Short answer: Harsil's apple orchards were started in the mid-1800s by Frederick "Pahari" Wilson, an Englishman who deserted the East India Company's army, settled in Harsil and made his fortune selling deodar timber. He introduced apples and rajma to the valley. Blossom comes in April; the harvest runs through September.
Harsil apples at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who planted them | Frederick Wilson (1817-1883), "Raja of Harsil" |
| When | Mid-19th century |
| Also introduced | Rajma (kidney beans), still a Harsil speciality |
| Blossom | April |
| Harvest | Mostly September, into early October |
Who was Frederick Wilson?
Wilson arrived in the Bhagirathi valley in the 1840s after leaving the army. He married locally, learned the hills, and found that the deodar forests around Harsil could be felled and floated down the river to supply sleepers for India's new railways. The trade made him rich and powerful enough to be known as the Raja of Harsil; he even issued his own coins. His life was told in Robert Hutchison's book The Raja of Harsil, and is often said to have helped inspire Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King.
How apples came to Harsil
Alongside the timber business, Wilson planted apples and rajma on the flat valley floor - rare land in a valley that is mostly gorge. Both crops took. Generations later, apples are the backbone of the local economy and older growers still talk of the "Wilson" apple. Harsil rajma is sold across Uttarakhand.
When to see the orchards
- April: blossom, and a quiet valley before the yatra season.
- September: harvest - crates by the roadside and the valley smells of apples.
- Winter: bare trees under snow, a different kind of beautiful. See Harsil in winter.
Staying in an orchard
Harsil Village Resort sits in a working apple orchard on the valley floor, so in September the harvest is going on around the cottages. See our rooms and cottages, or see Harsil Village Resort. See what became of his house in Wilson Cottage and the Harsil post office. For the rest of the valley's history, read the Harsil travel guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who brought apples to Harsil?
Frederick "Pahari" Wilson, an Englishman who settled in Harsil in the 1840s, introduced apples and rajma to the valley in the mid-19th century.
Why is Frederick Wilson called the Raja of Harsil?
He grew rich and powerful from the deodar timber trade, was treated locally as a king and even minted his own coins.
When is apple season in Harsil?
Blossom is in April and the harvest runs mainly through September, sometimes into early October.
Is Harsil famous for rajma?
Yes. Harsil rajma, also introduced in Wilson's time, is one of the valley's best-known products.