Bakloh

Bakloh (or Bukloh (archaic spelling)) is a cantonment town. It is a hill station, 4584 feet above sea level, in Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.

Bakloh and Balun, Dalhousie Cantonment, along with a sliver of territory to connect the two cantonments, was acquired in 1866 from the Raja of Chamba for a sum of rupees 5000. firstly Bakloh was meant for a 'Goorkha Cantonment' for the 4th Goorkha Regiment, raised at Pithoragarh uttar Pradesh in 1857. Balun, the cantonment in Dalhousie, was for British troops. Bakloh remained the home and the Regimental Center and Depot, of the 4th Gorkha Rifles, known as the 4th Prince of Wales Own Gurkha Rifles, for 82 years, from 1866 to 1948. 2/4 Gorkha Rifles was raised in Bakloh on 22 April 1886; 3/4 Gorkha Rifles on 15 November 1940; and 4/4 Gorkha Rifles on 15 March 1941. In 1934, the 5 km long cart track from Bakloh to Tannu Hatti, on the Dalhousie road, was converted into a motor able road. The first car, belonging to Captain TDC Owens, arrived in Bakloh in the same year.

In the wake of the Partition of India, in 1947, the regimental centres of the Indian Army were reorganized. The 4th Gorkha Rifles (GR) Regimental Center and Depot (GRRC), was shifted from Bakloh, first to Dharamshala, the Centre of the 1st Gorkha Rifles, and then to Chakrata, and finally to Sabathu, Shimla Hills. In Sabathu the 4th Gorkha Rifles Centre was merged with the 1st Gorkha Rifles Centre to become the First and Fourth Gorkha Training Centre (14 GTC). In the wake of the move of the 4 GRRC from Bakloh to Sabathu, Indian Army Headquarters, in Delhi, on the prompting of senior officers of regiment, was "ready to consider" locating one battalion of the regiment in Bakloh to look after regimental pensioners, property, and widows. The idea, of reserving Bakloh for a battalion of the Regiment, however, did not find favour with many officers, including Commanding officers and "nothing came of it." While the Third Battalion (3/4GR) was in Bakloh, Maj General Walter David Alexander Lentaigne, CB, CBE, DSO, better known as "Joe" Lentaigne, who was then the Commandant of the Indian Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, Niligri hills, Tamil Nadu, and the Colonel of Regiment, 4 Gorkha Rifles, visited Bakloh on his farewell rounds and to be with the Third Battalion, which had served under him during the Burma campaign, as part of the Chindit Operations, in World War II During the visit, he made a big impression on the young Indian Officers. While reviewing the Guard of Honor he spoke with the men in fluent Nepali, reminisced about the war in Burma, and recognized those who had served with him in the war by their names and, more impressively, by their regimental numbers.

The 4 GR owns several historical regimental properties in Bakloh. These include the 4 GR Memorial on the edge of the old 1/4 GR parade ground, Kharati lines, 1/4 GR and 2/4 GR widow's lines, mandirs, and the 19th century Sealy Bungalow, which briefly housed the regimental kindergarten, but is now in a state of neglect and disrepair. Senior officers of the regiment have suggested that it be converted into a holiday home. The resident battalion of the regiment is expected to take care of the regiment's properties in Bakloh. In the absence of a battalion of the regiment, the Gorkha Sabha is expected to take care of these properties for which it receives a small supplement from the regiment.

Lokeshwar Mandir was inaugurated on Shivratri, 18 February 1947, in the presence of large number of people. The temple was inspired and designed by Agam Gurung. It was constructed in 1946 with local material, in the Nepal temple style, with three tier roof, by demobilised men waiting to be released after World War II. It is located on the path to Dalhousie, below the First Four Bazaar. The temple contain memorial plaques with names of those killed in World War II. Until the construction of the new regimental mandir in 2008, this was considered the main and the most sacred Regimental Mandir, in Bakloh, used for Sansari Pooja. The regiment's centenary pooja in 1957 was conducted in this mandir. It was maintained by annual contributions by battalions of the regiment. However, over the years, its upkeep was neglected. It lost patrons because of, amongst other reasons, its relative remoteness. 2/4 GR after it returned from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in 2000, carried out repairs and renovation of Shri Guru Gorakhnath Mandir. The repair and renovation was led by Subedar Major Dhan Bahadur Rana, and executed by Pioneer/Assault Platoon Commander Subedar Indra Bahadur Gurung. The renovated mandir was inaugurated by Col G S Batabyal, CO 2/4 GR in April 2000.

