Deolali: Difference between revisions

From FIBIwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Maureene (talk | contribs)
No edit summary
Maureene (talk | contribs)
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
Deolali cantonment, situated about 3½ miles to the south west of [[Nasik]] , was established in 1869. It was used as a transit camp for nearly all troops proceeding to and from Bombay and Britain.  
Deolali cantonment, situated about 3½ miles to the south west of [[Nasik]] , was established in 1869. It was used as a transit camp for nearly all troops proceeding to and from Bombay and Britain.  


In addition to the soldiers assembled after finishing their tour of duty, the troops waiting there also included mentally ill soldiers sent from all over India, who were being repatriated  to Britain on medical grounds. The slang words doolally or doolali, or doolali-tap, are used to describe someone who is "out of one's mind" or crazy. These expressions are derived from Deolali, where some soldiers went mad, waiting for extended periods for ships to take them back to Britain. In the nineteenth century, troopships sailed on a seasonable basis only in winter and spring, and soldiers posted there after March had to wait until Novevember before voyages recommenced.
In addition to the soldiers assembled after finishing their tour of duty, the troops waiting there also included mentally ill soldiers sent from all over India, who were being repatriated  to Britain on medical grounds. In the nineteenth century, troopships sailed on a seasonable basis only in winter and spring, and soldiers posted there after March had to wait until November before voyages recommenced. The slang words doolally or doolali, or doolali-tap, are used to describe someone who is "out of one's mind" or crazy. These expressions are derived from Deolali, where some soldiers went mad, waiting for extended periods for ships to take them back to Britain.  


==External links==
==External links==

Revision as of 11:06, 1 September 2011

Deolali cantonment, situated about 3½ miles to the south west of Nasik , was established in 1869. It was used as a transit camp for nearly all troops proceeding to and from Bombay and Britain.

In addition to the soldiers assembled after finishing their tour of duty, the troops waiting there also included mentally ill soldiers sent from all over India, who were being repatriated to Britain on medical grounds. In the nineteenth century, troopships sailed on a seasonable basis only in winter and spring, and soldiers posted there after March had to wait until November before voyages recommenced. The slang words doolally or doolali, or doolali-tap, are used to describe someone who is "out of one's mind" or crazy. These expressions are derived from Deolali, where some soldiers went mad, waiting for extended periods for ships to take them back to Britain.

External links

Historical books online

  • "Deolali" Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 11, page 246.