Kasauli
Kasauli is located at an altitude of 1927m in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is at a distance of 70 Km from Chandigarh and 77 Km from Shimla. The serene and calm environment of Kasauli with relaxing voice of the birds along with the mild rustling of leaves will permeate in your remembrance throughout your life. It is a perfect place to for all those who yearn to spend some quality time alone with or without their family. If you visit the town in off season (November to February), It is quite possible that you will not come across any person for very long while on your walk. However, the sweet and soothing voice of the birds with gentle rustling of leaves will accompany you on your walk.
For people who are looking for fun and adventure at every step, Kasauli will be a disappointment for them as there is hardly anything to do. The town has a bit of small attraction within sand around the town that will keep you busy a little. The legend of the town states that it came into existence when Lord Hanuman, on his way to getting the Sanjeevani herb, stepped here for jumping on to the Sanjeevani hill. The place where the lord actually kept his feet is said to be at a hillock which is 300 m high.
History of Kasauli:
The calm and peaceful atmosphere of Kasauli belies any sense of history. Yet this place was in the thick of the westward Gurkha expansion, stemmed with some difficulty by the combined efforts of the British and some local chieftains, in 1814. The Gurkha surrounded the fort at Sabathu and this was turned into a convalescent home for British nationals. Later, the Governor-General, Lord Amherst, decided to have Shimla hills as a summer gateway for the British establishment and Col. Tapp, political agent at Sabathu, came to study the Kasauli area.
The 1857 Indian War of Independence moved the hearts of the Kasauli Guard, numbering about eighty Indian soldiers. After receiving news that the Gurkha Regiment at nearby Jutogh has also risen in revolt, the garrison at Kasauli begin to join them. Before the two could unite and create a serious threat, the British agent talked the Gurkha Regiment into submission, on promise of a general pardon. The Kasauli Guard found themselves absolutely isolated. So far from being pardoned, they were cruelly punished for their revolt.
Kasuli is the birth place of popular Anglo- Indian author of children's literature, Ruskin Bond. The Irish rugby international Andy Mulligan was born in the city in 1936. It is also home for some months of the year to famous authour Khushwant Singh. Rahul Bose the renowned Bollywood actor occasionally visits his house in Kasauli.