Mussoorie Heritage Centre

Mussoorie Heritage Centre Mussoorie Heritage Centre is a social enterprise opened in November 2013, with the objective of show

Mussoorie Heritage Centre is a social enterprise opened in November 2013, with the objective of showcasing and preserving the Heritage of Mussoorie and the adjoining areas. It archives and displays the historical heritage of Mussoorie from 1814 when the first map of the region was compiled by the Survey of India, till 1959, when HH Dalai Lama built his first colony in Mussoorie. Along with educati

ng and preserving the historical heritage of Mussoorie, it focuses on helping, promoting and developing the indigenous art in the Mussoorie region by providing the local craftsmen with a sales platform. It aims at bringing the local crafts of Mussoorie and the adjoining region at par with the world market
The main activities of Mussoorie Heritage Centre are:
• Educating children and student groups about the History of Mussoorie by taking them on Curated walk and talk in the Centre
• Organizing Heritage Walks, so that in the future we can conserve the historical buildings of Mussoorie
• Conducting Bird Watch around Mussoorie, so that through awareness the rich flora and fauna can be preserved
• Conducting talks and involving schools in environmental issues, particularly creating awareness about Waste management in Mussoorie. The aim is to include the local schools and educational institutes so that in some way we can build a better Mussoorie, and make it a truly world class tourist destination.

Visit us to unravel the historical details of Mussoorie during WWI and WW2.Commencing today...
04/04/2026

Visit us to unravel the historical details of Mussoorie during WWI and WW2.Commencing today...

09/01/2026

Our Winter Solstice Poetry Session,what an amazing evening.There were original Poetry recital and readings of some very well known poets,shayars etc in 4 different languages,English,Hindi Urdu and German. Works of
William Blake
William Ernest Henley
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
Harivansh Rai Bachan
Bahadur Shah Zafar
Gulzar
Rainer Maria Rilke
Kenn Nesbitt
Henry S Leigh
John Done
Were recited.But what topped them all were the original works,by
Nupur Karanwal Kainthura
Ashish Narayan Sharma
Kavyanjali Kainthura

A big thankyou to all who participated,and inspite of the chaos outdoors,made the indoor evening a creative lyrical ecstasy.
Thankyou for hosting us

2025 was an year of varied emotions and professional highs and lows. I had the honour and overwhelming experience of bei...
31/12/2025

2025 was an year of varied emotions and professional highs and lows. I had the honour and overwhelming experience of being recognised for my work by Rotary Club Mussoorie in June. In total 4 of us were rewarded,but for me most overwhelming was to be on the same platform as legendary Sir Vipin Gupta and Mr.Dana Crider.
Ending the year with gratitude and humble thankfulness to the Mussoorie community 🙏

Sunday 14th December 2025 we got together for our Heritage Walk 'Royals in Mussoorie- series 2'.In this we visited two R...
29/12/2025

Sunday 14th December 2025 we got together for our Heritage Walk 'Royals in Mussoorie- series 2'.In this we visited two Royal Houses.

Post 2

Padmini Nivas
Built in 1830s, Padmini Nivas is one of the oldest estates in Mussoorie, originally built by Mrs. Ann Ross. It subsequently changed hands several times before it was bought by an Australian brewer who named it Rushbrooke Estate, probably because there was then a stream passing through the property.

The name 'Rushbrooke' can still be read on the flagstone at the entrance to the main building. When the last British owner Mr. Charles Mair Gregory, put the property for sale in 1925. He had a booklet printed describing the property, building furniture's and fixtures. Some of that furniture still remains is its original place.

The then Maharaja of Rajpipla, Shri Sir Vijaysinhji Chhatrasinhji , bought the property at the 1925 sale and renamed it Padmini Nivas after his wife Maharani Padmini Kuverba Sahiba who was the princess 0f Panna. Maharaja Vijaysinhji had won many titles and medals from the British Empire, and was entitled to a 13-gun salute, a high honour salute - a high honour for Indian princes in the Raj era.
Maharani Padmini was known for her beauty and was a socialite. Parties at Padmini Nivas used to be the talk of the town. At one such parties the largest diamond from Panna was brought and displayed in Padmini Nivas.

The present owners bought Padmini Nivas in 1964 from Maharani Padmini Kuverba. It was originally purchased as a summer family getaway and was converted into a hotel in 1979.

😍

20/12/2025

Last Sunday we got together for our Heritage Walk 'Royals in Mussoorie- series 2'.In this we visited two Royal Houses.

Post 1
Our first visit was to The Kasmanda Palace. We were very warmly greeted by Rani ji who took us around and in detail told us the history of the Palace.
The Kasmanda Palace,in the British period was known as 'The Basset Hall Estate'.It was constructed in 1836 under the supervision of Captain Rennie Tailyour of the Bengal Engineers, and was part of the Christ Church complex.Its colourful history amongst others boasts of the Woodstock School as it's temporary occupant in 1855, and the invalid soldiers from the Crimean War being housed here.
In 1915 the property was bought by Raja Bahadur (Dr) Suraj Baksh ji OBE of Kasmanda.In 1992 his great grandson Rajkumar Dinraj Pratap Singh converted
the building into a Heritage Boutique Hotel. Currently it is the ITC Welcome Heritage Hotel.
We complied with the request of no photography inside the Palace. It has beautiful interiors with the corridor walls full of old photographs of the Family and trophies all around. It is one of the very few heritage properties left in Mussoorie with the original charm of the British era.It has Twenty-nine grand rooms with well-maintained old royal charm with modern amenities. It has a restaurant space with warm sunlight and the Doon Valley view. The grounds and lawns are well maintained with beautiful trees and flower beds. An Old Rickshaw and Dandy of the Royal family can be seen displayed here.

