Kasmanda Palace, Mussoorie

One of the oldest buildings in the hill station of Mussoorie, the Kasmanda Palace was originally a part of the Christ Church complex built in 1836 by Captain Rennie Tailour of the Bengal Engineers. This gleaming white stately mansion built in the Anglo-French style served as a sanatorium for the British armed forces and then as a school (one of the first in Mussoorie) before finally becoming the summer retreat of the Kasmanda Royal Family. While it has remained in this family, it is now run as a Heritage Hotel. The grandeur and stateliness of this Palace is only matched by its spectacular setting. Situated 200 metres uphill from the Mall, it has a magnificent view both of the town of Mussoorie as well as the Doon Valley and is strategically placed in a sprawling estate of 3 acres of pine forest, terraced gardens and green lawns.

In 1827, Captain Young, a British army officer chanced upon this tiny inhabitation in the thickly forested hills. This rapidly became a popular Victorian resort and no time was lost in setting up the central Mall, a library and an Anglican church. While prominent vestiges of the British presence remain, Mussoorie has grown far beyond the bounds of a quiet, sheltered hill resort, though some of the original colonial ambience may still linger in the suburb of Landour, 300 metres away from the main town. As the hill station closest to the capital Delhi, it is thronged by tourists, vacationers fleeing the heat of the plains, and enthusiastic trekkers beginning their journey to the sometime arduous forested slopes of Hari-ki-Dun. It is also a thriving centre for boarding schools.

Mussoorie, Queen of the Garhwal Hills, spread across hills at heights above 2000m, set on a ridge against the Himalayas, is at a vantage point for magnificent views of peaks in the western Garhwal hills, including Banderpunch Massif at 6,316 metres and Swargarohini at 6,252 metres and the vast plains of North India spread out below. 34 kms from Dehradun, Mussoorie overlooks the Doon valley to its south and on a good day, offers a panoramic view of the impressive snow-capped Himalayan mountains to the north. Surrounded by pine forests, it enjoys mild summer days offset by chillier evenings. In winter, both snow and rain are common and monsoon showers take place between June and September.

The late Rajmata Saheba of Kasmanda was very fond of flowers and at Kasmanda Palace Mussoorie she had specially designed terrace gardens and got flowers and plants from all over India and Overseas. During her time there used to be flower shows in Mussoorie and each time the Kasmanda Gardens used to win all the trophies. She was particularly fond of the Magnolia Tree which has large white flowers with a powerful, lemony fragrance. The Magnolia Restaurant is named after the favourite tree of the late Rajmata Saheba of Kasmanda. The Magnolia Restaurant is over looking the gardens and one can see the Magnolia tree and admire the flowers enjoying a meal at the Restaurant. The Magnolia Restaurant served Indian, tandoori, Chinese and selected dished of continental food and regional cruises. On special request, the cooks can also serve selected dishes of Rajasthan.