डगशाई जेल, जिसका बापू-गोडसे दोनों से कनेक्शन: आज बन चुकी एक म्यूजियम, नाथूराम था आखिरी कैदी, राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी भी 2 दिन रुके

When the British ruled the country, there were two such jails, hearing the name of which the souls of the prisoners used to tremble. One we call Andaman and Nicobar Jail, the other is Dagshai Jail, which is built in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Although today this jail is a museum, but it has connections with the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi and his assassin Nathuram Godse, as both of them stayed in this jail.

This prison was called Kala Pani because in it the prisoners were tortured by being stained with bars. Every year on the death anniversary and birth anniversary of Bapu, tourists come to see this museum. Let us know in detail about this jail.

Mahatma Gandhi came in 1920
During the First World War, a large number of Irish soldiers were taken prisoner by the British Army. Some of them were brought to Himachal and imprisoned in Dagshai Jail and subjected to severe torture. Irish soldiers had also fasted here while suffering the torture of the jail. When this matter came out of the jail, on 1 August 1920, Mahatma Gandhi came to Dagshai to meet the same soldiers. During this he stayed in this jail for 2 days.

It is said that Gandhiji was also a friend and admirer of Irish leader Iaman de Valera. This was the reason why Bapu reached Dagshai to meet the Irish soldiers who were fighting for their freedom even after being imprisoned in India. The picture of Mahatma Gandhi is pasted outside the cell in which Bapu was lodged at that time. Apart from a chair and a table, a large picture of Bapu with a spinning wheel hangs on the wall.

Godse remained in Dagshai jail during Shimla trial.
After the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, when Godse was tried, it was heard in the Minto Court in Shimla. Meanwhile, when Godse was brought to Shimla for trial, he was kept in Dagshai. He was locked in the cell adjacent to the main gate of this jail. Even today Godse’s photo hangs on the wall here. It is said that Nathuram Godse was the last prisoner of Dagshai Jail, after which the government stopped detaining anyone here.

Why was Dagshai Jail the black water of Himachal
This prison of Dagshai was called the black water of Himachal, because the prisoners confined here were subjected to severe torture. He was tortured. Some were even hanged in this jail. Actually the name of this prison was Daag-e-Shahi, which later became Dagshai. Here the forehead and other parts of the body of the prisoners were stained with hot iron bars and moulds.

In this prison, along with the Irish soldiers, the freedom fighters of India were also locked. During 1857, the brave fighters of Kasauli Revolution were also tortured by putting them in this jail. This fort-like prison is visible from a distance in T shape. There are a total of 54 cells in this jail, out of which 16 are called solitary confinement cells. The roof and floor of the jail are made of wood. It is said that the prisoners who were more dangerous were put in solitary confinement. There was no arrangement for air and light in these cells.

Dagshai Jail was built in 1849
The Central Jail was built here in 1849 during the British rule. At that time Rs 72,875 had been spent on it. In this prison completely closed from all sides, only one window was kept for light and air. There was a system of air coming inside from the underground pipeline. The gates of the prisoners’ cells were made of strong iron, which was generally difficult to break through.

A strong fortified prison, once the main gate of this prison was closed, it could neither be taken out nor could anyone come inside. The East India Company had bought Dagshai and 5 surrounding villages from the Raja of Patiala. First of all, the cantonment of English soldiers was made here.