Despite the many regimental mandirs in Bakloh, in May 2007, it was decided by the Colonel of the Regiment and the Centre Commandant, to construct yet another mandir. The new mandir, designated as 4GR Gorakh Nath Regimental Mandir, was constructed in four months from December 2007 to April 2008, under the supervision of Mr Swaminathan, from Tamil Nadu, and Naib Subedar Sher Bahadur Thapa, who was awarded a 'Commendation Card' by the Army Commander for his work in constructing the new mandir. The new mandir is located above and on the right of the Kalimata mandir. The new regimental mandir was formally inaugurated on 22 April 2008, with much fan fare, by Lt Gen TK Sapru, GOC in C Western Command, in the presence of all the Commanding Officers, Subedar Majors, and religious teachers of the Regiment.

Bakloh Cantonment was established in 1866. It is category IV Cantonment. The board consists of four members, including two elected members.

The Gorkha Sabha was established in 1933. The Sabha for want of office space and patronage, after a year or so of existence, became dormant. In 1953 under the presidency of Honorary Lieutenant Babar Singh, SB, OBI, it was revived. In 2008, the Sabha celebrated its Platinum Jubilee. The Gorkha Sabha, Bakloh, has close relations with the Gorkha Sabha, Dharamshala, and the Himachal and Punjab Gorkha Association, Dharamshala, the only other Gorkha ESM welfare association in HP. The HP Gorkha Ex Serviceman's Welfare Association, Bakloh, is registered with and part of the All India Ex Serviceman's Welfare Association (AIGEWA), Dehradun. Another senior officer of the Regiment, in 2011, observed that the Gorkha Sabha is a divided house with "various stake holders (from different regiments pulling in different directions)", and that the "present avatar of Gorkha Sabha is mostly on a 'begging bowl mode'." Even after the 4th GR Centre moved from Bakloh to Sabathu, battalions of the regiment, whenever located in Bakloh, as a matter of course, have run primary school for the children of soldiers, and dependents of pensioners. This tradition has been continued by units of other regiments. In 2012, 18 Dogras was running a primary school, till class 5. The Kendriya Vidyalaya Bakloh got its own new building after an interval of 32 odd years on 16 February 2014. It is a prestigious Institute of Bakloh and has more than 400 students enrolled presently(2020)

Government Senior Secondary School, affiliated to the Himachal Pradesh Board of Education Dharmshala (HPBOSE), is located in Kakira, Chamba (HP). It has a large building and a big ground, which makes it a hub for various activities for the surrounding villages & towns. the foundation of this school is put by Shri Harigiri ji. Before that this school is located at Lal Barag currently known as 1/4 Bakloh near military hospital Bakloh. This school had a great history Till now GSSS Kakira has provided true gems to this nation. Many of them are scientists, Soldiers, Army officers and many more. Many of them had participated in kargil war (1999) .

The population of Bakloh in 1881, was 1479 (1300 Hindus, 13 Sikhs, 154 Muslims, and 12 others). 120 years later, in 2001, according to the official census, the population was 1810; with an unexplained, adverse gender ratio of 55 percent male and 45 percent female. The overall average literacy at 83% is higher than the national average of 59.5%.

Bakloh has year round temperate weather, excellent trekking tracks, heritage buildings, charming old bazaars, and temples. Yet it gets few visitors. Bakloh is a Photographer's Paradise. A place which was loved by the British Officers is still an unleashed hill station for tourists. It is believed that Bakloh will be a well known tourist place in the years to come.

Negi, Brig (Retd), RPS. ed. Fourth Gorkha Rifles Officer's Association, News Letter, India. Number 1 35, (in English, Hindi, and Nepali). The Fourth Gorkha Officers Association, News letters, is published annually. It has articles and reports on the activities and achievements of the units of the regiment. It also includes news of the 4 GR pensioners and the Gorkha Sabha, the representative body of 4GR and other pensioners, in Bakloh, and Dharamshala.