Dalhousie – Switzerland in India

History

Dalhousie is a beautiful hill station in Himachal Pradesh. Established in 1854 by the British Empire in India as a summer retreat for its troops and bureaucrats, the town was named after Lord Dalhousie who was the British viceroy in India at that time.

It is built on and around five hills. Located on the western edge of the Dhauladhar mountain range of the Himalayas, it is surrounded by the beautiful scenery of snow-capped peaks. Dalhousie is situated between 6,000 and 9,000 feet above sea level. The best time to visit is in the summer, and the peak tourist season is from May to September. Scottish and Victorian architecture is prevalent in the bungalows and churches in the town.

Dalhousie is a gateway to the ancient Chamba Hill State, now Chamba District of the state of Himachal Pradesh of India. This hill region is a repository of ancient Hindu culture, art, temples, and handicrafts preserved under the longest-running single dynasty since the mid-6th century. Chamba is the hub of this culture. Bharmour, the ancient capital of this kingdom, is home to the Gaddi and Gujjar tribes and has 84 ancient temples dating from the 7th–10th century AD.

Weather

It is usually warm in the morning and afternoon in June–July and gets cold early in the evening and quite cold at night. Woollen clothes and jackets are required. T-shirts can be worn only in the morning if the sun is out and it is not cloudy. The weather becomes very cold if it rains.

Dalhousie - A hill station in the state of Himachal Pradesh (India) - truly justifying it's location with one of the very few travel destinations maintaining it's raw and untouched natural beauty . This is a place you would like to visit again and again...not because there is anything great here. In fact, there is nothing in particular , the tranquility and peace of the place mesmerizes you. The beauty of Himalayas is in full swing. You get carried away if you stay in a crowded metro of India and want to escape the hustle bustle of busy city life. Invariably, evenings and nights are cloudy and rainy but mornings are clear.

We stayed in a cottage and the view from the balcony was especially breath taking. We had gone there with the whole family and members of different age groups enjoyed. We went to KHAJJIHAR( known as "Mini Switzerland" in India) which was 45 minutes drive from the main city . There is provision for para gliding,horse riding etc. but for the former, direction of wind is important .However, there is serious shortage of good restaurants and hotels in the area. We found that we could only eat at Kwality which was a reasonably decent and hygienic eating joint. Hiring a cottage and in house cooking will be better option to make your holidays truly enjoyable .

Destination is advisable for Nature-lovers and trekkers.

Places to see:

1. Subhash bauli: A well from which Subhashchandra Bose used to drink water from, when he was in Dalhousie for sickness

2. Kalatop sanctuary: In winters, all the animals run away in jungle, and the houses are fully covered in snow!

3. Panchpula: Built in memory of a soldier (can’t remember his name). There is a waterfall nearby, accessible with a small climb.

4. Rock garden: A garden built only for rocks, not much to see

5. Satdhara: An idol at road side, where seven streams of water are combining.

Dalhousie is a quite town, recommended for new weds, for the cool atmosphere and peace it offers.

APPROACH

Air: The nearest airport is at Gaggal (Kangra), 140-km from Dalhousie.

Rail: The nearest railhead is Pathankot, which is well connected to Amritsar, Jammu, Delhi and Jalandhar.

Road: Onward journey from Pathankot to Chamba and Dalhausie is by road. Punjab and Himachal Roadways run services, as do private operators.