British-era Kasauli Club comes alive with week-long festivities

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 8

The 125-year-old British era Kasauli Club is bursting with activity as it celebrates its annual week after a gap of two years of Covid pandemic.

Regarded by the members as a second home, the club, which was set up in 1880 as a reading room, was initially open only to British civil servants and Army officers posted at Kasauli and in Dagshai cantonment.

Events being held after 2 yrs

The cultural week will culminate on June 11. It will see events like a live band display, sapling plantation, Kasauli King, Queen, Princess etc. A yoga session was also held — Romi Gill, executive member of club

It was rechristened as ‘Kasauli Club’ on January 1, 1898, by a resolution and was registered on September 21, 1898, at the Registrar’s Office, Lahore. The club was later renamed as “The Kasauli Club Ltd” and is now governed by the Companies Act, 1956.

Civilians began to get membership of the club only after 1960. Obtaining membership to this club has since then been a matter of prestige. It had a distinguished founder member, Major Younghusband, who was a valiant soldier, explorer and the Ambassador of the British community to Tibet.

In 1947, when the country gained Independence, British members headed by Sir Maurice Gwyer were adamant on having their pound of flesh before they left the country. They wanted to sell the club. This decision did not surprise the Indians as other European and Eurasian clubs owned by the British were also being sold. The sale of the club was the main item on the agenda of the general body meeting. However, the meeting had to be cancelled for the want of quorum. In the meantime, the chairman managed to get an interim injunction, forbidding the sale of the club. Faced with this legal writ, Sir Maurice Gwyer decided not to pursue the case.

The club has 400 permanent members and an equally long waiting list of people vying for its membership for as many as 15 years. The members comprise retired Army Generals, Supreme Court judges, ambassadors, bureaucrats, etc.,

Keeping its old tradition alive, the club celebrates its annual week comprising cultural and sporting events in the form of ‘Kasauli Week’. This much-awaited event brings to the town all its members residing in various parts of the country. This cultural bonanza was introduced by the club on May 5, 1922.

Old timers recall the tennis parties, the annual tennis matches when players from as far as Delhi, Lahore, Ambala, Bombay and Calcutta came to play. The Saturday dances, weekend lunches and beer sessions were all reminiscent of the British era.

Romi Gill, an executive member, said, “A slew of cultural and sporting events are being held this year after a gap of two years owing to the pandemic. The cultural week will culminate on June 11 and will see events like live band display, sapling plantation, events like Kasauli King, Kasauli Queen, Kasauli Princess, etc. A yoga session was also held today with focus on wellness.”

About the club

• It was set up in 1880 as a reading room and was open only to British civil servants and Army officers
• It was rechristened ‘Kasauli Club’ on January 1, 1898, and was registered on September 21, 1898, at the Registrar’s Office, Lahore.
• It was later renamed ‘The Kasauli Club Ltd’ and is now governed by the Companies Act, 1956.
• Civilians began to get membership only after 1960.