The hexagonal Ghanta Ghar at the centre of Paltan Bazaar is the spatial heart of old Dehradun — six clock faces, all of which usually disagree, atop a column visible for blocks in every direction. Built in 1948 to commemorate freedom fighters, it is the city's most photographed landmark and the point everyone uses for directions.
From the base, the four old market streets — Paltan Bazaar, Rajpur Road, Chakrata Road, and Saharanpur Road — radiate outwards into the lanes of the old city. It is busiest in the late afternoon when shops reopen after the heat.