8 travel destinations in India which once served as 'healing' sanatoriums during British era

When the British ruled India, the subcontinent wasn’t just a land of exotic spices, palaces, and bustling bazaars, it was also a place to recover from the tropical heat, monsoon maladies, and general colonial exhaustion. Enter the sanatorium: tranquil hill stations and remote retreats where British officers, civil servants, and their families went to breathe fresh air, and can have treatment and recover. Today, these same destinations welcome travelers seeking serenity, history, and a touch of colonial charm. Here are eight Indian destinations that once doubled as ‘healing’ havens:

The Leprosy Mission in Almora was originally established in 1836 during British colonial rule as a facility for the treatment and care of individuals affected by leprosy. Situated in Karbala, Almora district, Uttarakhand, it began as a modest asylum and has since been managed by various organizations. Over the years, the institution expanded its services to include medical care, sanitation initiatives, and rehabilitation programs for patients. Today, it continues its work under the administration of The Leprosy Mission Trust India, carrying forward its long-standing legacy of healthcare and support.

In order to maintain imperial authority, British colonial officials used this place for medical facilities. Hill stations were as tools of government, legitimising British rule in a strategically important area rather than being impartial healthcare facilities. In contrast to the Indian plains' alleged degenerative effects on European constitutions, the cooler Himalayan environment was seen as healing. In order to depict the hills as healthier, more manageable, and less rebellious, colonial officials connected medical care with political goals.

Captain Frederick Young, the founder of the Sirmour Rifles regiment, founded the first sanatorium in British India in Mussoorie in the middle of the 1820s. Young also brought the first potato seeds to the valley. Captain Rennie Tailour of the Bengal Engineers first constructed Kasmanda Palace, a historic hotel in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, in 1836 as a component of the Christ Church complex. It eventually functioned as a sanatorium for British soldiers during the Crimean War (1853–1856) and then as a school from 1896 to 1910. The ruling family of Kasmanda, a former princely state in Oudh, purchased it in 1915 to serve as a summer home.

One of the earliest hill stations built by the British in northern India, Nainital is tucked away around a tranquil lake. Located in Bhowali, Nainital district, Uttarakhand, the King George Edward VII Sanatorium, also called the Bhowali Sanatorium, is a historic tuberculosis treatment facility that was founded in 1912. Built as a high-altitude tuberculosis treatment clinic during British colonial authority, it was named for King Edward VII and served both European and Indian patients. The sanatorium, which was one of the first facilities in northern India specifically designed to treat tuberculosis, still offers medical care in the area, upholding its reputation as a symbol of colonial medical infrastructure.

Ooty, or Udhagamandalam, in the Nilgiris, was often called the “Queen of Southern Hill Stations.” It served as a retreat for British officials, and the summer capital of the Madras Presidency. In 1822, John Sullivan began building his residence, the 'Stonehouse', on land purchased from the Todas. His wife, the first European woman in the Nilgiris, moved in with their infant son in 1823, alongside other Europeans, including Sir Thomas Munro, governor of Madras. Between 1823 and 1825, Sullivan created Ooty Lake for irrigation. He praised the climate as “particularly salubrious,” noting its health benefits. The area soon became a retreat for invalided officers and Europeans seeking rest cures. Sullivan’s progressive views also recognized the Toda tribe’s proprietary rights, putting him at odds with East India Company officials.

A small but charming hill town, Kasauli was a favorite for British officers suffering from lung and respiratory issues. Its sanatoriums, such as the Central Research Institute, provided medical care in the serene backdrop of pine forests and Himalayan foothills. Today, Kasauli offers quiet walks, colonial-era architecture, and a chance to relive the bygone sanatorium era.

A quieter neighbour to Ooty, Coonoor’s elevation and temperate climate made it a preferred location for British sanatoriums. It became especially popular among those seeking respite from respiratory illnesses.Originally established as a summer retreat and sanatorium for sick European patients in the early 19th century by John Sullivan of the East India Company, the site often combined healthcare with tea estates, providing visitors with fresh produce and medicinal herbs. Today, travelers can explore the Nilgiri tea plantations, waterfalls, and heritage bungalows that once hosted recuperating officers, experiencing both the region’s natural beauty and its colonial history.

The S.B. Dey T.B. Sanatorium in Kurseong, West Bengal, is a government-run tuberculosis hospital with roots tracing back to the British colonial era. During that time, high-altitude sanatoriums in places like Kurseong and Darjeeling were established to offer patients a therapeutic environment with fresh air and cool temperatures, essential for recovery when effective treatments were limited prior to the discovery of antibiotics.