Dehradun, March 24
The Darbar Sahib, normally a picture of placid stability, was today submerged in an ocean of devotees as it was the birth anniversary of Guru Ram Rai, the founder of the Udasin sect who had also laid the foundation of Dehradun.

At the shrine’s paschim dwar (western gate) overlooking a water front, a mélange of persons from rural and urban backgrounds stood devoutly in queues waiting for their turn to offer prayers.

There were hundreds of others, who unmindful of the bright sun, lined up in two long queues to assist in wrapping the Jhanda Sahib with endless number of covers.

The sheer dexterity of these men was all too evident. Their skill and devotion ensured that the Jhanda Sahib at no point in time rested on the ground.

With the sun going down, the proceedings reached a crescendo. On a cue from Mahant Devender Das, many more devotees joined in to steady the flaming red and pink flag which was hoisted as the clock struck 5 pm.

After the flag hoisting, prasad was distributed and ‘surma’ was applied.

Even to this day, the Darbar Sahib carries on with the tradition that began in 1687. “As has been the practice, the old Jhanda ji was removed in the morning and the ceremony was presided over by Raj Purohit Bhagwati Prasad Thapliyal. Subodh Uniyal assisted him,” said Vishnu Nautiyal, Coordinator of the Darbar Sahib.

No wonder that the sangat comes from different corners of the country. And they return home satisfied with a promise to be back whenever there is a call from the shrine.

Next year, the Jhanda ji will be hoisted on March 12.

Dehradun, March 24
Chairman of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) committee Ajay Bhatt today said the government would expand the infrastructure for tuberculosis (TB) testing in the state.

“Once the State Intermediate Reference Laboratory gets going in April this year, we will have better testing facilities and then focus on upgrading smaller testing centres in different districts,” said Bhatt.

He expressed these views at the World Tuberculosis Day function organised by the State Tuberculosis Control Committee here today.

He said the government would build or upgrade 200 testing centres in the state.

Mussoorie, March 24
After the Anglo-Nepal war a treaty of peace and friendship was signed between the Government of Nepal and East India Company. The signed copies of the treaty, popularly known as the Treaty of Sugauli, were exchanged by the representatives of both the sides at Makawanpur on March 4, 1816.

As part of the treaty, Nepal King ceded the low lands between the Kali and Rapti rivers, the Rapti and Gandaki rivers (except Butwal), the Gandaki and Kosi rivers and the low lands between the Mechi and Teesta rivers.

The treaty paved the way for the British to look towards the highlands of the Shivalik Mountain Range in the North and the adventurous British Army officers landed up in Mussoorie around 1820s during their search of cooler climes.

According to eminent author and resident of the town Ganesh Saili, initially an adventurous British military officer, Capt Young, and Shore, Superintendent of Revenues at Dehradun, constructed a shooting lodge in the 1820s on the Camel’s Back Road. It has been termed as the first temporary shelter in Mussoorie. Soon Mussoorie gained popularity. The Rajas and Maharajas of Baroda, Indore, Kapurthala, Kateswar and Kasmanda also built cottages as their summer refuges.

According to local historian Gopal Bhardwaj, one of the first colonial houses built in Mussoorie was Oakville in 1826 that was occupied by the British Garrison Engineer and Lord C Combermere, General of Bengal Engineers. Bhardwaj further says after the war of Bharatpur, the duo hit the idea of building a sanatorium at Mussoorie as they found the climate suitable for the injured and sick British soldiers. The construction of the sanatorium began around 1827 and it later became a large cantonment.

Following that more colonial houses came up which were owned by the civilian population too. One of them was Zepphyre Lodge situated at Kulri Bazar. It was built in the early 1830s. The British, as they were fond of beautiful gardens, also got constructed a branch of the botanical garden here. Later, this garden came to be known as the Company Garden. It still exists. Adjacent to the Company Garden is Logie Cottage. Famous paleontologist Hugh Faulkner completed his research and discovered a large number of fossils in the Shivalik Hills during his stay in this cottage.

The Oak Ville cottage that was built in 1828 in Mussoorie.

The largest club of British India, also called Club House, was built by General Shower in 1840.

As the British Population grew they felt the need to establish schools for their wards in the town and Waverly Convent was opened in 1845. St George’s, also known as Manor House, was built in 1853 while Woodstock School was built by American missionaries in 1854. Oak Grove School came into existence in 1888 and it catered to the wards of Railway employees from Punjab and Sindh. At present, the school is run by the Northern Railway as a public entity.

Another school Wynberg Allen was also established in 1888.

Evelyn House situated at Library Bazar above Christ Church was built by Capt James Skinner around 1831. The British also built majestic churches around the town namely St Peters at Lal Tibba and Christ Church at Library Bazar in 1836, St Pauls in 1842, Union Church in 1878, Methodist Church in 1885. These churches still stand tall and are serving the Christian community.

Another building, which is now famous as Rokeby Manor and is situated on the way to Char Dukan, was built by Capt GN Cauthy around 1840. It is one of the landmarks of Landour. According to its owner Sanjay Narang, the house gets its name from the writings of Sir Walter Scott, whose poem describes heroic battles near the original Rokeby Castle in England.

In 1901 the population of Mussoorie was 6,461 and it would rise to 15,000 in the summer season when people from the plains visited the town to escape the hot and sultry weather. Previously, Mussoorie was approachable by road from Saharanpur (93 km) away.

The author of “Mussoorie Medley - the Tale from Yesteryears” Ganesh Saili resides in one of the colonial cottages, called Trim Lodge, located near the Mullingar. It was a hotel during the British era. He says, “Trim Lodge was built in the 1920s. Its earlier owner EH Cockburn had left the property to his sister. After her death, the property went to the Custodian General, who put it on the block. A building called Parade Point, situated next to the demolished Clock Tower in Landour Bazar, was the home to freebooter FE Wilson, also known as Pahari Wilson of Hursil, who rose from rags to riches by supplying timber to the Railways. The building is now an antique shop and is owned by Vinod Kumar”.

According to the authors and historians residing in Mussoorie, the construction quality of these colonial houses can be gauged from the fact that most of these survived the major Kangra earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale that occurred in 1905. One of the buildings that were partially damaged was Waverly Convent.

Historian Gopal Bhardwaj opines the MDDA should take in view the aesthetic value of the town before sanctioning the new construction plans.