Dehradun is the capital city of Uttarakhand. The name of this city is derived from two words, Dehra meaning “temporary settlement” and Dun meaning “a valley in the Himalayas”. In one of the ancient texts of India called the Skanda Purana, it is mentioned that the present-day Dehradun is a part of the Kedarkhand (the home of Shiva). In the great Indian epic Mahabharata, it has been said that Dronacharya, the guru of Pandavas and Kauravas, lived here.
Dehradun is known as the educational hub of India as it is home to many premier schools in the country such as Doon School, Welham Girls School and Indian Military College.
Things to do in Dehradun
There are many natural landscapes like springs, waterfalls and caves that you can explore in Dehradun. For history lovers, this city has temples that you can visit. You can also trek to nearby valleys to be closer to nature.
Tourist attractions in Dehradun
There is a cave called the Robber’s cave if you want to dip your feet in the water and relax. To calm your senses and relax your mind, visit the Mindrolling monastery. Some of the other places to visit are the Forest Research Institute, Sahastradhara, Mahadev Temple and Har ki Dun.
Places to shop in Dehradun
Take an evening walk through the Paltan Bazaar and checkout local woollen garments and the local variety of Basmati rice. For bookworms, visiting The English Book Depot is the best thing that one can ask for. The depot has a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. Rajpur Road is the most popular shopping destination in Dehradun with three malls – Crossroads Mall, Parsvnath Mall and Pacific Mall to cater to your needs.
Best time to visit Dehradun
The best time to visit Dehradun is during the winter season, which starts in November and ends in February. If you do not prefer cold weather, then April to June is also a good time to explore this beautiful city.
Modes of transport
Dehradun is well-connected to other cities through rail and road. For intracity travel, the best option is to hire an auto-rickshaw or a cab.
Weather in Dehradun
Summers in Dehradun are hot with temperatures reaching up to 44 degrees while winters are cold. During monsoon, Dehradun experiences heavy rainfall.
Airport in Dehradun
IndiGo operates several domestic flights to and from the Jolly Grant Airport or Dehradun Airport (IATA: DED). To checkout IndiGo flights from this airport, visit IndiGo’s flight schedule page on its website.