Incredible India, Episode - #22: Lansdowne Hill Station, Uttarakhand

Welcome back to another episode of Incredible India. In the previous episode, I took you to National Rail Museum, the biggest museum of vintage steam and diesel locomotives in India.

In this episode, we are taking you to a quiet and picturesque Hill station, the Lansdowne Hill Station, located in the north Indian state of Uttrakhand.

Lansdowne, a serene town

Lansdowne is a pretty hill station in the Pauri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. In 1887, during the British raj, a Garhwal Rifles regimental centre was established here as this place became famous for its picturesque views, the thick forested areas and the beautiful mountain range views of the Himalayas.

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There are a few places to visit here aside from roaming in the old market area. You could visit the famous Kaleshwar Mahadev Temple and seek Shiva's blessing or get on a small boat in the Bhulla Taal (Bhulla Lake) or you can visit the highest local point, "Tip-n-Top Point" and enjoy the 360 views of the Himalayas or if you are curious and wants to learn more about the military establishment here you can go to the "Darwan Singh Museum" which tells you all about the local Garhwal regiment history.

But the most beautiful is taking a trek through the tall Oak and pine trees and enjoying nature.

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I will share my experience of the few places mentioned above that I visited a few months ago during my trip to Lansdowne with a friend. But first, let's see how we can reach there.

How to reach

Lansdowne is a little town located in the 'Pauri Garhwal' district of Uttrakhand, a northern state in India covered mostly by the Himalayan Range. So, don't expect the smoothest highways and top-level connectivity. But it is well connected to the other parts of India.

The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dedhradhun, the capital of Uttarakhand. You still had to take a long road trip via public buses or private cabs to reach Lansdowne.

We were coming from the neighbouring state of Haryana and took us around 8 hours to reach there.

^{Source - Google Maps}

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The nearest railway station is Kotdwar which is 40 Km from the Hill station. Kotdwar is well connected to the major railway stations of the country.

Exploring the Town - Kaleshwara Shiva Temple

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Kaleshwara Shiva Temple is one of the oldest temples in the area. It is said that around 5000 years ago, a sage Kaalun performed a tough penace here and the temple's name is derived from that sage. A very old Shiva Lingam was found in one of the caves and a temple was built in 1901 which was later reconstructed in 1995 and subsequently in 2019.

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You have to walk for around 5 minutes from the town centre to get to the Temple which is located in a valley covered in thick forest. At the entrance, you will see some stairs leading you to the temple.

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Just as you descend from these stairs you get a glimpse of the temple where the idols are located.

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On the premises, you will see the Navagraha (nine heavenly bodies), which were the fundamental part of ancient Vedic astrology. These are represented as 9 gods, which are believed to play a huge role in your day-to-day life.

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This temple is dedicated to Shiva, considered part of the Trinity of Hindu Gods: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer.

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You will find so many religious symbols associated with many Gods. I can't possibly describe the significance or role of each symbol/sign but all of these are just representations of deep, high-level spiritual concepts found in the ancient Hindu text.

The concept of Cyclic time in Hinduism makes the role of a destroyer very important. Hence, the weapons of destruction can be seen all over the temple.

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Even if you are not at all religious person, it would still be a lovely experience and you might like the ambience of the place.

Bhim Pakora Trek

One of the most underrated places in Lansdowne is Bhim Pakora Trek, a nature walk through the Pine forest. There is a big rock at the end of the trek which you can move with just one finger but you can't push it down even if all your friends tried to.

You have to walk 2-3 kilometres to reach that place. At the start of the trek, the roads are well maintained.

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But as walk more, it turns into a dirt road and later into a small trial.

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You will find yourself walking in a thick forested area soon covered with long pine trees on both sides of the trail. The temperature remains pleasant and the mornings here are so peaceful. It is not much known so you won't find many people here. Just you, the forests and birds chirping. A perfect escape from busy city life.

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At last, we reached the point, the Bhim Pakoda. The bigger rock resting on top is balanced perfectly and can be moved with small force even with your finger. But its weight must be in tons and can't be pushed down even if you apply force. We were just two friends and we tried to swing it with just one finger and we could but couldn't move much.

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It looks like the rock is resting flat but it is balanced on a thin edge. We saw a lizard come out under this little gap when we were trying to do our little experiment...haha

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The trail goes much further but it can be dangerous as leopards are seen roaming around the area. So, we decided to head back to the town. You can spend a couple of hours in the early morning on this little trek and I am sure you will enjoy it. One of the most secluded and peaceful places in Lansdowne.

Bhulla Taal (Bhulla Lake)

Bhulla Taal is an environment part of Lansdowne in 2003, It later became one of the major tourist attractions due to the small lake where you can do boating and other fun activities.

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There is an entry ticket to this part which is just a nominal amount. The park is well maintained with so many beautiful flowers, an indoor nursery and a lake filled with swans and other birds.

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You can take some rest in the lap of nature and enjoy the views. If you manage to get in early you will not find a lot of visitors so you can enjoy it even more.

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You can practice some archery skills too. Do you think you can hit the bull's eye?

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How about boating with your friends or loved ones inside those brightly coloured Swans and dragon boats? Many people just come here for this alone.

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It is not a big lake but it would be a good exercise for you paddling through the lake, doing a couple of circuits and getting close to the real swans on the other side of the far end of the lake.

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Another place you could visit which is close to Bhulla Taal is the "Tip-n-Top" point where you will get a good view of the Himalayan range.

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There is a tip-n-top resort on top of the hill where you can stay with your family and enjoy nature. You can some forest fires in the summer season.

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One must avoid going there during the monsoon season as the rainfall might induce some landslides in the mountains which can block some roads. So, avoiding a couple of months from July to mid-September is recommended. Otherwise, you can go there at any time of the year and you will find something to like in every season, the forest and mountains keep on changing with every season.

I would love to visit again in winter. How about you? Do you like to go to such places and bathe in the fresh Himalayan air?

Stay tuned for more episodes...

Namaste 🙏

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Ep - #21 National Rail Museum, Delhi

Ep - #20 Dadhikar Fort, Alwar

Ep - #19 Hauz Khas Fort Complex, Delhi

Ep - #18 Garden of Five Senses, Delhi

Ep - #17 Karni Mata Temple, Alwar, Rajasthan

Ep - #16 Radha Rani Temple, Barsana, UP

Ep - #15 National Zoological Park

Ep - #14 Keoladeo National Park

Ep - #13 Lohagarh Fort

Ep - #12. Alwar's Moosi Maharani Ki Chattri

Ep - #11. Red Fort