After exploiting its hilltops and heritage places, Himachal Pradesh has decided to convert the British-era cemeteries in the state into tourist spots.
State will spruce up British-era cemeteries and convert them into tourism spots
SHIMLA: After exploiting its hilltops and heritage places, Himachal Pradesh has decided to convert the British-era cemeteries in the state into tourist spots. The cemeteries, a picture of neglect thus far, would be renovated on a war footing under a new tourism plan.
Besides the summer capital of Shimla, Himachal has quite a few places, such as Dalhousie and Kasauli, where the British inhabited. All these places have cemeteries.
Records in the state’s famous churches are being examined to identify the top British officers who died and were buried here.
A senior tourism department official said the government launched the initiative after receiving queries from a large number of Britons whose relatives were buried in the state during the British rule. Some even furnished details about their dead kin.
“Their anxiety to locate graves of their forefathers inspired us to take the novel step,” he said.
Besides cemeteries, the several churches built by the British would be given a new look to cater to the demands of the UK tourist, who has evinced interest in church architecture.
The government has engaged the services of noted historian Raja Bhasin to identify the cemeteries and churches.
The tourism department official said Bhasin’s work would be documented and circulated in the UK to attract tourists. Thousands of Britons were buried in cemeteries in Shimla, cantonment areas and other towns in Himachal during the 1857 uprising and later.
These cemeteries are located at famous hill stations such as Dalhousie, McLeod Ganj, Kasauli and Shimla.
A website has been also proposed with details such as archival dates on cemeteries to help kin of those buried here.
According to the website of the British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia, about two million Europeans are buried in India in about 1,300 cemeteries.
b_ajay@dnaindia.net
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