A Trip to the Most Haunted Place in Delhi; Nicholson Cemetery

A faint-hearted would not dare to step foot in it. It is Delhi’s oldest cemetery and has seen innumerable sad days.

Delhi has so many secrets hidden in its bosom. It has witnessed some of the most gruesome battles since the ancient Mughal Era, which continued even during the British Raj. Having borne brutal wars and savage mass exodus, Delhi’s soil reeks of blood and vengeance. 

There are many flashy and happening places to visit in Delhi, but Nicholson Cemetery is anything but fun-filled or joyful. 

The cemetery was built in the colonial era in the year 1857 when the government required a separate patch of land to bury countless soldiers who died in the mutiny against the British Raj. 

Earlier only the British were allowed to be buried here, but post-independence, Indians were also laid to rest on these ancient burial grounds. 

Who is Nicholson Cemetery named after?

The Nicholson cemetery in new delhi is named after one of the finest British officials- John Nicholson, he was a revered historian and soldier in British history. But, the Indian history and Indians remember him as a savage Englishman who butchered hundreds of their brothers. 

Earlier the cemetery was known as ‘Old Delhi Military Cemetery’ but was later named after John Nicholson. It is located near the Kashmere Gate, an important area in Delhi.  

In September 1857, after John Nicholson passed away, succumbing to major injuries inflicted by the Indian rebels. He was laid down at the Nicholson Cemetery along with several other British soldiers who died in the war.