Dehradun

Dehradun is a city in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand , and also its capital. The city derives its name from two words - ‘Dera’ meaning home and ‘Doon’ meaning valley, as it lies in the valleys between the Himalayas and the Shivaliks in the region. 

Dehradun is surrounded by hilly terrains and greenery, and has various beautiful places of interest. Here are the top places to see in Dehradun –

• Sahastradhara – A waterfall (name translates to “thousand threads – as the water looks like numerous threads falling)
• Robber’s Cave – A beautiful limestone formation
• Malsi Deer Park
• Assan Barange – A beautiful artificial lake, which attracts various species of birds. A great place for bird-watching, strolls or picnics
• Rajaji National Park
• Clock Tower Dehradun
• Shikhar Falls
• Trekking and Hiking Trails like Har ki Dun, Bali Pass

• Tapkeshwar Temple
• Mindrolling Monastery
• Tapovan Temple
• Ram Rai Gurudwara
• Kalinga War Memorial

• Soham Himalayan Centre
• Kasmanda Palace Museum
• Forest Research Institute Museum
• Agrakalpa Art Gallery

Major festivals celebrated in Dehradun include the following –

• Holi – Festival of colours; celebrated in March
• Nag Panchami
• Dussehra – A 10-day festival, worshipping goddess Durga
• Diwali – Festival of lights; celebrated in October-November

Dehradun has various markets and shopping spots where people can buy souvenirs and things like brass artifacts, beautiful shawls, local spices, clothes, funky accessories and handicraft work. Here are some of the best market places in Dehradun –

• Paltan Bazaar (especially for lovely brass items)
• Tibetan Market
• Indira Market
• Astley Hall (Furniture pieces)
• Rajpur Road (clothes – esp. affordable sportswear)
• Arhat Bazaar (spice marts)
• Himalayan Weavers (for Pashmina shawls and other handwoven clothes)

• Pacific Mall Dehradun
• Doon One
• Times Square Mall
• Crossroads Mall

Public transport within the city includes buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws. Besides these, a metro train system called the Uttarakhand Metro is being built to serve the city - this is a light rapid transit system for people to travel in, connecting various major areas within Dehradun.

Uttarakhand is known for its delicious north-Indian local dishes (from Uttarakhand’s cuisine) as well as its lip-smacking street food! Here are some must-try foods in Dehradun –

• Channa Puri (or Chhole Bhature) – Chhole/Channa means cooked chickpeas curry and Puri/Bhature mean deep fried flatbread made from unleavened whole-wheat dough
• Bun Tikki
• Paneer Samosa – A variation of the famous Samosa that usually stuffed with potato curry, this Crispy stuffed snack, with fresh cottage cheese is popular in Uttarakhand
• Paratha – Stuffed flatbreads
• Pakodas (Pakoras) – vegetables (or meat) dipped in gram flour batter and deep fried; served with spicy and flavorful chutneys to dip them in!

Following is a list of some of best restaurants in Dehradun to try the local delicacies as well as other interesting foods and meals –

• Muse Restaurant
• Black Pepper Restaurant
• The Tavern
• Kalsang
• Y Cafe and Restaurant
• Punjab Grill
• Prez Restaurant
• The Garage Dine-In
• Mirabilia Restaurant
• Onyx
• Flavours
• Punjab Restaurant

Here are some of the best hotels in Dehradun for a comfortable stay -

• Four Points by Sheraton Dehradun
• Lemon Tree Hotel, Dehradun
• Ramada by Wyndham Dehradun Chakrata Road
• Hotel Grand Legacy
• Treebo Trend Blessing Bells Hotel
• Hotel Saffron Leaf
• Treebo Trend Grand Legacy Elite
• Hotel Rajpur Heights
• Divine Paradise Homestay
• Ribera Resort

Dehradun also has various good bars and pubs with good food, drinks and ambience, for people to hang out during late hours. Some of these include –

• Bristal Bar
• The Great Indian Pub
• Hill Queen Restro Bar Cafe
• Nirvana Party Lounge
• The DugOut – Sports Grill Bar & Lounge
• The Terrace
• Town Table
• QB Lounge

Dehradun city STD Code – 0135 (to be used before dialling numbers from a number that is not locally registered).

Common emergency numbers:

• Police –100
• Fire – 101
• Ambulance – 102
• Women Helpline – 1090
• AIDS Helpline – 1097
• Child Helpline – 1098

Hindi is the official state language of Dehradun. English is also used.

Hindi:

• Welcome - Svagat
• How are you? - Aap kaise hai?
• What's your name? - Aapka naam kya hai?
• I don't know - Mujhe nahi pata
• I don't understand - Mein samjha nahi
• Thank you - Dhanyavad