Himachal government to promote tourism during CWG 2010

IN AN innovative way to attract tourists from across the world, particularly from the United Kingdom, Himachal Pradesh has chronicled all the existing churches and cemeteries of the state in a book. This has been done by the Department of Tourism, and they wish to market and publicise the book at a large scale during the Commonwealth Games and attract tourists.

Arun Kumar, Director, Tourism said: “To attract the international visitors, a book — The Churches and Christian Cemeteries of Himachal Pradesh — is coming up listing various graves and cemeteries of the State where thousands of Europeans have been laid to rest.”

He said the Department of Tourism expects that with this document, it would invoke a desire amongst the visitors to visit the graveyards, churches and cemeteries in Himachal Pradesh as they were influenced by colonial architecture.

He said the book would be made available during the upcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, besides, in British and other embassies. “This document will also be available in all the tourist information centres within and outside the State,” he added.

The document has the details about the oldest cemetery in Shimla, near Oak Over, where the burial ground was opened around the year 1828 and the first grave is dated 1829. Then there is Cart Road Cemetery where Major Samuel Boileau Goad was also buried.

He was one of Shimla’s most prominent residents and owned at least 33 of Shimla’s most valuable properties including Barne’s Court, Kennedy House, the Park and Holly Lodge, besides, the details of cemeteries at Sanjauli, below St Bedes, Kanlog, Jutogh, Kotgarh and Subathu.

He said the book also had details of churches and cemeteries, memorials at Nahan, Kasauli, Kangra, Palampur, McLeodganj, Dalhousie and Chamba. Then there is a memorial to Penelope Chetwode at Khanag, near Ani in Outer Seraj of Kullu district. Penelope was the daughter of Field Marshal Baron Chedwode, who had served as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.

“She remained in love with Himachali hills till her death in 1986 on a trek between Shimla and Kullu over the Jalori Pass,” informed Kumar.

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