Dalhousie…..
St. John's Church at Gandhi Chowk
Dalhousie, named after Lord Dalhousie, is an enchanting little town, with a colonial hangover. Thick forests, wildlife, tranquil ambience and refreshing views of the far mountains draped in snow, attract nature-lovers and tourists alike.
Set on five hills and facing the Pir Panjal range, one can catch spectacular views of the Ravi, Beas and Chenab rivers, from certain vantage points. Fold after fold of mountains, snow-capped and pristine, and spectacular landscape of Dalhousie sure warrants a visit.
Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India
HISTORY
When the British annexed Punjab in 1849 their Chief Engineer, Lt. Col. Napier was inspired by the surrounding natural beauty and aptly chose the land at the foot of the Dhauladhar range as a place to carve a town out of a hillside. Thirteen square miles were marked out and rented from the Raja of Chamba in 1853.
Sir David McLeod (of McLeodganj fame) named the hill station after Lord Dalhousie, then Viceroy General of India. There was soon a sanitarium that Lord Dalhousie and many of the British visited regularly to rejuvenate them selves. In the 1920’s, it was a favorite holiday spot, especially with the elite Punjabi community who traveled up from Lahore.
It was a cheaper and arguably more attractive alternative to Shimla. After the partition of India most of the local Muslim population migrated to Pakistan and it also lost the patronage of the British. Dalhousie suffered an economic slump for many years. In 1954, at Dalhousie’s centennial celebrations, Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru tried to encourage tourism with “Let us go to the Himalayas”.
He also chose Dalhousie as a place of refuge for several thousand Tibetans after China invaded Tibet in 1959. Now a part of the state of Himachal Pradesh, Dalhousie has recently been re-discovered by travelers and tourists (who can no longer visit unsafe Kashmir). It is also a current favorite with the Hindi film industry – watch 1942-A Love Story.
Snow fall view
After rain the beauty of nature
ENTERTAINMENT
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 Subhash Chowk and St. John’s Church at Gandhi Chowk. .
Subhash Baoli (1 km)
It was at this enchanting spot surrounded by majestic trees, that Subhash Chandra Bose spent a lot of time in 1937, contemplating and meditating.
Panchpula (3 km)
This is a picturesque spot where a stream feeds a series of pools. A monument has been built here in memory of the freedom fighter, Sardar Ajit Singh.
Kalatop (10 km)
This wild life sanctuary is a home to the ‘ghoral’ and Himalayan black bear.
This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and was built more than 150 years ago. The temple enshrines a beautiful image of Lord Vishnu. The temple is frequented by local devotees. The temple is located in Sadar Bazar approximately 200 mtrs. from Subhash Chowk.
How To Reach
By Air
The nearest airports are at Gaggal near Dharamsala, Amritsar and Jammu, all of which are within a circuit of 130 km to 190 km. Tourist taxis and buses are available from the respective three destinations for transfer to Dalhousie.
By Rail
Catch the Jhelum Express, Jammu-Delhi Express or Himachal Express to Pathankot. Railway station: Pathankot, 80 km away, is the nearest railhead for Dalhousie. From here, it is a two-hour uphill drive by taxi, car or bus.
By Road
Himachal Pradesh Tourism runs deluxe buses from Shimla and Dharamsala to Dalhousie. Fares range between Rs 150 and Rs 500. Road routes are good via Ambala or Patiala to Pathankot. Even though the roads are not very broad, the drive upto Dalhousie is quite comfortable. Bus terminus: The bus stand is a 10-minute walk down the road from Subhash Chowk, near the Tourist Information Office.
Enjoy The beauty
CLIMATE
awesome view
Summers are fairly pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 12? C to 25? C. Winters are extremely cold, with temperatures dipping as low as 2? C to 10? C.
Bird View
Tibetan Buddhist painting on a rock surface in Dalhousie
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