Landour – Cantonment town near Mussoorie

Sunset in Landour

Landour – Roots and Bones

I am a mountain child, born and brought up in the Dehradun, the cravings for Pine and Eucalyptus pollen-ridden air comes naturally to me. This innate yearning for the hills has an involuntary control on me, which has led to some amazing experiences, all of which are here. A recent trip to Landour, one of the densest Deodar forest mountain range closest to my hometown – Dehradun, unfurled the Pandora of memories.

A small town located approximately 35kms from the city of Dehradun. Mussoorie is the queen of hills but its Landour that works its magic on me. Landour draws its name from a little Welsh town – Llanddowror.

It’s a very small cantonment settlement which boasts of Ruskin Bond as one of its most famous inhabitants. Landour comes under the Cantonment Accounts Code 1924, Cantonments Act 2006 and the Byelaws Rules made there under them, which has saved the area from rampant deforestation.

Deodar in Landour

This small hamlet – Landour, stirs a lot of nostalgia – it makes me miss the Life that is left behind

I miss the smell of Pine and Eucalyptus in the air, the smell of fresh rains…

I miss the miles we used to walk up to Circuit house for the one rupee namkeen/biscuits/candies, “Ija” used to offer us as a bribe just so we accompany her on the evening strolls.

I miss the sprawling open plains where we skinned our knees

I miss the sparkling Clearwater streams gushing through the backyard

I miss climbing up to the terrace to watch Mussorie sparkle in the night

I miss lying on open grass fields, trying to stare down the sun, the presence of the towering Pine trees over

I miss walking back home in the presence of the towering Pine trees

I miss buying the new Pilot pens from the nearest Stationary

I miss the smell of new books and wrapping them in the customary brown sheets

I miss not knowing that one day we would uproot the very same trees that bore witness to our long lost innocence, the ones that offered “Ija” a place to put her Charpai and weave the warmest knitwear, and how in those threads, she intertwined the stories of Karna, Eklavya, Shravan…

Landour

Garhwal HImalayan range from Landour

 

Visit the St. Paul’s church in Landour. Adorned by some magnificently painted glasses on the walls and the ceiling.

 

Homes in Landour

Most of the homes in Landour bear the colonial architectural style

 

View the might Garhwal Himalayas from Deodar Woods, a quaint cafe in Landour, now famous as the home of Ajay Devgan’s character in the movie Shivay.

 

Walk down the cemented lanes lined by Cedrus deodara trees

 

Corn served hot in Landour market

Corn served hot 

 

A chill in the fresh as a mint air, soul stirring calmness and a scrumptious boiled corn with chat masala, ahh Life.

 

Monkeys in Landour

Watch your steps, the monkeys in Landour are infamous for ganging up and sneaking in

 

I have climbed mountains to witness the sun kiss the horizon, Landour certainly ranks amongst the best theatricals displayed by the Sun

 

Sun kissing the horizon goodbye in Landour

Speechless

Mesmerising 

Himalayan range as seen from Landour

Himalayan range at its awe inspiring best

 

 

Do visit this tiny hamlet tucked away in the deodar jungles, after all

All you touch and all you see 
Is all your life will ever be

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Parth Nagar
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Parth Nagar

Also the presence of mixed culture because of the language school in this cantonment, the home made jams, wood fired pizza @ deodar woods, log cabins @ Rokeby Manor, Freshly made pancakes @ Chaar Dukan & the tranquil trail along the deodars where walking down tells us how silence can be golden. I wish this place remains the way it is .
Kudos to Team Rahgeer for the chills & nostalgia !

Prashanti Rao
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Prashanti Rao

stunning pictures! beautiful description of the place!

Janani Palpandi
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Janani Palpandi

Lacking of words… Awesome Photographs with fabulous description di…

Steps Together
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Amazing place.. Loved your post and pictures.