Lansdowne - The famous hill sation in Uttarakhand :

Lansdowne is one of the quietest and unspoilt hill stations of India and has been a  popular destination since Britishers came to India. Lansdowne is unlike other hill stations, as it is well connected with motorable roads but remote in its own way. It is situated at an altitude of 1,700 mts above sea level surrounded with thick oak and blue pine forests in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand state.

Lansdowne is a cantonment town located in the Pauri District of Uttarakhand.In the local language, this place is known as ‘Kaludanda’ meaning ‘the black hill’. This hill station was founded by Lord Lansdowne in 1887, the then Viceroy of India.

Described by some as the gates to the heavenly abode that is the Himalayas, Lansdowne is also one of the most unusual hill stations in India.

Far from the crowded, overdeveloped and noisy places that most of the popular hill stations of the north have become, Lansdowne has retained its quiet and serenity thanks to the presence of the local Army Cantonment Board which manages and regulates the development in the town.

The town is named after Lord Lansdowne the then Viceroy of India who visited the place in 1884. The town has two churches that were built in the pre-independence era, although only one, St. James, is functional. The town also has a major Hindu temple. The town has cold winters, cool summers and a wet and foggy rainy season. It experiences snowfall during the winter months.

From the snow view point on a clear day one can view great Himalayan peaks like Chaukhamba. The town has several pre-independence era bungalows, some of them in good shape. The connectivity is good as the roads are maintained by the army. The hill station itself is administered by the cantonment board of the Indian Army and therefore is cleaner, much less commercialized and in good shap

The War Memorial was established on 11th November, 1923 by Lord Rawlinson of Trent, the then Commander in Chief of India. Garhwali Mess is one of the oldest buildings constructed by the British in 1888. The mess is now counted among the prominent museums of Asia.

Tourist Attractions :

  Bhim Pakora :

Bhim Pakora is a historical attraction located at a distance of about 2 km from Gandhi Chowk in Lansdowne. According to legends, the Pandavas, the mythological characters from the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, used to cook their food here during their exile. People believe that Bhim, one of the Pandavas, had placed one rock on top of the other. These are so perfectly balanced that the upper rock never falls down. One can move the upper rock by one finger, but it never falls.

Bhulla Tal :

Bhulla Tal is counted among one of the fun-filled tourist attractions of Lansdowne. This artificial lake is devoted to the soldiers of the Garhwal Rifles as they had helped in the construction of the lake. The name of this lake is derived from the Garhwali word ‘bhulla’, which means ‘younger brother’. Activities like boating and paddling can be enjoyed here. There is also a children park, bamboo machan, and several beautiful fountains in the premises of the lake

Kanvashram :

  Kanvashram is one of the major tourist attractions of Lansdowne situated amid lush green forests and hillocks. The River Malini flows close to this ashram, further enhancing the beauty of the place. The ashram is an ideal place for meditation with proper accommodation facilities. The Sahastradhara Falls is located close to Kanvashram.

According to a legend, the famous sage, Rishi Vishwamitra once meditated at this place. The story states that the intense meditation of the sage frightened Indra, the Lord of Heaven. So, he sent a celestial maiden called Menka to disturb the sage. Menka succeeded in distracting Vishwamitra, a girl child was born of their union and she was named Shakuntala. Later, Menka left the child in the care of Sage Kanva in this ashram. When Shakuntala grew up, she got married to King Dushyant, who was the ruler of Hastinapur at that time. After few years, she gave birth to a baby boy and named him Bharat. It is believed that India, often regarded as Bharat or Bharatvarsha, was named after him only.

St. Mary’s Church :

St. Mary’s Church is a popular tourist attraction of Lansdowne. It was built in 1895 by Col. A.H.B Hume of the Royal Engineers. This church was into disuse after 1947 and was later converted into a museum by the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre. Ppictures of India from the pre-independence era are displayed in this museum. Travellers can get an insight of the regiment’s history by watching the audio visual clips.

Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple :

Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple is a renowned shrine located on a hilltop at an elevation of 2092 m above sea level in Lansdowne. The temple is devoted to the Hindu Lord Shiva and is visited every year by numerous devotees. People believe that the prayers offered here are always fulfilled. The Hindu festival, Maha Shivaratri is celebrated here annually, with much grandeur and religious fervour. The temple premises are surrounded by lush green pine, oak, and deodar forests. There are numerous small continuously flowing water pools .

The Garhwal Rifles :

The Garhwal Rifles Regimental War Memorial is counted among the prominent tourist attractions of Lansdowne. This museum was set up by Lord Rawlinson of Trent, the then Commander in Chief of India on, 11th November, 1923. It is located at the Parade Ground in Lansdowne. Travellers can get to know more about the history of the Indian Army from this museum.