Short answer: Wilson Cottage was the deodar-wood house that Frederick "Pahari" Wilson, the Raja of Harsil, built in 1864. It burned down on the night of 15-16 February 1997 and only its story and site remain. Harsil's other famous building is the small village post office that appears in Raj Kapoor's 1985 film Ram Teri Ganga Maili - it still stands and is a favourite photo stop.
At a glance
| Place | What it is | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson Cottage | Frederick Wilson's deodar house, built 1864 | Destroyed by fire in February 1997; site only |
| Harsil post office | Village post office seen in Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) | Still standing in the village |
| Bagori | Old village near Harsil, also used in the film | Lived-in village; walkable from Harsil |
Who built Wilson Cottage?
Frederick Wilson was an Englishman who left the East India Company's army in the 1840s and settled in Harsil. He grew rich felling deodar and floating the logs down the Bhagirathi for railway sleepers, and introduced the apples and rajma the valley is still known for. Read his full story in Harsil apples and Frederick Wilson.
What was Wilson Cottage like?
Wilson built a large two-storey house of deodar in 1864, with high walls, two gates, carved woodwork and wooden staircases - grand for a remote Himalayan valley. It outlasted him by more than a century and became Harsil's best-known landmark.
What happened to Wilson Cottage?
On a snowy night in February 1997 the house caught fire and burned to the ground. Nothing of the original building survives. The site is close to the army area in Harsil, so ask locally whether you can go near it on the day you visit, and follow any restrictions on photography.
The Ram Teri Ganga Maili post office
Raj Kapoor shot parts of Ram Teri Ganga Maili (released in 1985) in Harsil and nearby Bagori. In the film, the heroine keeps returning to the village post office to ask whether a letter has come for her. That post office still stands in Harsil, and visitors who know the film like to stop for a photograph. Please remember it is a working building in a lived-in village.
Combining them with a walk
- Start in the village at the post office.
- Walk along the Bhagirathi and through the orchards Wilson planted.
- Continue to Bagori, or cross the river to Mukhba for the evening view back over Harsil.
For more ideas see things to do in Harsil. Stay in the orchards themselves - see Harsil Village Resort.
Frequently asked questions
What is Wilson Cottage in Harsil?
The deodar-wood house built in 1864 by Frederick "Pahari" Wilson, the Englishman known as the Raja of Harsil.
Can you visit Wilson Cottage today?
The house burned down in February 1997 and nothing of it survives. The site is near the army area, so ask locally about access.
Which film was shot in Harsil?
Raj Kapoor shot parts of Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) in Harsil and nearby Bagori.
Is the Ram Teri Ganga Maili post office still there?
Yes. The village post office seen in the film still stands in Harsil and is a popular photo stop.