|
Dalhousie
In western Himachal Pradesh, the hill station of Dalhousie is full of 'Old world' charm and holds lingering echoes of the 'Raj'. It covers an area of about 14 sq. km and is built on five hills - Kathlog, Potreyn, Tehra, Bakrota and
Balun.
It is named after the British Governor - General of the l9th century, Lord Dalhousie. The town's height varies between
1,600 m and 2,400m, and it is surrounded by varied vegetation - pines,
deodars, oaks and flowering rhododendron. Dalhousie has charming colonial architecture, including some beautiful churches. Its location presents panoramic views of the plains - and like a long silverline, the river Ravi twists and turns below Dalhousie. The spectacular snow-covered Dhauladhar mountains are also visible from this enchanting town.
Dalhousie in my view is much less commercial than it's more known cousins
like Shimla and Manali. Therefore you have less hotels, less concrete
and even the jungles surrounding it are much more dense and green
How to Reach
Dalhousie
Air
There is no
direct flight for Dalhousie. You can end your air travel at Delhi,
Shimla or Chandigarh and now Pathankot (Air Deccan). From there onwards you can avail the bus or the
taxi services which takes about 2-3 hrs.
Roadways
Dalhousie
is well connected to all major cities by road. It is 70 km from
Rail
Nearest
station is at Pathankot or Chakki Banks about 70 km away.
What to See
Churches
There are four beautiful churches in Dalhousie. These are St. Andrew's
Church and St. Patrick's Church at Balun, St. Francis' Church at Subash
Chowk and St. John's Church at Gandhi Chowk.
Panchpula(3
km)
This is picturesque spot near Dalhosie where a stream feeds a series of pools. A
monument has been built here in memory of the freedman fighter, Sardar
Ajit Singh. The small stream flowing below adds a wonderful charm to the
place.
Subhash
Baoli (1 km)
It was at this enchaining spot surrounded by majestic trees, that
Subhash Chandra Bose spent a lot of time in 1937, contemplating and
mediating.
BaraPathar
(4 km)
There is a
small temple amidst a thick forest near Dalhousie.
Dalhousie
is a walker's paradise, so if you want to enjoy it to the hilt do not
forget to pack your walking shoes. One can go for soft treks around
Dalhousie as it is not crowded at all and the dense forest and the
beautiful weather give you ample opportunities to find your way through
the grass laden paths.
Around Dalhousie
Kalatop(10
km)
This wild life sanctuary is home to the 'ghoral' and Himalayan black
bear. One can also spot some leopards here.The thick forest and the
wonderful climate makes the visit special and animal lovers can
spend hours here on the specially built animal trails and if you are
lucky you may have a surprise catch to boast of back home. One can trek
to Kalatop from Lakkarmandi for about 3 km. Lakkarmandi
is home for dhogri
families that are engaged in charcoal making.
Khajjiar
(27 km)
Knowns as
'India's Switzerland', the saucer shaped plateau is surrounded by pine
and deodar forests with a lake in between. There is also a 12th century
Khajji Nag depicteing the Nag in a human form. the place gets a little
crowded in Summers as it is on every traveler's itinerary.
Chamba(55
km)
Chamba is
known for it's temples like Laxmi Narayan, a 10th century structure and
others like Vajreshwari temple said to be about 1000 years old. The
river Ravi also meanders through and it is surrounded by three mountain
ranges of Dhauladhars, the Pir Panjals and the Zanskar range. a
special feature of the town is the huge grassy lawns called 'Chowgan'.
The place has a lot to offer and is a must visit.
Weather
In winter,
the temperature can drop below freezing point when heavy woolens are
required. During the summer the climate is mild and light woo!lens
/cottons are recommended.
Shopping:
Located on
Thandi Sarak, the Himachal Handloom Industry Emporium has a collection
of woolden shawls. Made to order Tibetan carpets can be procured from
the Tibetan Handicrafts Centre. Besides carpets, Tibetan handicrafts
centre showroom sells bags, purses and other memorabilia. Private
shopkeepers, too, sell items of art and craft and woollen shawls
including Kashmiri.
Where
to stay
Hotels
and Resorts at Dalhousie
For bookings of
packages & Conferences call Seema 9891458220/Anand 9811193634 or email
us
|