We are extremely thankful to Rajkumar Dinraj Pratap Singh ji and Rani ji for allowing us to visit the premises and spending their valuable time in showing us around and telling us the stories of the family.

😍

Last Sunday we got together for our Heritage Walk 'Royals in Mussoorie- series 2'.In this we visited two Royal Houses.Po...
20/12/2025

Last Sunday we got together for our Heritage Walk 'Royals in Mussoorie- series 2'.In this we visited two Royal Houses.

Post 1
Our first visit was to The Kasmanda Palace. We were very warmly greeted by Rani ji who took us around and in detail told us the history of the Palace.
The Kasmanda Palace,in the British period was known as 'The Basset Hall Estate'.It was constructed in 1836 under the supervision of Captain Rennie Tailyour of the Bengal Engineers, and was part of the Christ Church complex.Its colourful history amongst others boasts of the Woodstock School as it's temporary occupant in 1855, and the invalid soldiers from the Crimean War being housed here.
In 1915 the property was bought by Raja Bahadur (Dr) Suraj Baksh ji OBE of Kasmanda.In 1992 his great grandson Rajkumar Dinraj Pratap Singh converted
the building into a Heritage Boutique Hotel. Currently it is the ITC Welcome Heritage Hotel.
We complied with the request of no photography inside the Palace. It has beautiful interiors with the corridor walls full of old photographs of the Family and trophies all around. It is one of the very few heritage properties left in Mussoorie with the original charm of the British era.It has Twenty-nine grand rooms with well-maintained old royal charm with modern amenities. It has a restaurant space with warm sunlight and the Doon Valley view. The grounds and lawns are well maintained with beautiful trees and flower beds. An Old Rickshaw and Dandy of the Royal family can be seen displayed here.

We are extremely thankful to Rajkumar Dinraj Pratap Singh ji and Rani ji for allowing us to visit the premises and spending their valuable time in showing us around and telling us the stories of the family.

😍

17/12/2025

All the poetry lovers of any age group,of any language,let's celebrate the shortest day and the longest night of the year with Poetry. This Winter Solstice on 21st December will be memorable as we delve into the beauty of words,rhymes,prose etc 5.30 pm onwards at Landour Bookstore and Cafe.

✒️

08/12/2025

Join us for our special curated walk 'The Royals in Mussoorie- Series 2' on 14th December. Commencing at 4.30 pm.
Mussoorie in the late 19th century was the epitome of British fashion,splendor, grandeur and entertainment.The Indian Aristocrat Royals who were close to the British, started visiting Mussoorie at this period. And eventually acquiring or building their own unique summer palaces.The World War 1 saw an increase in their presence here.This added a unique charm to the social life of the town. Some of these Royal families still retain their Royal palaces.
Join us as we explore the stories and abodes of the Royals in Mussoorie.
For further details dm or WhatsApp at 9068804682

❤️✌️ ❤️ 😍 ❤️

26/11/2025

Had the privilege of attending the Bhudi Diwali or Bagwal at the village Bungalow ki Kandi near Mussoorie. Villages are roots of our civilization.Here we stand in reality to the basic necessities of life, clean water, clean air, livestock, farming and simple living. Here we are us.
The Bhudi Diwali is celebrated one month after Our Diwali on Amavasya in the Jaunpur Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.A two day celebration that runs for 2 days and 2 nights. The villagers go and cut the dry grass to make the rope which is symbolic of the Nag Devta. The 1st day the grass is cut and rope is wound and this is followed by music and dancing through the night.
The 2nd day again the rope is knitted and then they play a tug of war mainly between Men and Women.This is symbolic of the Samudramanthan. After this the rope is left at the village square while everyone goes home to dine.Dinner is again followed by dancing.At the end the rope is unwound and taken almost like a snake by the entire village to the roof of the chosen family.
What marks it unique! The spirit of these village folks.They are not uneducated nor backward,but are richly entwined with their roots and customs. The spirit of togetherness,the energy of being in rhythm together, where the footsteps are in sync,where hands hold each other...everyone is in sync,everyone is a family..Vasudevkutumbh
A very big thankyou to the village Pradhan Pramela ji for welcoming us,feeding us and making us feel like a family.

Image courtesy lokesh_ghai

19/11/2025

Join us for, A Conversation on " A House Called Askival" by Merryn Glover and audio book recorded by actor Shena Gamat on November 26th ,4.30 pm at Centre for Imagination, Woodstock School.
The book is set in Mussoorie and spanning 70 years of recent history through the lives of one family.

30/10/2025

Pending post 1

On a not so summary May afternoon, a lady with silver hair and her hand in a sling urgently and energetically walked into the Mussoorie Heritage Centre.I calmly welcomed her in and offered her a chair. What followed was mind-blowing!!! She was the descendant of James Forbes,and his history traced all the way from Forbisganj,Lucknow to Mussoorie. The details that followed were enough for a history buff to get goosebumps and sleepless nights.
The Forbes family were Indigo traders who came with the East India Company and had several Indigo plantations in Bengal.In Lucknow they had the famous Dilkush estate. In Mussoorie they owned several estates,Plaissance, Monastery, current Katesar castle,to name a few.
It was a delight to spend a few days with them and help them trace their roots in Mussoorie.

23/10/2025

Joyce Burkhalter Fluekicger talking about her research and new book 'On Mullingar Hill'....

Address

Landour Bazar
Mussoorie
248179

Telephone

01352632801

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