About Dehradun

According to Skanda Purana, Dun formed part of the region called Kedar Khand. It was included in the kingdom of Ashoka by the end of the 3rd century B.C. It is revealed by history that for centuries the region formed part of the Garhwal kingdom with some interruption from Rohillas. For about two decades till 1815 it was under the occupation of the Gorkhas. In April 1815 Gorkhas were ousted from Garhwal region and Garhwal was annexed by the British. In that year the area now comprising tehsil Dehra Dun was added to district Saharanpur. In 1825, however, it was transferred to the Kumaon Division. In 1828, Dehra Dun and Jaunsar Bhabar were placed under the charge of a separate Deputy Commissioner and in 1829, the Dehra Dun district was transferred from the Kumaon Division to the Meerut Division. In 1842, Dun was attached to Saharanpur district and placed under an officer subordinate to the Collector of the district but since 1871 it is being administered as separate district. In 1968 the district was taken out from Meerut division and included in the Garhwal Division.

The Siwalik (outer and lower ranges of Himalayas) lies at its feet, the outer- scrap of the Himalayas bound it on the north and the scared Ganga and the Yamuna skirt in on the east and the west respectively. The Ganga enters the district in the eastern Dun at Tapoban and meandering south-west goes to Hardwar via Raiwala near Rishikesh. The Yamuna enters the district in Jaunsar and flows southwards for about 32 kms on the south-east border of the district. Besides Ganga and yamuna, the other rivers that flow in the district are Asan, Suswa, Tons, Rispana, Bindal and Amalava.