We had one day in Dehradun, before we proceeded up the hills for our Dayara Bugyal trek. And our
request to our friend and host in the city, Tapas was to take us some place where we could do long
walks or even run. He didn’t have to think much and soon we landed at the sprawling campus of the
Forest Research Institute (FRI).
A 450-acre campus with many long stretches of internal roads/pathways and a huge lawn (where PM
Modi once did a massive Yoga event) is a runner’s/jogger’s dream. The central building in itself is
massive, which combines Greco-Roman and colonial style of architecture. It houses five museums,
apart from research laboratories, library, herbarium, administration, and so on.
The campus also has patches of forests, a couple of canals (streams) that run through it, a
bamboosetum, playing courts, residential areas, and hostels.
We spent a couple of hours walking through the campus, yet covering only a small part of it.
If you are in Dehradun and if you love walking/running, make sure FRI is in your itinerary. A
nominal fee is charged for entry. Museum ticket is separate.
