Your chances of hearing a ghost story exponentially increase at a campfire, in the jungle and at a Hill station. It holds true across cultures and geographies, and Lansdowne, my hometown, is no different. However, before you think otherwise, let me tell you the Ghosts of Lansdowne take no credit for keeping this wonderfully quiet hill station unspoiled. Lansdowne, Pauri Garwal, Uttarakhand, is a small cantonments. It is 40 km after Kotdwara, the last railroad station just 250 km from Delhi.
During the last 40 km of the taxi or bus ride, you’ll climb 1,500 meters surrounded by blue pine trees. Once you reach the height of 1,756 meters (5,686 ft), you will hit Lansdowne. Originally called ‘Kalundanda’ and later changed to Lansdowne after Lord Lansdowne, the Viceroy of India in the late 1800s. Lansdowne is the perfect place to visit all year round. If you come by in January and February, you might just get snowfall.
VISIT LANSDOWNE
You should visit the War Memorial, and appreciate the view of the Himalayas from Lansdowne’s highest point, Tip-in-Top. Enjoy the serenity at Old St. Mary’s Church. Or visit some historical temples like Tarkeshwar Mahadev, Kaleshwar Mahadev, Durga Devi, Sidh Peeth and Jwalpa Devi. Visit Kanva Ashram where Shakuntala, the wife of King Dushantya, gave birth to King Bharat. And that is from where the nation derives its name ‘Bharat’. Here you can read more about the trip to Lansdowne.
When you return to the hotel in the evening, settle around a make-shift campfire, and nestle a hot cup of tea or the famed Hercules rum, the preferred poison in the countryside. Then you can check with the caretaker about interesting ‘ghost stories’.
They will tell you about the friendly ghosts of Lansdowne, who have “never hurt anyone”.
HEADLESS ANGREZ
The ‘Headless Angrez’ rides on his favourite White horse. He slaps any cantonment sentry found dozing on duty. It is said that the ghost is of British Army officer W.H.Wadle. He was posted at Lansdowne in around 1893 as a commanding officer. He fought in Germany during the first world war but his body was never found. No last rites were performed. And hence, he still roans the roads of Lansdowne. He is the most well know Ghosts of Lansdowne.
GHOST WITH A RED HAT
The ‘Ghost With A Red Hat’ follow people walking alone near the church. Not particular about his territory, he also haunts a few more serpentine hill roads. The Ghost with the red hat is known to match and echo their footsteps.
LADY WITH UNENDING LONG ARMS
Then there is the ‘Lady With Long Arms’. She sits near a small stream that runs next to the Kaleshwar Mahadev temple. The temple is 100 meters down the hill from my ancestral house. Or she sometimes stands near the church facing the valley. Sobbing, she asks tourists to help locate her grandson who, according to her, was playing and had fallen down. When the helping tourist politely asks her to show them the place where the kid has fallen- the nightmare starts. The lady stretches her arms all the way down the stream and knowingly smiles at the helping tourist.
GHOST OF BUNGALOW NO 18
When you talk of Ghosts of Lansdowne, you cannot forget the ‘Ghost at Bungalow No 18’. He enters through the dining room window like a cloud of mist and leaves through the kitchen window without troubling anyone.
GHOST OF COLONEL ROBERT
One of the famed Ghosts of Lansdowne is the ‘Ghost at Colonel Robert’s home’ in the Garhwali Mess compound. The ghost reads through the night with a lit lamp. And this is the story that makes it more intriguing. The bungalow is right in front of Garhwali Mess. The site was selected by Lieutenant Montgomery Browne Robert for a building finished in 1888. It was pulled down and reconstructed as the only two-level bungalow at Lansdowne. It is said that Robert had a dream where fairies asked him to not make the second floor will obstruct their flying path to Badrinath. Robert did not concede to his dream and the day he finished the second floor he went blind. However, the plaque at the Bungalow says this story s unverified.
Believe or don’t believe in ghosts. Do find some time to visit Lansdowne for the natural beauty before it gets wasted by commercial tourism.
STAY AT LANSDOWNE
There are many options At Lansdowne for staying, including Garhwal Vikas Mandal Guest House. Better hotels are Lans View Hotel, Hotel Mayur, Lansdowne Villa Fairydale Resort, Shanti Raj Resort, GMVN Lansdowne Tourist Bungalow, GMVN Tip N Top Huts in Lansdowne, Bright Sunny Pines Resort, and Hotel Forest Palace.
If you are flying into Delhi– your hotel can arrange a direct safe cab pickup. Or you can take the overnight train from Delhi to Kotdwara. Regular buses are ply between Delhi and Kotdwara. The roads are fine, but the climb is fast and with many hair bends. So, take precautions if you have motion sickness.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Some of the content comes from a TOURIST SPECIAL BROCHURE. This brchure was created by my younger cousin Late Shri Ashwini Kotnala and Dr S P Naithani and Devendra Naithani. Additional credit for this brochure appreciates the effort and contribution of Rajeev Sharma, Yogesh Shah, and Coln. Y S Rawat, Coln S NandKumar, Samir Sinha ( IFS) and Amit Mishra ( CA). Most pictures are scanned from the brochure and acknowledged. This is my way of telling the world about the beautiful place I was born in.
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