Hill Stations in India
Western Union
India is a vast land with diversity in its geographical features. so it is not surprising if one gets to see snow peaks, cascading rivers, alluvial plains, vast plateaus and beautiful beaches. Hill Stations in India are the gift of the Mother Nature to India because they are endowed with best of scenery, landscapes, rivers and flora and fauna. The Hill Stations in India are best retreat during the summer months to escape from the heat waves, dust and grime of the plains. Ranging from elevation of 600 m to 3500 m above the mean sea level, most of the Hill Stations in India are either discovered or developed by the British who find it difficult to adjust with the summers of India. these days, Hill Stations in India are not only as summer getaways but people also throng to them during winters to get a chilly experience and to witness the snowfall.
Some of the famous Hill Stations in India are:
Dalhousie
Established by British Governor-General Lord Dalhousie in 1854 AD, the hill town of Dalhousie is a known as the Gateway to Chamba.
Darjeeling
Perched at an elevation of 2134 m above the mean sea level on a ridge, Darjeeling was gifted to the British East India Company by the King of West Bengal in 1835 AD. Darjeeling means 'Region of the Dorje or Thunderbolt'.
Dehradun
Dehradun is the capital city of the newly carved hill state of Uttaranchal. One of the oldest cities of India, Dehradun has found mention in the written records dating back to 250 BC.
Khandala
At a distance of 101 km from Mumbai, Khandala is a hill station on the Shayadhari Mountains in the state of Maharashtra.
Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal means the 'Gift of the Forest' in Tamil. Positioned 120 km from Madurai in the upper Palani Hills at an elevation of 2133 m., Kodaikanal was founded by American missionaries in 1845 AD.
Kullu
At an elevation of 1200 m above the mean sea level, Kullu lies on the confluence of the rivers Beas and Sarvari in the state of Himachal Pradesh. it was earlier known as Kulanthapitha, which means the 'End of the Habitable World'.
Leh
At an elevation of 3,500 m and 10 km from the River Indus, Leh is one of the districts of Ladakh other being Kargil.
Manali
Perched at an elevation of 2050 m above the sea level in the state of Himachal Pradesh, Manali is a small hill town spread all along the river Beas and named after Sage Manu.
Mount Abu
The only hill station in Rajasthan, Mount Abu extends over a 2 km long plateau. At an elevation of 1220 m, the Mount Abu is the highest point of the Aravalli Ranges.
Mussoorie
'Queen of Hill', Mussoorie is nestled at an elevation of 2003 m in the Garhwal division of Uttaranchal. Named after the Himalayan shrub 'Mansoor' found in plenty in that region, Mussoorie is spread over 16 km long horse-shoe shaped ridge.
Nainital
Perched at an elevation of 1938 m, Nainital is a very popular hill station in the Kumaon division of Uttaranchal. Nainital was discovered by P. Baron, a sugar manufacturer from Saharanpur.
Ooty
Ooty, along with Kotagiri and Coonoor, is known as the 'Queen of Blue Mountains'. Settled at an elevation of 2240 m, the British developed this hill station.
Ranikhet
At an elevation of 1830 m, Ranikhet lies along a ridge in the district of Almora in Kumaon division of Uttaranchal. The British developed Ranikhet as the military cantonment and now features the Kumaon Regiment.
Shimla
At an elevation of 2130 m, Shimla extends over a long crescent-shaped ridge connecting five different hill peaks, namely, Jakhu, Prospect Hill, Observatory Hill, Elysium Hill and Summer Hill.
Srinagar
At an elevation f 1730 m, Srinagar is perched in the western part of the Kashmir valley. Founded by Raja Pravarasen in the 6th century AD, Srinagar is the capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
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