Dehradun, June 29 -- Author.

By: Ganesh Saili

It had something to do with spirits. To keep the early troopers happy and content, our forerunners built a non-commissioned officers' mess. It is among the earliest structures that came up in Landour.

We've grown up on tales of apparitions who flitted around on cold nights. For instance, there is the tale of an ex- royal who had just got married. The two were sitting around after dinner chatting, when came a knock on the door. Initially they ignored it. Who would be so stupid as to disturb the royal couple's honeymoon? And remember, it was way past midnight!

Again, the knocking resumed, this time round it was more insistent. Finally, the fellow got up and answered the door. There stood his...