‘Mini Switzerland of India.’
The tiny tinsel town of Dalhousie is a paradise tucked away in the lap of Himachal Pradesh (India). It boasts of old-world charm, mesmerizing natural landscapes, pine-clad valleys, flower-bedecked meadows, fast-flowing rivers, and magnificent misty mountains. This hill station was one of the favorite summer destinations of the British during the Indian colonial era. The Scottish and Victorian architecture reminds you of its colonial heritage while the wispy air continues to hone British aromas.
Lord Dalhousie found the town in 1854 because of its fresh and peaceful atmosphere and healthy surroundings enchanted him. The British acquired five hills from the ruler of the Chamba State for developing the area as a sanatorium; in return, his taxes were reduced. The English visited this place for their summer vacations. The bungalows here are all made in the English style. The modern town is situated among the five hills, facing the Pir Panjal range of snow-capped and pristine mountains, surrounded by thick forests of pine and deodar trees.800
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was won over by the beauty of Dalhousie, a famous tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh, so much so, that he stayed here for many months in 1937. Today, he has two places named after him – Subhash Baoli and Subhash Chowk. The hill station has the same effect on tourists today, with its waterfalls, rivers making their way through mountains, dense forest trails that run parallel to enormous cliffs with grand views of Dauladhar range in the distance, and a couple of churches that were built during the British Raj. Cafes, markest, Mall Road, those are equally convincing reasons to plan a trip to Dalhousie.
Its heyday came in the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s when Lahore society flocked here for its hols. Come Partition, Lahore found itself in Pakistan and Dalhousie lost its mojo, but the town’s star appears to be rising again as a rediscovered escape for honeymooners and families fleeing the heat of the plains. Situated far from the buzzing cities in the country, this quaint town transports you to a pollution-free environment in the lap of nature. Dalhousie has a number of mountains and river streams that tourists must visit. Among them, the most famous are Panch Pulla, Satdhara Falls, and the Daikund peak.
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