Dehradun, July 12 -- Ganesh Saili

'What's Futty-Chath?' Avid history buff and teacher Mark Windsor asks me.

'Where on earth did they get a name like that?' Carefully he superimposes the grid of an old 1831 map of Mussoorie on the 1946 update to get his bearings.

'Must have been an old summer chaan or hutment that had its roof blown off!' Say I.

Gone! The roof and all. In its stead are the smoldering remains of, what was once, the largest personal residence ever built in the station. It combined the best of Nepalese and European designs. In its heydays, Fairlawn Palace overflowed the hill right down to the motor-road to Dehradun. Though what remain are the ruins of alcoves, arches, balusters, garrets, gateways and vaults glued together...