Credit: Arvind Singh Rawat
About Dharali
At an altitude of 2,680 metres, Dharali is a beautiful scenic hamlet located in the laps of the Himalayas in the district of Uttarkashi, Uttarkhand. Nestled on the bank of the holy Ganga, the village is popular for its apple orchards. When you go towards Gangotri, the village falls enroute. The sense of spirutalism takes you over, blending with a blend of the beautiful nature it is surrounded by.
There are numerous attractions that are in abundance near Dharali. The village falls 3 km after Harsil and 20 km from Gangotri, making it a perfect spot for rest before proceeding to Gangotri Dham.
Connection with Frederick E. Wilson
Also known as Pahadi Wilson was an army deserter who left the British army after the 1857 Sepoy mutiny. He first went for a help to Maharaja of Tehri, who denied him a safe sanctuary. Finally, he decided to move north to Harsil, where he made a good fortune for himself.
He supplied wood logs of deodar that are found in abundance here. These wood logs were used by the British in making railway slippers . He also traded fur and musk.
To instill trust with locals , he married several girls from villages Mukhwa and Dharali. Many noticeable houses made from wood that he has constructed for his family are still visible in the region.
A 300-year-old panwar house made of wood at Dharali is a major attraction. It was built for Wilson’s wife, Ruda Godavri, whom he married forcibly. He took her without her consent to British cantonment, from where she returned to her parnet’s home.
When Wilson came back to take her, she went into hiding in the Bhagavathy temple inside Panwar House. He tried to drag her out, but when he kept his boots inside the sanctum, he received a current and had to return. But unfortunately, Ruda Godavari was ostraxised later for keeping an alliance with a foreigner and was kept in a small hole below the house.