ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>CASTLE HILL</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="CASTLE,HILL"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279CASTLE HILL, an 182-acre estate in Mussoorie, a hill city in the Himalayas, which was the summer residence for a short period of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Duleep Si&#7749gh, the last Sikh sovereign of the Punjab who after the annexation of his dominions was exiled by the British to Fatehga&#7771h, in present-day Uttar Pradesh. The entrance to the estate, in La&#7751&#7693our Bazaar, is a fortress-like construction, with battlements for guards, an iron gateway and a reception room for visitors. The estate, originally known as Woodcraft and Greenmount, was the property of one G. B. Taylor before it was purchased by the government in 1853 for Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Duleep Si&#7749gh. It came to be known as Castle Hill from Duleep Si&#7749gh's occupation of the 'castle' on the top of the hill as his residence. As Duleep Si&#7749gh arrived at the estate in the summer of 1852, he was, besides the train of servants, accompanied by his guardians, Dr and Mrs Login, the former officially designated as superintendent and agent to His Highness, his tutor, Walter Guise, and his nephew, Sh&#257hz&#257d&#257 Sahdev Si&#7749gh, son of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh and his R&#257jp&#363t queen, R&#257&#7751&#299 Dakno. The Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 received here lessons in music and drawing and enjoyed outdoor activities such as cricket, hunting and hawking. He learnt especially to play the flute and raised a small band which performed at the Mall, in the city, in the evenings. He practised painting under the tutelage of the city's artist George Beechey. The summer of 1853 was again spent at Castle Hill, this time Prince Sahdev Si&#7749gh's mother, R&#257&#7751&#299 Dakno, also joining the party. In April 1854, Duleep Si&#7749gh left for England never to return to live in India again.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The estate now is the property of the Union government and houses the offices of the Survey of India.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Waryam Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>