Winter has come.
2026 Day 291. #PersonalDays.
Dehradun winter is one of my favourite seasons of the year. It arrives with almost no warning. One day you are enjoying the autumn warmth, it’s sunny and the wind barely brings any relief. Then arrive the dark clouds, bearing rain and announcing the arrival of winter as they have done many times before, but people forget to listen. I somehow, remember.
The rains give an indefinite relief from the heat. We want to believe that it is temporary, and it is, but it happens to last much longer than we expect it to. Somehow nobody is ready for the winters, but it is my favourite season of the year.
When people ask me why it is my favourite season, I tell them it is because I have better outfits for the winter. Which being true, is not the main reason behind it.
If I look deeper, my love for the season started with my hate for the summer. The Indian Summer, is one of the worst times to be around, and as a child I used to struggle with prickly heat a lot. I had issues with sun burns, and the concept of sunscreen was foreign to Indians.
“We are brown, we do not really need sunscreen.”
The rains brought relief from the summer only for the autumn to bring the heat back. Eventually winters would arrive and I would develop a new appreciation for the city.
I have observed winters in various cities now, and I must admit, Dehradun winters have been absolutely unique. I would even go as far as saying that these are the best winters in the world, but the snow loving crowd might hate me for it.
Anyway, here is my pitch on why you should experience the Dehradun Winters at least once in your life. They might not be the best for you, but they will be up there on your list.
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We expect the winters to be really cold. Dark windy days that make you feel like staying in, the winters here give you slight break from that. The sun shines as bright as it does in the summers, only the air around is much cooler. So the mornings feel fresh, and a little warm as you step into the sun.
I can usually get started with just a shirt, or a light jacket on. As you step out of your house, the chilly air awakens you. You know it’s winter, you can feel it, but the sun makes it feel like everything okay. It feels like my mother’s hug, I am safe as long as I am in her arms, but eventually she will have to let go.
And the sun sets too.
But until then you can enjoy the summer like appearance of the city. It invites you with the views and makes you stay for the food. Good food in the winters is better than anything else. Dehradun has developed a great food community, and for every price range. You could get food on the streets, in the independent bakeries and cafe’s, expensive fine dining and everywhere else in between.
Things start changing when the sun sets. The sky turns a vibrant pink and orange, and you can spot the winter line if you go just high enough. I had never been appreciative of these things until I realised that these are not common. I am lucky to have grown up with these views, and I appreciate them even more now.
At this point, you need your winter jacket on. The wind picks up speed, the chilly air is not being offset by the warming sun, now you are on your own and the true winter cold starts to creep up. If you are not careful, you will fall victim to it, and things only go down hill from there. However, if you have been warned like I just did, you should be all set to go enjoy the city.
When you have lived through the day, comes my favourite part. Cozying up in bed is the best ending you could have asked for. You might need two layers, but the weighted blankets, the icy air, makes it seem all the much better. I like to sleep with my windows open, others seem to hate it because the room never warms up. Maybe I do not want it to warm up. Maybe I want it exactly as it is, so I can be a wrapped up bundle of warmth.
Dehradun winters have always been classy for me. I hope you get to experience it the way I have over the decades I have spent here. Global warming is shifting the seasons and things might never be the same soon enough.
See you tomorrow.
