Coffee-table book on Dalhousie hill station launched

Endowed with historical information and lavish images, a coffee-table book on Dalhousie was today released by Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy, who hoped the publication would help enhance tourism in the scenic hill station.
Roy, 72, who admitted that he was bitten by the travel bug long ago while he took his journey to Mansarovar Yatra in 1996. He, however rued, having not visited the hill town in Himachal Pradesh so far.
The book 'Dalhousie...Through My Eyes', authored by retired civil servant Kiran Chadha, who shared interesting anecdotes about the hill station on the occasion, is replete with historical information and lavish images of the town.

"It is almost an act of God that I am here to release this book. I came to Delhi to attend the farewell dinner for the President (Pranab Mukherjee) and she (Chadha) invited me.
"Dalhousie is one place I have never been to. But, talking about Dalhousie, in my hometown Calcutta, there is a Dalhousie Square, which was named after Lord Dalhousie, who hatched his plans (while being in the seat of the British empire in India)," Roy said.
Occupying an area of over two sq km, the plaza is ringed by historic structures, and was originally named for James, Marquess of Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1847 to 1856. It was renamed to Benoy-Badal-Dinesh Bagh or BBD Bagh after Independence.

The Governor said, he has also written but mostly on socio-politics issues.

"It is a pleasure to release this book and I hope this will also help increase tourism in Dalhousie and Himachal," he added.
Roy, incidentally, during his Mansarovar Yatra was part of a team that was led by Chadha in 1996.
Chadha said she hoped the book will serve as a guide and a knowledge storehouse for the next generations to learn more about Dalhousie and its history and see the beautiful images of it and inspire them to travel to the hill town.
A senior Tourism Ministry official said, more such book should be brought out to popularise our travel destinations.

"Foreign tourism to India is just the tip of the iceberg. Domestic tourism flow in the country, which exceeds India's population, is the pyramid on which our tourism (policy) is built. I really hope this will help promote tourism in Himachal Pradesh," he said.
Dalhousie is a hill station in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh and is situated on five hills.