blaze new trails: Exploring your surroundings...Nicholson Cemetery

There is nothing so rejuvenating like a simple walk to explore your surroundings. If the place is culturally rich like the Civil Lines and the weather not cruel, it is exhilarating.

This Saturday, I headed to the Nicholson Cemetery. Long had been my desire to have a good look at what lies beyond that red brick wall adjacent to the Morigate bus stand. The thought of those hefty and mean looking monkeys that dwell there in huge numbers, however had thwarted my plans many times. This week, when I read about the cemetery been renovated by the British High Commission and a security firm and also the British High Commissioner Sir Michael Arthur inaugurating the renovated cemetery, curiosity took over…

Before the snaps, a brief about John Nicholson…

The cemetery, claimed to be the oldest and second largest cemetery in Delhi, is named after Brigadier General John Nicholson, a key figure in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Nicholson was an officer in the Bengal Army under the East India Company. During the revolt of 1857 when the mutineers, coming all the way from Meerut, besieged Delhi, the city was defended (from the British side, naturally) by young Nicholson. The, Magazine Gate (for firing canons at the mutineers), opposite GPO and the Kashmiri Gate (yes, the old gate is a protected monument though people hardly know of its existence…pics later) also bear testimony to the battle that was fought. Well, Nicholson and his band of men met the mutineers at the Kashmiri Gate…it is said that he was mortally wounded during the bloody battle that ensued and finally succumbed on September 23, 1857, nine days after the battle. His grave says, he was 35. However, historians dispute it to be 34 only.

Now for the snaps that were taken clandestinely. I did not know that permission was required for it; neither does the instruction board carry a warning/notice to that effect…anyways, somehow managed to fool the caretaker. That does not make me a criminal now…does it!

The Cemetery Gate…frontal view. All polished and presentable now…

The information hoarding put by the government gives us one interesting fact…the walls/boundary of the Cemetery was the same in 1860’s. Amazing…BTW, the covered area of the place is around 9 acres.

Yes, two Hanuman Langurs have been posted there along with an official staff of four Homo sapiens and a couple of Canines to drive away the Macaques and other unwanted elements…phew! Sounds like some war of species! :)

Information by the Delhi Cemeteries Committee

The renovated pathways make it easy to move around and locate the graves which are all of the 19^th century. Some of the epitaphs are true pearls of wisdom…could have clicked those but fear of that Chowkidaar prevented me : (

Some graves are very elaborate...perhaps of important men from Nicholson's cavalry...

New portion of the Cemetery...

Some graves have been shabbily restored…some others are nameless.

Finally, the grave of John Nicholson…the snap could have been much better, I know, but it was difficult to hide the camera and click a good profile at the same time…so…