Westward Ho!
Today being our last day of exploration around the “less explored” areas of Mussoorie, we will head to the Happy Valley. Begin your hike along the Spring Road & straight ahead to the Library Chowk in a 15 minutes walk. From the library chowk, we go towards Hotel Savoy road & dodge the major hustle bustle of tourists going to Kempty Fall & Company Garden. But you, my Dear Traveller, are not meant to tread where the crowd is & I have the perfect sneak out for you. Your hike today from Library Chowk to Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy (LBSNAA) will cover about 3 Kms & a completely flat section walk on the road. To your right, you will be greeted by the mighty Shivalik ranges & the notorious langurs and well until LBSNA, it is all crowded. (So I suggest a good pair of headphones)
But your wait ends at Cafe, The Charleville Book Store on your right confronting the LBSNAA (Which is now a part of erstwhile Charleville Hotel Complex as seen in the picture above) gates. Now, look no further, just take the downhill road which shares the boundary of LBSNAA OH.AND…Welcome to the Happy Valley! I see your grin there, yes indeed…it is a very Happy Valley. This downhill nature hike is a walk into the past of the Tibetian government in exile, as it is here that H.H. Dalai Lama first arrived in 1959, leaving behind a community of Tibetian families who have thrived within the culture & hospitable environment of Mussoorie. After you have walked for about 10 minutes, you will come across the mansion of then Congress stalwart, GD Birla, known as Birla House. This house is no ordinary mansion but is a historic landmark for it has housed not only H.H. Dalai Lama, but also Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru & his family too!
Right opposite this landmark is a road that takes you to the Tibetan settlements & the first Tibetan boarding school run by Tibetan Homes Foundation. The beauty of this location is truly in the peaceful community of Tibetan refugees here, you will find them dotted on the streets engrossed in their daily humdrum with a religious fervor. Further downhill on the Birla House road are a few shops for the settlers & in about a few mts is the Central School for Tibetans (CST) on your left. This 25-acre property is a boarding school for Tibetan students from far off places like Arunachal Pradesh, Mao, Ladakh & Bhutan. The school is affiliated by HRD of India & runs in the philosophy of H.H. Dalai Lama, who founded the school.
Continue walking uphill from the CST roadhead & you will be greeted by an entrance gate banner. Walk a little further downhill & take the left turn to witness Shedup Choepelling Buddhist Temple. The foundation of this temple was laid by the Tibetan community of Mussoorie & is a host to kaleidoscopic colors of the Tibetan architecture. The fluttering prayer flags, and the serenity in the prayer of an odd monk sitting on the staircase, is all you would want to see. Now that you are on the West of Mussoorie’s Dalai Hill (You know where we are headed next)
Walking out from the gates of Shedup Choepelling Temple premises, we head to the Dalai Hill. But since that is an uphill hike, do fill your water bottles from around the temple & you can also use the washrooms outside the premises. Head straight out on the road & you will see a narrow uphill trail where the road ends from the temple gate. Continue your hike straight on the same trail until you see a staircase from where the innumerable steps lead you to the Buddha statue. The path widens & as you walk under the open skies amidst only the flapping of the prayer flags & birds, you would feel nothing but epiphany!
After you reach the sky- kissing statue of Lord Buddha, it’s time that the Dalai Hill reveals its hidden treasures. Take the downhill mountain trail until you see a small shanty- cafe on your left. This is the spot for your bird’s eye view of mountain ranges of Jaunpur & Nagtibba. The Dalai Hill was inaugurated by the 20th Regional Tibetan Youth Congress in 2014. It is also an outlet to several treks like Dobhighat, Binog Hill, Cloud’s End & George Everest. But today it’s all about the Happy Valley, so don’t hesitate to ask the young lad at the shanty to prepare a hot cup of tea & Maggi. I can sense your fulfillment there, well I fell the same the views the food everything is rewarding here!
But before the sun sets we shall head back to the Happy Valley Road, to witness its other landmarks. As you trace the same way back via CST school road, on your left is a building that houses a Postoffice (few mts before the Birla House) & I bet your dear ones would love a postcard from the Happy Valley!
The next sight you can take a quick peek at is the Polo Grounds of the officers at LBSNAA & it is quite a sight! Now that you need to head back to the Library Chowk, conclude your laborious climb till the Academy gate at Café, The Charleville Book Store. I highly recommend there Peach Ice Tea, fries & Chicken Burger. Now that you have relished every bite, take a stroll around at the splendid collections of books here & if you are not a bibliophile, its time you make a move to The Spring Road. Trace the same route via Library Chowk & into the Spring Road to unwind. It’s been a long fulfilling day & if your heart is still longing for more, you sure should take the touristy plunge on your last night.
I recommend dinner at Kalsung Cafe, near Cambridge Book depot & later walk along the Kulri road. And if you like to end your night on a high note, go to The Glen to call it a grand night! I hope you enjoyed every detail of this 3 Day guide to Hidden spots in Mussoorie & have created your own sweet memories. If you like the details in this blog, please share & comment.
“One wanderer for another.” Happy Exploring!