MUSSOORIE THE QUEEN OF THE HILLS

A beautiful view of Mussoorie

Area                           :      64.25 sq. km.

Altitude                      :      2005.5 meters above sea level

Population                :      29,319 approx (according to 2001 census)

STD code                 :      0135

Climate                     :      Summer- Maximum- 23* C

                                       Minimum - 10* C

                                       Winter - Maximum- 10* C

                                       Minimum - 1* C

                                       Rain – 180 cm

Accessibility             :      Air- The nearest airport is Jolly grant which is 24 km from Dehradun.

                                       Rail-The nearest railway station is Dehradun which is 34 km.

Distance from Delhi :      280 km NH 58.

A beautiful view of Mussoorie

The heavenly bliss which is known as the Queen of the Hills was once a lush forest comprising of oak, rhododendron and deodar where the people of Bhatta and Kyarkuli villages grazed their cattle. One particular Mansoor shrub (cororiana nepalensis) grew in abundance hence the  villagers named the ridge as Mansuri. There were about seven flat lands on which cattle sheds of the villagers existed and the narrow Surkanda-Bhadraaj pilgrimage route dissected the ridge. The same track, which is said to be once overflowed by six natural springs, is the present Mall Road. The Bhatta and Kyarkuli villages still exist as gateways on the Dehradun-Mussoorie highway. It was during the year 1826 that Captain Frederick Young of the Sirmour Battalion ventured out on a horse from Rajpur into the Mansuri ridge. As the region was rich in exotic flora and fauna, Captain Young, along with Sir F.J. Shore, built a shooting box around the Camel's Back Road area. Later, Captain Young made the first residence in Mansuri which he named Mullingaar after his county in Ireland. The pleasing climate of the ridge, which bear a  resemblance very much to that of Irish and Scottish highlands, was chosen as best for a healthy sojourn and subsequently, the Landour Sanitarium was established. The talks about the newly found hill resort soon got spread to the farthest and many more Brits, that included officers of the East India Company, renowned writers, artists and entrepreneurs followed suit resulting into the formation of Landour and Mussoorie township. Eventually Mansuri of the local Jaunpuris became a haven for pleasure and gaiety with the Queen of the Hills as its new identity. The fun and galore that enthralled the days and nights of Mussoorie eventually lured the princes and the nawabs of the Indian states who left no stone unturned to acquire striking locations where they got built their impressive chateaus and bungalows which still exists in and around the town. The Queen of the Hills stretches majestically east-westwards overlooked by the Greater Himalayas in the north and cradled by the vast Doon Valley in the south and thus forming a buffer zone between the ultra modern life of the plains and the tribal belt of Jaunpur-Jaunsaar. Gradually, the Hillman from the villages of neighboring Garhwal, business community from the plains and the Gorkhali people began immigrating in pursuit of commercial opportunities. After the Chinese occupation of Tibet in the year 1959 a number of Tibetans got settled in the Happy Valley area turning Mussoorie into a harmonious culmination of a unique social setup. However, the very essence of the Queen of the Hills is loaded with the romance and charm of the colonial times which still beckons through its tranquility.