Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and the city mayor Sunil Uniyal Gama unveiled the book Walking With Laata, covering the heritage of the Doon Valley at Nagar Nigam on Tuesday. MLA Khajan Das, Garhwal Commissioner BVRC Purshottam and MDDA vice- chairman Ashish Kumar Shrivastava were also present on the occasion.
Supported by the MDDA, the publication has been authored by walking group Been There, Doon That and describes 50 walks in and around the Doon Valley on various themes like history, food, culture, geology and others.
The book features some popular trails. One of the most popular trails of the group is the Dehra Food Walk which covers popular spots like Kumar Foods and Chetan Puri Waala at Hanuman Chowk. The walkers taste samples at each stoppage and discover facts like how the local traders brought poori and aata laddoo with them or how the British brought baking techniques in this region.
Another interesting trail that is covered by the book is the Maldevta Geology Trail where one is familiarised with Sir Proby Cautley, the man behind the canal systems of Dehradun. It is said that Dehradun was a learning ground for Cautley and his team who subsequently went on to build the Upper Ganga Canal, the lifeline of United Provinces in those times.
Walking With Laata also covers areas like Mussoorie where the Mall Road is replete with instances from the colonial period. One is intrigued to find places like the Mussoorie Library which still exudes an old world charm.
The book discusses intriguing tales from Rishikesh, Haridwar and even Uttarkashi where the legend of Pahari Wilson still remains important.
The 300-page book has about 300 photographs in colour capturing the vibrancy of Dehradun. The book is supported by the MDDA and published by Book World.