Dalhousie
(2036 m) is a hill station full of colonial charm
that holds lingering echoes of the Raj. Spread
out over the five hills (Kathlog, Potreys, Tehra,
Bakrota and Balun) the town is named after the
19th century British Governer General Lord Dalhousie.
It was popular with the British Army personnel
in 1860's. The town’s varying altitude shades
it with a variety of vegetation that includes
stately grooves of pines, deodars, oaks and flowering
rhododendrowns. Rich in colonial architecture,
the town preserves some beautiful churches. St.
John church is the oldest one built in 1863, St.
Francis was built in 1894, St. Andrew in 1903
and St. Patric in 1909.
There
are also magnificent views of Chamba valley and
the mighty Dhauladhar range with its awe-inspiring
snow covered peaks filling an entire horizon.
By road Dalhousie is about 550 km from Delhi,
52 km from Chamba via Banikhet and 43 km via Khajjiar
and the nearest railhead at Pathankot is 85 km
away.
In & around Dalhousie the visitable places
are:
Subash
Baoli: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose spent a
large portion of 1937 contemplating here. A nice
secluded place.
Panjpulla:
It means five bridges. It is a picturesque spot
with water flowing under the five small bridges.
A samadhi of Sardar Ajit Singh, uncle of Bhagat
Singh, adds to its importance. A small fresh water
spring Satdhara is close by.
Bakrota
hills: Visit for a brisk walk round the hills
and have a view of snow clad peaks. It is 5 km
from Dalhousie.
Kalatope:
It is a picnic spot and a wild life sanctury,
10 km from Dalhousie and offers a fine view of
the countryside.
Bara
Pathar: It is 4 km from Dalhousie enroute
Kalatope. In village Ahla here, there is atemple
of Bhulwani Mata.
Dainkund:
It is 10 km from Dalhousie. On a clear day this
tall peak (2745 m) affords a birds eye-view of
the hills, verdant valleys and the Beas, Ravi
and Chenab rivers threading their silvery passage
down to the plains.
