The General’s House, a bungalow built in close proximity to the Nuwara Eliya city during the British rule and assigned for the chiefs of the forces, is today used by the parliamentarians as a holiday resort.
General’s House in Nuwara Eliya
By Shelton Hettiarachchi
The British Governor dedicated the Nuwara Eliya Plateau, an area for a holiday resort, for the use of British soldiers. Located on the base of the Piduruthalagala Mountain range known as the great mountain of the country at an elevation of 8281 ft., Nuwara Eliya is a paradise for foreign as well as local tourists.
Scattered through the area are many places in Nuwara Eliya that provide accommodation for tourists; ranging from rooms in houses to super hotels. Among these holiday resorts is the General’s House.
However, it is today a holiday resort reserved for 225 MPs in the Parliament.
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Thus, MPs have the privilege of reserving rooms in this bungalow at a mere Rs. 350 per day. This building was much spoken of after a mishap recently confronted by a Kurunegala District MP.
MP Nalin Bandara who yearned to spend a couple of nights at a serene place had decided to land on the General’s House in Nuwara Eliya. He had gone to the location with three of his friends.
During their stay at the mansion, the subjects of discussion varied. One of their debates was supernatural forces at night. The subject was ensued with a truth where a mysterious death occurred in one of the rooms in the General’s House years ago.
However, MP Nalin Bandara had thrown a challenge and bragged of his courage to sleep in the room where the alleged death had taken place.
Though he had not slept in the said room, the MP had encountered a spooky and bizarre episode. At around 2 in the morning, he had wanted to go to the washroom and when he turned back to return to the room, he had been propelled by someone.
The MP shared this mysterious experience at the General’s House with us.
Q We heard that you encountered an unpleasant incident in Nuwara Eliya. Is it true?
Yes. I faced a minor incident of the sort.
Q Do you really think this as something involving an invisible force?
I generally do not believe in ghostly stories. But this particular incident is a mystery. I still can’t fathom what actually happened. The thought of it itself excites me.
Q Were you alone in the room?
There were three of us. We spoke about ghosts during the night. We were told by someone that the body of an English lady was found in a room of the old building, and that her death was a mystery. Whether she had hung herself or she was hung by someone else remains an unsolved issue. However, when I was about to take a nap, my friends challenged me to sleep alone in the room where the woman’s body was found, ‘Room 16.’
Q So, were you sleeping alone in room 16?
One friend was with me in the room of the new building. Others were in adjacent rooms. Room 16 is in the old building. Many of the employees of the holiday resort have heard of the English woman’s death.
Q Were you scared after talking about the mysterious event?
No. I didn’t have any fear. I myself wanted to sleep in the mysterious room.
QAt what time of the night did this exactly happen?
It was at around 2 a.m. that I wanted to use the washroom. Anyway, when I stepped out of the lavatory, I was pushed by some force. It is difficult to explain.
QWere you pushed by someone?
I cannot say exactly. But the jolt was strong enough to collapse me.
Q Were you injured?
Yes. My chin was hit against something. But I felt nothing at the time. However, it later started giving pain.
QWere you alone at the time?
A One of my friends were in the room.
QDid you call him?
No, I didn’t. No one knew what happened.
QWhat happened after you fell on the ground?
I returned to the room. My friend was in deep sleep. I began to feel the pain on my chin. When I touched it, it hurt. I think I had some injuries. I wiped it with a tissue paper.
QWas your roommate aware of this?
No, he was not, until I told them the following morning.
QDid you consult any doctor or psychiatrist following this incident?
A similar incident had occurred earlier when a group of girls had been staying in the same room.
Q Didn’t your friend notice any sign of what was happening?
He was asleep. The thrust came from inside the washroom.
Q Did you examine the room?
Yes. None were there except the two of us.
QHave you experienced such incidents previously?
Never. Anyway, such occurrences are said to happen at the hotel quite often.
QDid you inform the relevant authorities about the incident?
No, that was the end of the story. But media is inescapable.
