered for Aloo Paratha and curd only as it was a popular breakfast in Dehradun.
We hired a taxi and reached Sahastradhara within half an hour.
It is located at a distance of about 15 km from the heart of Dehradun city, one of the most attractive place for the tourists.
Sahastradhara means a thousand fold spring. It is really a very beautiful spring. Its water near the fall is crystal clear. Just beside there is a Shiva Ling in the Shiva temple. The peculiarity is that the door of the temple faces east. I noticed that the sunrays fell on the Shiva Ling as soon as the Sun rises in the east.
There is a small hydroelectricity plant that produces electricity to fulfil the need of the people to some extent. We bathed in the clean water of the water fall of Sahastradhara and after that worshipped Lord Shiva in the temple. Somebody told us that Pt. Nehru used to visit this place whenever he came to Dehradun.
We took rice, rajma fried and curd and salad in lunch. In Nanital rajma is used as dal in place of common dal fried.
We came back to hotel at about 4 PM.
2. Paltan Bazaar: We took rest and in the evening we went to nearby local main market Paltan bazaar. The bazaar is famous for Dehradun Basmati rice of different quality, spices and woollen garments at cheaper rate.
3. Indian Military Academy: The next morning after taking breakfast left for Indian Military Academy located at a distance of about 10 Km from our hotel. We hired a taxi for whole day.
IMA was started on and from 1st. October 1932. It is an icon of Indian Defence Ministry.
It was established to prepare the most dignified and competent military officers for army.
After selection the NDA cadets are taught, trained and shaped to execute their duty and responsibility in the defence and security of the country.
It plays a vital role in preparing the cadets for better defence services for the cause of the nation in the hours of need.
4. Mall Road: It is situated in the heart of the city. It is a very big market complex. All types of house appliances and electronics goods are sold here beside others.
5. Malsi Deer Park: It is situated at a distance of about 10 Km from the city. We saw the various breeds and different ages of deer walking freely without fear in the park. The children enjoyed here like anything.
6. Tapkeshwar Mahadeva Temple: It is situated in the outskirts of the busy city life of Dehradun. It is located in a very quit and calm place of Dehradun. During the period of Maha Shivaratri the devotees from the different parts of the state come here to worship Lord Mahadeva.
7. Robbers Cave: It is located at a distance of about 8 Km from the city centre. This place is surrounded with green trees and green mountains. We saw the cave inside and came out. It is also a worth seeing place of Dehradun. It is one of the most beautiful and most suitable picnic spots of Dehradun District of Uttarakhand State.
When we returned, we were almost exhausted and tired of covering so many worth seeing places in one day. We took some samosa outside in a sweet shop and tea. We paid the driver and relieved him of his duty at about 6 PM. We thanked the driver for his good driving and taking us the worth seeing places as per our schedule.
We walked around the main market and noticed that the people here in Dehradun were very co-operative, well-disciplined and of helping attitude. They follow the traffic rules in the right perspective and also ask the new comers from the different states of the country to follow the same while travelling on foot or by any conveyance. It is a rare thing that we noticed here in Dehradun.
We came to hotel at about 9 PM. Our meal was ready. We paid the bill and asked the manager to book a Maruti Van early in the morning at 6 for Mussoorie trip.
We informed the manager that we would come back by 8 PM and will take dinner in the hotel by 9 PM.
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Writer: Durga Prasad. Date: 31st March 2015, Day: Tuesday. Time: 6.20 PM.
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