According to an online history account put together by the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (the IAS and IFS academy at Mussoorie), a Irish army officer Captain Young and a joint magistrate named Shore built a shooting box hut in 1823 in these parts.
This evolved into a lodge, which became the focal point of a holiday resort and Mussoorie (apparently named after a local shrub) came into being. Captain Young's home -- Mullingar Mansion named after his hometown in Ireland -- still stands.
Though Mussoorie never became a seat of government, it attracted convalescing British soldiers. And through the last days of the British Raj, it was a snobby British resort where balls, hunts, fetes and polo games became part of the daily rhythm. In the tony clubs of the day, neither Indians nor dogs were welcome.
The Nehru family frequented Mussoorie and nearby Dehra Dun. Interestingly, after fleeing from China and crossing the border at Arunachal Pradesh, the Dalai Lama first settled hee before land was allotted to the Tibetans in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. There is still a small Tibetan settlement in Mussoorie.
India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had a historic first meeting with the Dalai Lama at a British Raj-style cottage here in April 1959, after giving him shelter in India. Nehru came riding a white horse and asked the Dalai Lama in his perfect Harrow and Trinity College-honed English, 'How are you?'
'I am quite nice,' said the Dalai Lama, in English too.
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