Dalhousie travel guide

Dalhousie, named after the governor-general (1848-1856), was developed on land purchased by the British in 1853 from the Raja of Chamba. It sprawls out over five hills just east of the Ravi River. By 1867 it was a sanatorium and reached its zenith in the 1920s and 1930s as a cheaper alternative to Shimla, and the most convenient hill station for residents of Lahore. Rabindranath Tagore wrote his first poem in Dalhousie as a boy and Subhash Chandra Bose came secretly to plan his strategies during the Second World War. Its popularity declined after 1947 and it became a quiet hill station with old colonial bungalows, surrounded by thick pine forests interspersed with oak and rhododendron. Its spectacular mountain views mean that it remains a popular bolt hole for tourists from the plains, but its importance today is mainly due to the number of good schools and the presence of the army.

The three Malls laid out for level walks are around Moti Tibba, Potreyn Hill and Upper Bakrota. The last, the finest, is about 330 m above Gandhi Chowk around which the town centres. From there two rounds of the Mall lead to Subhash Chowk. Tibetans make and sell handicrafts, woollens, jackets, cardigans and rugs. Their paintings and rock carvings can be seen along Garam Sarak Mall.

Just over 2 km from Gandhi Chowk is Martyr’s Memorial at Panchpulla (five bridges), which commemorates Ajit Singh, a supporter of Subhash Bose and the Indian National Army during the Second World War. On the way you can see the Satdhara (seven springs), said to contain mica and medicinal properties. Subhash Baoli (1.5 km from the square), is another spring. It is an easy climb and offers good views of the snows. Half a kilometre away Jhandri Ghat, the old palace of Chamba rulers, is set among tall pine trees. For a longer walk try the Bakrota Round (5 km), which gives good views of the mountains and takes you through the Tibetan settlement.