As the mercury soars, visitors are arriving in large numbers in this “Queen of Hills” and the pride of Uttarakhand . This scenic hill town has managed to retain its old face to a large extent and there are hundreds of visitors who come back to Mussoorie every summer just to get a feel of their favourite places and keep their long-standing relationship with the town alive. People from all parts of the country gather here, making it a destination for enhancing national bonding.
Though there are a large number of hotels, around 250, the hill town still breathes free as the Supreme Court ban on new construction has proved a blessing for it .The vast open spaces one witnesses here make one’s visit worth the effort .There have been reports of surreptitious construction but the town has, fortunately ,not yet turned into a jungle of concrete like Dehradun is fast becoming .
This sprawling quality of Mussoorie gives it a definite edge over other Himalayan hill towns and is responsible for the feeling of vast , open space it gives the visitor.
While people have renovated old buildings or reconstructed them, there has been little building activity in the town and this has helped it retain its traditional, old-world charm to a large extent. A large number of old European houses , especially in landour (known as the original Mussoorie) , add to this look of Mussoorie. Beyond the bustling coffee cafes and videogame parlors is serene and charming landour with its distinct air of the British era.
It was home to the original British inhabitants and blossomed in its isolation. It has been a summer headquarters of many Christian missions .Exotic names like Oakville, The Firs, Shamrock, Rose Bank and Dahlia Bank embellish the old colonial Bungalows here. Most of the old residents have departed but their old houses are still in use . Ruskin Bond’s famous “ Ivy Cottage”, which has now assumed a legendary status like its owner, Ganesh Saili’s “Trim lodge” and Victor Banerjee’s “Parsonage” are some of these wonderful old houses.
Tourists often walk towards landour to enjoy its unpolluted charm and refresh themselves at the famous Char Dukaan, shops known for serving delicious bun omelettes, noodles and pancakes.
The many old churches including the Christ Church, Union Church , Methodist Church, St. Paul’s Church and the Kellogs Memorial Church lend a unique charm to the hill station .
Though the Mall Road, during the peak summer season, gives the appearance of a crowded modern market , there are unlimited options before tourists and trekkers to explore the expansive hill city towards old Mussoorie and also beyond the library Point at Gandhi Chowk.
There is the sprawling Happy Valley to wander about in and also, one can go to the well-known resort known as Clouds End near Hathipaon.
The scenic trails of the Nag Tibba Trek, Bhatta village ,Jharipani and Barlowganj areas around the town are popular among tourists looking for something different and exciting.
Among the things which many regular visitors have loved about Mussoorie and which are still flourishing are the quaint shops selling walking sticks ,curios and little hand fans , corn on the cob, popcorn at every corner ,”Kafal Walas “ with their colourful baskets of Kafals, small red berries (like the Phalsa) which grow in Mussoorie and small photo shops where one can get oneself photographed in the traditional Garhwali and Kumaoni costumes.
Though Mussoorie may not be a “hot and happening” destination there are people who are regular visitors. They come in by the end of May and sometimes they keep visiting even during the ‘off-season’ months’.
Wonderful weather throughout the year makes Mussoorie a favourite holiday destination for many. Except for a few warm afternoons in June, the weather is exceptionally good at all times of the year. Clouds can be seen moving around in the town often, interspersed with bits of sunshine. Tourists enjoy walking through the clouds on the Mall Road.
looking at the crowds in the hill station every summer, one can well understand that Mussoorie ,especially landour, with its quaint old world charm, has the quality which beckons visitors to come back again and again to the “Queen of Hills” .