This cantonment town welcomes you with crisp mountain air, tall pine trees and long winding roads. Landour was built for the British Indian Army and the first sanatorium was built in 1827 which is currently occupied by DRDO. Mullingar was the first house built in Landour by Captain Frederick Young, who was the Commandant of the first Gurkha battalion raised by the British. This along with churches built during the British era gives Landour a distinctive European touch.
With just a few tourist spots that draw day trippers from nearby Mussoorie and Dehra, Landour otherwise is quiet and calm. Lal Tibba and Char Dukan is where you find the maximum crowd. People usually come to Lal Tibba for the magical views this place has to offer. The place has a few quick snack shops and a telescope point which keeps people busy and buzzing. Recently the well-known Savoy brand has opened a new cafe which gives tourists reason enough to hang on and enjoy their food with the breathtaking mountain views on all sides. Char Dukan close to St Paul’s Church is the most happening place in Landour. It is also my favorite hangout spot. Originally there were just four shops selling snacks and beverages, and thus the name Char Dukan. However, now a couple of more shops have been added or have branched out but the name ‘Char Dukan’ still remains. Pancakes, wafers, omelettes and hot chocolate, there is enough to keep hunger pangs at bay.
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It was quite by chance that I discovered Landour-the quieter sibling of Mussoorie. A Ruskin Bond fan, on my first visit to Mussoorie I walked a little up to see Ruskin Bond’s house in the foothills of Landour. The colorful Doma’s Inn - a hotel and restaurant besides his house catches my eye as we leave the lanes of Mussoorie and cross the hairpin turn to reach Landour. To my disappointment I did not get to meet Mr Bond even after walking up and down the road a couple of times. However, what happened was, I fell in love with Landour - the quaint colonial getaway.
Landour gets its name from Llanddowror, a village in southwest Wales. During the Raj era, it was common for Britishers to give nostalgic names to places they resided. And thus we have Landour - perched at over 7000 ft.
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The iconic St. Paul’s Church was built between 1939-40, and with a fresh paint the church shines in full glory on a warm sunny afternoon. Open to the public on all days, it is customary for all tourists to step in and absorb the quietness and peace the church has to offer. I make it a point to step in and spend some quiet moments in the church. A little walk around the Kellogg Memorial Church and you will reach Sisters’ Bazaar, another popular hangout. The famous Landour BakeHouse and the legendary Prakash Store is right here. While the BakeHouse cafe is my favourite place to start the day with pancakes and muffins, I also make it a point to stock up on the most delectable jam, peanut butter, and cheese from Prakash’s shop. The shop has the most exotic breads and it is believed all the recipes have come down from the times when Landour was a hill station mostly for Britishers. Media reports also say the shop was a favourite of the Nehru family for many long years.
For first timers, there is not much to do at Landour, and that is exactly why I keep falling in love with this place again and again. Landour has become a repeat destination for me and my family. With ‘Slow Travel’ being the new buzzword in tourism circuits, Landour fits the bill as a destination that will help you pause, slow down and rejuvenate. Landour is a paradise for walking enthusiasts. One can continue walking from one end to the other and yet not feel tired or exhausted, on the contrary the walk is refreshing. Walking in Landour is often a life lesson. Till recently, there were many interesting quotes pasted everywhere, on tree trunks and on garbage bins, all along the way. I personally found these amazingly engaging. “I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth” “Take Time To Be Quiet. It is an opportunity to see yourself”, “In every walk with nature one receives more than he seeks” and many more. It is as if this colonial getaway teaches you to slow down, keep calm and all will be fine.
