Chakrata

Key Points
  • Ideal Duration: 1 day
  • Best Time: Throughout the year
  • Nearest Airport: Dehradun

Chakrata located in Uttarakhand is known for its calm and pollution-free environment. Located at an altitude of 7000 feet above sea level, this city is 90 kilometers away from Dehradun. Chakrata is the perfect place for nature lovers and those who are interested in trekking. Walking in the lap of evergreen conifers will give you an amazing experience. Chakrata has attractive villages of the Jaunsari tribe in a dense forest spread far and wide. This city comes under the Jaunsar Bawar region of North West Uttarakhand. The region is rich in conifers, rhododendrons, and oaks. Red rhododendrons are most commonly found in this region. Chakrata is a restricted military cantonment and foreigners face severe restrictions in moving forward. It is the permanent outpost of secret and distinct Special Frontier Force, also known as 'Establishment 22', the only ethnic Tibetan unit of the Indian Army, raised after the Sino-Indian War of 1962. Various activities like parasailing, river rafting, rappelling, kayaking, bridge building, and rock climbing attracts tourists from all over India. There are more fun games including volleyball, mountain biking, obstacle courses, basketball, and golf. Both routes pass through very beautiful mountain paths. Traveling during the monsoon can be difficult as the region often sees road disruptions due to landslides.

History

The area is known as Jaunsar-Bawar, which has a notable presence in some of the surrounding villages. In 1901, Chakrata tehsil with a collective population of 51,101, was part of the Dehradun district of the United Provinces, comprising the cities of Chakrata and Kalsi with a population of 760, best known for the rock edits of the Mauryas. King Ashoka was first discovered in 1860 by John Forrest in the second century BC. Survival training and weapons are also provided by other intelligence services in Chakrata, in support of the goals of Indian foreign policy, particularly related to other countries in the Indian subcontinent. Chakrata was founded by Colonel Hume and his associate officers. He belonged to 55 regiments of the British Army. Seeing the climate here, the British used this place as a summer army base. At present, training of the command is given to the army personnel.

Culture

In terms of language and food, Chakrata is not different from the other Uttarakhand cities. The popular festivals including Nandadevi-Mela, Basant Panchami, Makar Sankranti, Ganga Dussehra, Maha Shivratri, Kartik Purnima, Phooldei Chhamma chhei and Khatarua celebrated with extreme joy. The most important festival is ‘Magh Mela’ which is marked by an animal sacrifice ritual. The festivals are celebrated with great pomp here and the people wear colorful traditional clothes, particularly the Thalka or Lohiya, which is a long coat.


Main attractions

1. Tiger fall: There is a 50-meter high tiger fall on a 5 km walk from Chakrata. The view of the falling waterfall from a high place in a small pond is very beautiful. Located 1395 meters above sea level, this waterfall is northeast of Chakrata.

2. Lakhamandal: Located on the Mussoorie-Yamunotri road, Lakhamandal has historical and mythological significance. This place is especially related to the Mahabharata period. It is said that the Kauravas built lacquer houses for the Pandavas and hatched a conspiracy to burn them alive. Lakhamandal is at a distance of 30 km from the Yamuna River. Dehradun is 128 km from here. There are also many temples dedicated to Pandavas, Parasurama, Kedar and Diva. The figure of Bhima and Arjun is very beautifully engraved on the stone here.

3. Moigarh Kharra: This serene and clean waterfall is situated on the Delhi-Yamunotri road, 69 km from Dehradun. Bathing here can be refreshed while going to Yamunotri.

4. Kanasar: Surrounded by high hills and dense rain forests, this place is an ideal place for tourists. There is an arrangement of forest rest houses to stay here, the views around it are quite attractive. Kanasar is situated on the Chakrata-Tuni route, 26 kilometers from Chakrata.

5. Ramtaal garden: Ramtala Garden is 9 km from Chakrata on the Chakrata-Mussoorie road. The garden is 30 meters long and 20 meters wide. This beautiful and lush green garden is an excellent place to have a picnic.

6. Dev forest: Situated 16 kilometers from Chakrata, this place is surrounded by dense forests. Dev forest is at an altitude of 9500 feet above sea level. From here huge mountain ranges of the Himalayas can be seen.

7. Vikas Nagar: Vikasnagar, a lively place located in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. Here tourists can enjoy shopping for foreign goods and buying traditional salwar kameez. Additionally, the finest brass and copper trumpets, local Jaunsari drums and baguels can be purchased at reasonable prices.

8. Ashokan rock: Ashokan Rock Addict is an engraved stone located in Kalsi. According to the records, the Mauryan king, Ashoka, had his 14 orders dug on the rock, a compilation of the reforms and advice originally suggested by the king. The rock was discovered by Rock Forest in the year 1860. The narration is written in the Prakrit language and used Brahmi for the script. It is an important monument in the Indian archive and has a dimension of 10 feet x 10 feet x 8 feet. The stone is engraved with the outline of the elephant where the word 'Gajatam' is written between the two legs. The names of the five Greek kings, namely Antiochus, Magus, Antigonus, Ptolemy, and Alexander, are engraved on the rock, indicating that the decrees may date back to 253 BC.

Places in Chakrata

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