The Miraculous Song River of Dehradun

Lying in the Doon Valley at the foothills of the Himalayas, Dehradun is a traveller’s paradise with its amazing scenic beauty and beautiful cool weather. The entire Dehradun district has a diverse topography with uphill and downhill terrain, forests, rivers and plain land. One of the most important sources of water supply and the largest river of the district is the Song River. This river originates from a natural spring on the southern slopes of the Missouri ridge and flows through the Ladwakot forest of Dehradun. Song River mainly runs through the central and eastern part of the Dehradun district, while making both the banks fertile. While crossing the hilly tracks of the Himalayan range, several streams run into this river, which in turn carry various natural minerals. The river which is believed to be flowing for a period of over 100 years is the main reason for the yearly devastating flood of the region.

Being a mountain river it is fast flowing with jagged rocks visible here and there. It has got a broad river valley which is a store of sediment rich in stones, gravels and sand in it. The beautiful green mountains, the glittering waters, the tranquil river banks and the lovely weather have made Song River popular among the picnic lovers. During the summer months the river banks gets crowded with families and friends, who come to enjoy a leisure afternoon by the riverside. Monsoons are the time when one should avoid going to the river flowing area. Every monsoon the water level increases and the river becomes rougher, which in turn leads to flood.

Apart from the surrounding natural beauty, the Song River of Dehradun is famous for its many natural sulphur springs. These springs originate from the cracks of the mountain and flow into the main stream, thus making the river water rich in sulphur content. Haldwari village, which falls on the free flowing river bank of Song River, is a popular tourist spot for witnessing sulphur springs. People come here to take a dip in the mineral rich water. It is believed that sulphur bath is beneficial for various ailments, especially skin diseases.

Various camping ground has been developed over here for nature lovers. Many forest rest house and eco – camps have been formed by various adventure camping organizers of Dehradun like RoofNRide and Camp Red Stone. One can take a 2.5 kilometers trek from the nearby Ragad village, till where there are motorable roads present and reach the springs. The camp site for Camp Red Stone is spread over an area of 20 acres amidst the forest by the side of Song River. This place is a perfect weekend gateway place which provides various adventure activities like Obstacle course, Natural Wall Climbing, Rappelling, Ground Sports, short treks, hiking, swimming, body surfing, air rifle shooting, bird watching, cycling, cave exploration. Star gazing at night by the side of the river is an experience worth a lifetime remembrance. The place is considered to be a photographer’s paradise.

In entirety, the Song River till this day remains a mysterious entity due to its rich mineral content, giving many instances of miraculous of healing of people with ailments.