BK Singh
Ever since the recent disaster struck Dharali, many have said that if the deodar (Himalayan cedar) trees had not been felled, the town would never have faced such devastation. But before moving ahead, let’s understand why cutting these trees became one of the primary reasons for Dharali’s destruction.
The Question That Matters: Who Destroyed Dharali?
The answer is as grave as the disaster itself. The biggest culprit behind Dharali’s ruin once watched its slow destruction from Mukhba village — the same village where locals captured the tragedy on their mobile phones.
Day and night, saws buzzed through the deodars of Dharali, while this man sat in front of his bungalow, dreaming of becoming rich. When you hear his story, you’ll be shocked. This is the story of Frederick Wilson — remembered as the most notorious villain in Dharali’s history.
Frederick Wilson – The “Raja” Who Brought Ruin
Two hundred years ago, stories of Wilson echoed across these mountains. They were stories of greed, a hunger for wealth, and a dangerous vision that hollowed out the hills. Wilson was known as the “King of Harsil,” “Pahadi Wilson,” and “Shikari Wilson.”
He even had coins minted in his name. Rudyard Kipling’s famous tale, The Man Who Would Be King, is said to be inspired by Wilson’s life.
When Wilson first arrived in this now-devastated region, Dharali was lush with towering deodar trees. A deserter from the British Army, Wilson found this remote place perfect for hiding. But soon, his eyes fell on the deodars — trees considered sacred and a blessing for the land.
In Rajgopal Singh Verma’s book Firangi Raja, it is written that Wilson would sit on the veranda of his bungalow in Mukhba, watching and directing the destruction of Dharali.
The book describes how, ow from early morning until dusk, the sharp whine of saws echoed as they cut through the mountains’ heart. These sounds struck fear in the villagers, but they brought joy to Wilson, who watched from his hilltop home.
Why Cutting Deodar Trees Led to Dharali’s Destruction
In the third decade of the 18th century, India was preparing for the expansion of railways. Wilson saw an opportunity — deodar wood was perfect for railway sleepers.
He obtained timber-cutting rights from King Sudarshan Shah of Tehri. Once he had permission, there was no stopping him. To meet the growing demand, he felled vast swathes of forest.
It’s said that Wilson cut more than 200,000 deodars across 600 acres in Harsil, Dharali, Mukhba, and Gangotri. His greed kept growing, but the forests disappeared.
The natural balance was shattered. Even today, locals remember Wilson as a cursed figure — a killer of deodars — in a land where these trees are worshipped as divine.
When a Priest Warned Him
Firangi Raja also recounts how a temple priest once pleaded with Wilson not to cut the trees. But Wilson dismissed him, saying he had legal rights to the timber and was working with East India Company approval, under the Tehri king’s sanction. He laughed off the idea of divine wrath, ignoring every warning.
By 1857, Wilson had earned immense wealth from deodar logging. He was celebrated by some as “Firangi Raja” and became a well-known figure in Harsil and surrounding areas.
He married the daughter of an old man who had sheltered him, and after her death, married her relative, Gulabo.
But, like the narrow mountain trails where one misstep leads to a fall, Wilson’s life also took a downward turn. Questions were raised about his character.
He got involved in illegal wildlife hunting and trade. In his later years, he left Dharali and Harsil for Mussoorie — where, in a strange twist of fate, he was buried beneath a deodar tree, the very kind he had once destroyed in such great numbers.
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