Dagshai – The Haunted Ghost Town of Himachal Pradesh

by Nisha Parmar SEO Executive

Dagshai, the name will not sound a bell to lots of people. Not lots of would recognize it any longer, and why would they? It is simply another of many little villages found in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. It is not a well-known tourist location and few individuals visit here. The little significance this place holds now is because of a little Army unit located here giving it the name of Dagshai Cantonment. Even a travel freak like me did not understand anything about this small hamlet; till I accidentally wound up here throughout one of my journeys. But this was not the case constantly. Dagshai was as soon as a location of note; a place of substantial worth.

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The small town lies at a distance of about 11 kilometers from Solan in Himachal Pradesh; at an altitude of 5,689-foot (1,734 meters). It is among the earliest known cantonment towns in India, established by East India Company in 1847; when Bhupinder Singh, the then Maharaja of Patiala, approved them 5 villages entirely free of expense. Dagshai was among the five towns and the largest in regards to size and population; other four being Dabbi, Badhtiala, Chunawad and Jawag. East India business developed their cantonment around these villages and named it after the biggest village, Dagshai.

The name of the town is believed to have stemmed from Urdu word "Daag-e-Shahi"; actually translating to a "Royal Mark". However this was not a mark of honor or pride however rather of embarassment. It was a mark that in Mughal times was placed on detainees or crooks who were then sent out here to be jailed. In time, the name gradually changed from "Daag-e-Shahi" to Dagshai which is what the British utilized for their cantonment; hence making it the main name.

So what is it really that makes Dagshai so special? This location is rather picturesque with gorgeous vistas all around however ironically, this is not exactly what it is now known for. The little reference you will discover of Dagshai anywhere will remain in recommendation to it being among the most haunted places in India. There are a few places here that have rather a gory previous connected to them. Amidst the thick forests that surround this tiny hamlet, it makes a perfect setting for a creepy ghost town; like the one you see in the motion pictures.

Dagshai Cemetery

There is really absolutely nothing in Dagshai except for the cantonment; a few Army buildings, 2 schools, a cemetery and some local homes. I could not discover even discover a hotel here to be sincere and had to go to Solan for a night stay. So exactly what here exactly is haunted? You guessed it right, it is the cemetery that the ghost tales relate to.

When an individual says ghost, the immediate thought is of a sinister and menacing entity, capable of injuring as well as eliminating people. This nevertheless does not use in case of Dagshai The ghost of Dagshai is more on the angel side, that people seek true blessings from.

The Ghost of Dagshai.

In the pasts of English, a specific Major George Weston and his other half lived in Dagshai. The major himself was a Doctor while his wife, Mary Rebeca Weston was a nursing assistant. Legend has it that both stayed childless till a "Peer Baba" blessed them both with an amulet and not long after, Mary was able to conceive.

Their happiness nevertheless was short lived. Mary died either in 8th month of pregnancy (or throughout childbirth); with her unborn baby in December of 1909 and was buried at the cemetery here. Her other half, in order to reveal his undying love for his beautiful spouse had a stunning marble structure of a lady and their child being blessed by an elf shipped all the way from England to be erected at her tomb. The residents called and still called the tomb of Mary as "Mem ki Qabr". The words on the marble structure read "To the sacred and loving memory of my better half Mary Rebeca Weston who passed away at Dagshai, 10th December 1909 and our unborn Babe"

The Superstition and the Legend of Dagshai

Gradually over a time period, exactly what was actually a mother's misery and an other half's sorrow, turned in to a superstition. Nobody knows for specific how everything began but individuals began thinking that if a pregnant woman broke a piece of marble from the structure at the grave, she would have the blessings of Mary Rebeca Weston and will provide birth to a baby young boy. As the superstition grew, pregnant women from by far started visiting the cemetery to be blessed; in hopes of giving birth to a boy instead of a girl. Outcome, the beautiful marble structure was soon broken away piece by piece and a bad female's grave was completely vandalized.

Sightings of the ghost of Mary Rebeca Weston at the cemetery during the night have been declared by many individuals. Even if it is true, I can not say that I blame her for haunting and standing guard to her own grave. Something that her partner so lovingly brought her from all the way from England was vandalized and minimized to damaged pieces. On top of it people began praying to her for verification of an infant young boy rather than a girl child. Not surprising that she has actually now taken things in her own hand and returned in type of a ghost. Who would not?

The Haunted Jail of Dagshai

However wait, that is not all that the ghost stories are related to. There is likewise the Dagshai Central Jail that contributes a little bit to it. This structure is now a museum but has rather a gory past to it. It was constructed in 1849 at a whooping expense of Rs 72,873 (which back then was certainly a great deal of loan). The prison consisted of 54 optimum security cells and saw its first set of prisoners after the rebellion of 1857.

It nevertheless initially was available in limelight when 4 Sikh leaders were hanged here in 1914 after Komagata Maru incident. Then in 1920, after mutiny of Irish soldiers in British service; the Jail was utilized to put behind bars lots of the soldiers. On 2 November 1920, mutineer leader James Daly; a 21 years of age private was shot by a firing squad in the jail courtyard.

With all the shootings and killings here, and obviously that there is another site in town that is apparently haunted; this prison too is now amongst one of India's leading haunted websites. Even Mahatma Gandhi once checked out here and stayed in the Jail after the execution of James Daly. All that however is now in past. All that remains are the scattered pieces of history, a silent bewitched town, some superstitious notions and a few ghost tales.

Dagshai Ghost Stories

So is there a ghost in Dagshai? Who understands? Ghosts are typically recognized when people begin to get injured or killed but the one out here is completely different. This is the ghost of a mild lady we are speaking about who even in death appears to be blessing pregnant girls. Maybe she is at the graveyard or perhaps she is not. I did not go there at the night so can not say anything about it. There are 2 schools here in this little town and all the kids seem to be all right; they are not terrified of any ghosts around.

What I can however validate is that Dagshai is a very beautiful village; and most likely among the leading offbeat destinations of Himachal. The next time you take a trip on Kalka Shimla highway, make certain to take the turn after Dharampur on the little uphill road to check out Dagshai. Do not nevertheless go here trying to find some ghosts because there aren't truly any. See here to visit a historical place and take pleasure in the picturesque charm of a charming town.

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