Mussoorie – Popular Hill Station of the North

Hi since on my visit to Mussoorie I was largely indoors attending the policy making workshop I still managed to get some shots of the place…and I have compiled them in a gallery…Honestly as a school kid I remember after the vacations when we would come back most of my classmates would tell the teacher that they visited Mussoorie….Well its proximity to Delhi and the beautiful weather, landscapes and woods are some of the reasons a walk on the Mall road of Mussoorie feels more like a walk in Karol Bagh(for those not familiar with Delhi it’s an overcrowded bazaar of Delhi mostly frequented by the Punjabi community living in the vicinity). As a little over dressed Punjabi lady yelled at her six year old whining kid my mind had a feeling of Déjà vu…

Mussoorie is beautiful with great views of the Doon Valley and the hills….Infact the best part was the feeling of being one with the clouds they were so close you could touch them with your hands… There are the common tourist places like the Camel’s Back Road, Gun Hill(400mts above The Mall and it is the second highest peak of Mussoorie), lal Tibba(highest point in mussoorie )…  the ideal thing to do is to spend your time soaking in the nature and being with yourself with a book … the silence can be breathed in literally along with the uplifting vibe.

I indulged in the bhutta (Corn) from the roadside which tasted just perfect with little raindrops from the drizzle….more so after a long and packed day with a lot of economics and public policy…. Most of my travels are about feeling the place with a lot of pictures (though this one was an exception) and shopping….Its not really about buying stuff since most of the stuff is easily available in Delhi its about getting back souvenirs that remind you of the place even though they might be something very small….My collection is made of hats, bags, chappals, art and sculptures that I have bought on my various travels….

And from Mussorie I bought lights and I clicked them too…they were just some beautiful pieces of colored glass and when a tealight burns inside them they can really light up the room….available in different colors I bought a red and a green from this shop called BUBBLES(they are better priced than the rest for sure)… Isn’t that a perfect name as the different shades of hanging light seemed more like the blown bubbles ( a favourite game that we used to play as kids) ….another interesting thing to pick up from here is candles….

The mall is where the energy is and its bustling with vacationers in the evenings especially… If you are looking for a more peaceful vacation close to this place then you should head to Dhanolti which is about 24 km or 15 miles from here…. That’s where the peace is in case you want to unwind away from the crowd though you can choose to not visit the mall…Mussoorie has a nice calming vibe with a perfect weather atleast July onwards for another ten months…. And if you are really looking for some adventure try the cable car ride that takes you from one hill to another … I missed it since it opens around 10 am and we had to head back to the hotel for the workshop starting at 9:30…may be next time and if you are new to India you could try the Pan ( a popular Indian mouth refreshment made of beetel leaves eaten after meals) here, believe me its as authentic as you get in Varanasi.

And as I prepare myself for my next trip tonight to Bhopal I look forward to some quiet time there….Until then take care.