In the Land of Gods, ghosts get a chance to attract tourists

UTTARAKHAND HAS ITS FAIR SHARE OF SUPPOSEDLY SPOOKY MANSIONS, CEMETERIES AND LEGENDS. AND THE BEST STORIES FROM THE MOUNTAINS

DEHRADUN: Listen to the whistling wind on moonless nights. You will hear the heavy thuds of Pahari Wilson’s boots, walking down the village road with his rifle cocked…

The legend of 19th-century British adventurer Frederick E Wilson could be among the eerie entertainment that Uttarakhand plans to promote as ghost tourism.

Everyone likes a good ghost story, and the Himalayan state is making a spirited proposal to cash in on the public’s interest in the mysterious and supernatural. “Ghost tourism has ample prospects of attracting foreign tourists,” tourism minister Satpal Maharaj said.

Tourism is the state’s economic mainstay. Besides holidaymakers, thousands of Hindu pilgrims flock to the majestic mountains and lush valleys dotted with temples of Uttarakhand, often referred to as “Dev Bhoomi” or Land of the Gods.

The state has its fair share of ghost stories and haunted mansions too. And the best tales are about fascinating local history with a sprinkle of spooky lore.

Agatha Christie set her The Mysterious Affairs at Styles on a legend that supposedly haunts Hotel Savoy, a landmark in popular hill station Mussoorie.

The spirit of Lady Orme, a murdered British spiritualist, teleports from room to room of the 1902-built hotel, searching for her killer.

Tourism officials are on the hunt too — but for sites having a haunting reputation. They identified 15 so far, including Hotel Savoy and the British-era Lambi Dehar limestone mines near Mussoorie. These sites generate a stream of pictures, videos and write-ups on the internet.

Countless miners at Lambi Dehar were killed in mining disasters in the past. Legend has it that the dead scream for salvation at night.

Ghost tourism has boomed over the past decade globally, but “not very popular in India”, Maharaj said. Bhangarh fort in Rajasthan, D’Souza Chawl in Mumbai, and Dumas beach of Surat are among the big draws.

Pahari Wilson’s home in Harsil could be at the front edge of haunts. The Englishmen introduced apples and timber trade to this Himalayan nook. He is so entrenched in people’s mind that locals see him to this day, or night, almost everywhere.