About Dehradun, Uttarakhand
- Nestled in the mountain ranges of the Himalaya, Dehradun is one of the oldest cities of India and is the Provisional Capital of Uttaranchal (Now Uttarakhand) State.
- Also known as the ‘Adobe of Drona’, Dehradun has always been an important center for Garhwal rulers which was captured by the British.
- The headquarters of many National Institutes and Organizations like ONGC, Survey Of India, Forest Research Institute, Indian Institute of Petroleum etc are located in the city.
- Some of the premier educational and Training Institutes like Indian Miltary Academy, RIMC (Rashtriya Indian Military College), Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Lal Bahadur Shahstri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA)etc are also there in Dehradun.
- It is a favoured tourist destination as it attracts tourists, pilgrims and enthusiasts from various walks of life to its serene environs.
- Add to this the abundance of special Basmati rice, tea and leechi gardens which contribute in turning the city into a paradise.
- The district is named after its chief city Dehra Dun. Dehra appears to be a corruption of dera signifying a temporary abode or camp.
- During the reign of Aurangzeb, Ram Rai, Guru of the Udasi Sikhs on being ordered by the Mughal king to retire to the wilderness of the Dun, had pitched his tents here in what is now the Khurbura locality of the town and has also built a temple near Dhanawala.
- Around these two sites, grew up the town popularly known as Dehra. The term dun or doon means the low lands at the foot of a mountain range, and as the bulk of the district lies in such a terrain, it justified the dun part of the name.
- Another derivation of the term dun is stated to be from Dronashram, hermitage of Guru Dronacharya of Mahabharata fame, who sojourned for a season in the village of Devara, situated near to Dehra to perform his devotions at a lonely spot.
How to Reach Dehradun
By Air
The capital city Dehradun has its own domestic airport named Jolly Grant Airport. Located at the outskirts of the city, the airport lies only 25kms away. Daily flight operates to and from Delhi, which is the nearest international airport. Delhi is connected by air to all the major Indian cities like: Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata etc.
By Road
An extensive network comprised of National Highways, Sate Highways, and metalled motorable roads make Dehradun easily accessible from any part of northern India. A few prominent cities, which have road connections to Dehradun, are: Agra (381kms), Delhi (235kms), Jaipur (493kms), Lucknow (582kms).
By Rail
Dehradun itself is a key railway station in northern part of India. Almost all metro cities in India like: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata have direct trains to Dehradun. Several important trains also connect the city with Varanasi, Lucknow , Mussoorie and so on.