When the sun beats its hammer on earth's anvil, when the Gods let loose the arrows of rain and war cries of thunder, when the sun retires into a deep orange sky, there is but one heaven on Earth - Mussoorie.

The Manorites love Mussoorie through all seasons of the year. Mussoorie, at an altitude of 2000 metres, is the proud property of Uttranchal, the newly born state in India consisting mostly of the Garhwal region. 'Pahadis' of this hill station are blessed with the best weather, that Mother Nature has to offer. The temperature hardly rises in summers (May - June), the rains pour down in the monsoon (July - September) and the lush green hills are turned white with snow in winter (December - February). The temperature here ranges between 32°C and 37°C in the summer, and between 1°C and 7°C in the winter, Mussoorie is one of its kind. It's no surprise that it's called the "Queen of Hills".

One usually visits Mussoorie either to experience the snow or to get away from the heat. The Monsoons are not very welcoming as they are harsh and one may have to stay indoors, One can come from New Delhi by road or train (our choice is the Shatabdi Express which leaves New Delhi by 6 a.m. and reaches Dehradun by 1 p.m.) to Dehradun and proceed up to the "Queen of Hills" by road in a cab in a total time of 9 hours. Once here, one need not worry about being isolated as Mussoorie abounds with numerous PCO (STD/ISD) and Internet Cafes.

For those who are once here, video game parlours are a good option to freak out. For the adventurous ,seeking the true Mussoorie experience, the sojourn to Kempty Falls and Lal Tibba is a must. If looking for adventure sports, Mussoorie has lots to offer which might appeal to the ones who need that extra rush of adrenaline. We have everything... except the sea.

One could easily describe Mussoorie by what the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan of the Taj Mahal said -

"If there is a paradise on earth it is this, it is this."