The beauty of the British hill stations
By Joanne Lane
It`s easy to see why the British chose Mussoorie as an escape from the plains. With its cool alpine climate at 2000m, virgin pine forests and snow tipped peaks it`s almost like not being in India... which after all was the whole point of the hill station. British colonials in India created little England`s where they could have gardens, escape the maladies of the dusty, dirty plains and follow pursuits that reminded them of home - dancing, walking, eating, horse riding, hunting... Mussoorie was discovered in 1823 by a Captain Young and by the mid 1840s had become an established hill station for the wealthy British elite. Today it is still a peaceful town with English speaking shop keepers, wonderful trails into the mountains for hiking, small villages tucked away in the hills and chai (tea) shops with steaming brews. People are still attracted by its cooler climate and more than 100 hotels jostle for views over the Doon Valley. But today it is holidaying Indian families and honeymooners who come to enjoy its attractions. In the summer months the population of the town swells with visitors and the streets become alive with candy and popcorn sellers. Men push around prams for families with children. Horses carry other children for rides along the top of the ridge. A cable car and ferris wheel entertain tourists. Men fan fires and turn corn in them then sprinkle salt and butter liberally on top. The wealthier of these visiting Indians have now purchased houses on the hilltop to use as summer retreats like the British once did. But there are still some vestiges of British raj days remaining too. Firstly there is still a high foreign population. Missionaries and other foreign nationals have based here for work. There is also a Language School at Sister`s Bazaar for foreigners wanting to learn Hindi and so it has become a student centre also. Near the school is the Prakash general store where cheese, peanut butter, jam and home made bread and other western products are available. There is still a high level of English spoken in the town and a renowned international school that teaches in English medium - Woodstock International School. There are also some beautiful colonial hotels and homes that remain from British days. Among these are two hotels - the Kasmanda Palace and Carlton Plaisance where you can stay as a guest and experience the days of the British Raj first hand. Carlton Plaisance was originally built as a chateau in the late 1800s. It was owned by Mr Forbes of the East India Company who married the daughter of the Nawab of Oudh who had a French-Belgian mother. Mr Forbes built the estate for his wife Eileen. Today it is a cosy family-run hotel with a truly Victorian ambience. Period furniture, animal rugs, stuffed snarling tigers and high tea in the garden help set the scene. There are four acres of grounds here with orchards, hillside and garden. There are eight rooms (4 doubles and 4 suites) inside the house. The Kasmanda Palace is the only place in Mussoorie still owned by royalty. The Anglo-French house was bought in 1915 as a summer retreat from the hot plains of Lucknow. It became a Sanatorium for the British forces and later was one of the first schools in Mussoorie. In 1915 it became the summer retreat of the royal family of Kasmanda who still own it today. There are 15 rooms in all sprinkled with elements of hunting days, family portraits and long staircases. OTHER THINGS TO DO
Mussoorie is also home to a large Tibetan community. Mussoorie was the first town the Dalai Lama settled in when he came to India and the number of refugees here is still high. Happy Valley is the centre of this community. You can get good handicrafts here and the best Tibetan momo`s (stuffed pastries) in town. Above the town of Mussoorie the road leads to St Paul`s church and around to Lal Tibba where there are favulous views of the snow peaks when the weather is clear. You come across Sister`s Bazaar further along. Another road from the Mussoorie bazaar leads past Woodstock School and out on the Tehri Road to a series of chai (tea) stores and small communities. The views from this road on clear days is stupendous. You can see all the way down to Dehra Dun and the Ganges river in the valley below. HOW TO GET THERE
Mussoorie is two hours north of the Dehradun railway terminus where trains arrive from all over India. There are connections to Delhi and beyond daily. Buses or taxis connect Dehradun to Mussoorie regularly each day. Dehradun has an airport from where flights land from domestic centres. WHERE TO STAY
During the summer months you may find a huge hike in prices of hotels in Mussoorie. Try and visit in the off season from November to March although these months can be very cold. During the Diwali festival accommodation can also be difficult to find. The author was a researcher for Special Places to Stay: India edition 1 and visited the following properties listed below (also outlined in the text above):
Kasmanda Palace
tel. +91 135 2632 424
rooms: 15 - 9 doubles, 6 suites
price: Rs 1,700-2,000. Suites Rs 2,300
www.indianheritagehotels.com Carlton Plaisance
Tel. +91 135 2632 800
www.geocities.com/carltonhotels_india/
rooms: 8 - 4 doubles, 4 suites
price: Rs 1,500, Suites Rs 2,500-3,000 BOOK HERE |
