doon

Doon is a toponym used for several places and geographic features in different parts of the world. The most common associations are in India and Scotland, where the name is linked to a valley and a river, respectively. In both cases, the term has become part of local identity and institutions.

In India, Doon commonly refers to Dehradun, the capital city of Uttarakhand, which lies in the Doon Valley at the foothills of the Himalayas. The city serves as the administrative center of Dehradun district and is a gateway to the Garhwal and Kumaon regions. The surrounding Doon Valley is a densely populated, agriculturally productive basin, and it hosts schools, colleges, and cultural sites, including the well-known Doon School, one of India's historic boarding schools.

In Scotland, the River Doon is a river in the southwest of the country. It flows through the historic Burns country, including the towns of Alloway and Ayr, before entering the Firth of Clyde. The river, and the valley through which it runs, are celebrated in literature and tourism and are thus a feature of local heritage.

Other uses are primarily geographic or cultural, with Doon appearing in corporate or institutional names in various regions tied to the Doon Valley or River Doon. The name continues to function as a regional identifier in local speech and maps.