God created man in his image and likeness and He created Mussoorie in the image and likeness of the Garden of Eden! The Mother Nature didn’t look back when it started immersing this plateau with allure and pulchritude. Beyond the limits of all human imaginations and par the boundaries of all the worldly lexicons if there exists a realm, it is Mussoorie. Nestled at the foothills of Himalayan cordillera in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, this jewel of north is a very well known hill resort of Northern India. Designated as the ‘Queen of the Hills’ and ‘the gateway to the Gangotri and Yamunotri Shrines’; Mussoorie is a municipal corporation of Dehradun District in the state of Uttarakhand. Stationed approximately 35 kilometers from the state capital Dehradun and nearly 290 kilometers from New Delhi, Mussoorie is a pleasant retreat in the cradle of infinite beauty and ecstasy.

Perched at the altitude of about 2000 meters on a horse shoe shaped mountain moraine, Mussoorie, the theatrical and astounding hill station is the sweetest melody ever composed by the cosmos. Offering the spectacular views of the staggering Doon Valley and magnanimous Shivalik Mountain Ranges, Mussoorie is a real banquet to the human heart and soul. The captivating vistas of all encompassing tablelands carpeted with lush verdure, affluent flora and fauna, awe inspiring snow crowned mountain peaks, surrounding valley teeming with flowers, milky cataracts and glittering brooks surging down the precipices render Mussoorie a plethora of all natural radiance and artistry. Mussoorie, a heaven for adventure enthusiasts unfolds a vast array of venturesome activities such as trekking, mountain climbing, hiking, and many more in the serene abode of nature. Mussoorie, the fairy land came to life equally enchants both youngsters and old people. This incomparable hill resort profuse with transcendental scenic beauty is throbbing with tourists all through the year.

The name Mussoorie finds it origin from the word ‘Mansoor’ which is a kind of shrub particularly indigenous to this area. Often, the town Mussoorie is also referred to as ‘Mansoori’ by most natives. Today, Mussoorie is suffering from the over development and over commercialization of hotels, lodges and other such kind of enterprises related to tourism industry.

The best period to pay a visit to Udaipur is September to April. In the month of March or April the Mewar Festival of Udaipur is held and the Shilpgram Crafts Fair is organized in November or December every year.

Under the governance of Umer Singh Thapa, Gurkhas conquered Garhwal region in the year 1803. This is the time when the erstwhile Mussoorie hamlet came into existence. About 11 years later on 1st November 1814 a war between Gurkhas and British East India Company broke out which resulted into Gurkhas being expelled from the terrain around Dehradun. By 1815, ‘Garhwal’ was totally evacuated by Gurkhas and by 1819 AD, it got annexed with Saharanpur District. The site of present day Mussoorie served as a pasture for grazing animals that were fed on the ‘Mansoor’ shrub present in abundance here.

The credit of parenting this angelic hill station named ‘Mussoorie’ goes to a British military officer named ‘Captain Young’. When the two adventurous British chiefs ‘Captain Young’ and the Resident Superintendent of Revenues named ‘Mr. Shore’ engaged themselves in exploring the terrains surrounding Dehradun, they were totally flabbergasted by the charming treasure of natural elegance Mussoorie boasted of. Captain Young established here a shooting lodge in the year 1825 and also ‘Mullingar’ a huge mansion that served as his residence. Very soon Mussoorie grew famous amongst the British Officials as a beauteous hill resort and a gratifying and peachy escape from the scorching summer sun. Its perennial and undying charisma beckoned British Army offers to come here and spend vacations in the calm and jovial lap of Mother Nature.

In 1827, a sanatorium was built at Landour, which later became a large cantonment and in 1832, another British deputy named Colonel Everest built a home at Mussoorie and settled down. The suit of Captain Young and Colonel Everest was followed by innumerable British officers. By 1901, the total population of Mussoorie was around 6461 which crossed the mark of 15,000 during summer season and the number of tourists paying a visit to this ‘paradise incarnated’ kept on increasing every year. Earlier Mussoorie was accessible only through road via Saharanpur but with the railway line reaching Dehradun; an approach to Mussoorie became faster and more convenient.

During the period of British Raj, the malls and other public places displayed the racist signs saying “Indians and Dogs Not Allowed”, as Mussoorie was exclusively established by and for British. Motilal Nehru, the father of Jawaharlal Nehru frequently visited this hill station with his family. He used to deliberately neglect the sign boards and everyday pay fines. Later in 1920s, 30s and 40s Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi also visited Mussoorie and Dehradun often. Post independent Mussoorie witnessed the after effects of Tibetan Rebellion of 1959. During that time the 14th Dalai Lama established here the Central Tibetan Administration and in 1960, the first Tibetan school was established in Mussoorie.