Happy Valley, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand - A scenic beauty :

Happy Valley is an area situated within the hill station of Mussoorie in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, India. This amicable small town seated in between two wonderful hill stations namely Mussoorie and Chamba, is a little known jewel that preserves some pristine beauty of nature. Massed with alpines and cedars, this thick forested town, houses two well-maintained eco-parks, a relish for eco tourists. This place is also important for pilgrims who crowd the Surkanda Devi temple here. This religiously revered temple, a must see during Dussera Festival also holds breathtaking views of Himalayas on one side and the views of bustling cities on the other.

Happy Valley is also known as mini-Tibet, is home to about 5000 Tibetan refugees. Happy Valley is one of the popular place in mussoorie. When the 14th Dalai Lama took refuge in Mussoorie, many Tibetans came here and since then this valley has been serving as their home in 1995. After that the Tibetan government-in-exile moved to Dharamashala in Himachal Pradesh but left behind a strong community of Tibetans who have today become an integral part of the culture of Mussoorie.

In 1960 the Indian government opened up Central School for Tibetans for Tibetan children in Happy Valley which still remains as a reputed school. The Happy Valley is located in lush green surroundings. Shedup Choephelling Temple is located on the highest point of the valley atop a cliff. happy valley was the 1st Tibetan shrine to be built in India and was consecrated by Dalai Lama.

Happy Valley is a major famous tourist attraction in Mussoorie.

Location :

Happy Valley is near the Indian Administrative Services Academy - Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. Within the valley is a Tibetan Monastery with a clear view of Hathipaon.

Happy Valley is west of Mussoorie’s Dalai Hill from where the mountain ranges of Jaunpur and Nag-Tibba are visible.

History :

In 18 October 1929 Mahatma Gandhi addressed the European municipal councillors at Mussoorie. At that time he stayed at Birla House in Happy Valley.

One of the landmark events in the history of the Tibetan government in exile in India happened in April 1959 when a young Dalai Lama arrived at Happy Valley. In April 1960, he left Happy Valley for another hill town - Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh with an entourage of eighty officials of the Tibetan government in exile.

Later, this government-in-exile moved to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh leaving behind at Happy Valley, a community of Tibetans who have integrated with the life and culture of Mussoorie, but had built a Buddhist Temple and Tibetan-style homes. As of 2016, Happy Valley still was home to about 5000 Tibetan refugees.

Places to visit :

Happy Valley has an Indian Administrative Service Academy - The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. it also has Tibetan Templesand a Municipal Garden. The area of the valley leads to the Cloud’s End a place where the geographical borders of Mussoorie end. The Hathipaon Park Estate is also there. From Happy Valley can be seen the whole of Mussoorie with George Everest's house on one sideand the Himalayan ranges on the other.

 The Buddhist Temple and Tibetan Homes Foundation continue the legacy if beautiful Tibetan culture in Mussoorie. In the year 1960, the Indian government opened up Central School for Tibetans for Tibetan children in Happy Valley which still remains as a reputed school. Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan, who is also known as the father of Hindi travel literature, lived with his family for some years in the present Central School's dispensary building.

The town is situated in lush green surroundings. Shedup Choephelling Temple is situated on the highest point of the valley atop a cliff. It was the 1st Tibetan shrine to be built in India and was consecrated by Dalai Lama. It is a major tourist attraction in Mussoorie and it is an astounding example of Tibetan architecture. This temple houses prayer wheels and innumerous idols of Lord Buddha. The meditation hall of the temple is carved with beautiful paintings on the walls, panels and on the ceiling. The temple provides a great panoramic view of the Benog Hill circuit.

A short walk of about 400 meters from Tibetan Buddhist temple in happy valley takes one to a picturesque place called Dalia hill. The place is decorated with Buddhist prayer flags and it has a statue of Lord Buddha constructed by 20th regional Tibetan youth congress, mussoorie to prevent disease, war, conflict and natural disaster that occurred on 13th June 2014. Dalai hill lies just above LBS (lal bahadur academy) and on a clear day magnificent views of the greater Himalayas can be seen from this place. For trekking enthusiast the place has various trekking routes which goes through thick forest rich in flora and fauna.

Company Bagh :This is another greater attraction in this area. A beautifully manicured garden nestling a perfect man-made mini lake, this is a very convenient spot for family with children. Boating in this lake looking at the neatly clipped lawns and plant nurseries and the more wild forests towering behind them, is a worthwhile experience.

Gun hill : The second highest peak of Mussoorie, Gun hill is a picturesque spot with some commanding views of the city and the villages sloping down from the hills to the valley below and the snow tipped Himalayas that peek from behind the hills in distance.
Once during British Raj, this peak was supposedly used to fire canons from, and thus is named Gun hill. The rope car ride from here is another wonderful experience.