Dehradun and the wonder that it is!

The timestamp on when Dehradun was founded is put as 1676.

However, the Skanda Purana describes the Doon valley as part of the Kedar Khand, the abode of Shiva.
Evidence of the importance of Dehradun dates to the Mauryan Empire when the legendary Mauryan
King Emperor Asoka, built a ten feet tall rock edict at Kalsi close to the confluence of the rivers Tons and
Yamuna. It carries an inscription in the Brahmi script that codifies the leading principles of Buddhism.
Some texts also contain references to the Chinese traveler Huan-Tsang visiting the region.

It is also said that Dronacharya, the great archery guru who trained the Kauravas and the Pandavas was
born in and resided in Dehradun. He established his Gurukul, here, thus paving the ground for the
setting up of numerous institutions and schools.

It was in 1676 that Guru Ram Rai, son of the 7th Sikh Guru- Guru Har Rai, and his followers, set up camp
– their Dera – in this region which was a valley. A valley in Garhwali is called ‘Dun’.
Therefore, the combination of the two words Dera and Dun became the name Dehradun. It was around
this camp- Dera that the city of Dehradun grew.

Dehradun has been invaded and plundered by huge, historical raiders and conquerors such as the
Ghaznis, Timurs, Dawlahs etc. and by tribes of Rajputs, Gujjars and Sikhs.

In 1803, the valley was annexed by the Gurkhas.

The British arrived in Dehradun in 1816. A wonderful memorial still stands today at Nalapani -Dehradun,
as evidence of the bravery of the Gurkhas in the Anglo-Nepalese War fought around the fortress.

Around 1842, Dost Mohammad Khan – the Emir of Afghanistan, was exiled to Dehradun by the British at
the end of the First Anglo-Afghan War.

It was he who brought the now-world-famous Basmati rice to Doon.

Dehradun municipality was established in 1867, and in 1900 railways made their way to Dehradun.

During the Second World War, the Italian, Austrian and German Prisoners of War were imprisoned in
POW camps in Dehradun.

Few would know that Dehradun almost became the capital of India in the 1920s. Sir Edwin S Montagu,
the secretary of state for India was so impressed with its beauty and proximity to the hills that he
actively considered shifting the capital to the valley.

In the year 2000 Dehradun became a capital city, when the new state of Uttarakhand was carved.
Today, over the years, Dehradun has grown from that sleepy little town, nestled in the arms of nature to
a busy town with schools, hubs and a state government Centre.

Kind courtesy - Google search