Lord Elgin , the British Viceroy of India ( 1862 – 63 ) , liked the area so much that at one point he suggested it be made the summer capital of India . He died at Dharamshala while on a tour there , on 20 November 1863 , and lies buried at the St. John in the Wilderness church at Forsyth Ganj , just below McLeod Ganj . His summer residence , Mortimer House , became part of the private estate of Lala Basheshar Nath of Lahore and was acquired by the Government of India to house the official residence of the Dalai Lama . The twin towns of Forsyth Ganj and McLeod Ganj continued to grow steadily in the coming years , and by 1904 had become important centres of trade , commerce and official work of Kangra District . Much of the town was destroyed by the devastating 7.8 magnitude 1905 Kangra earthquake at 6:19 am 4 April 1905 ; close to 19,800 people were killed and thousands were injured in the Kangra area . The earthquake destroyed most buildings in Kangra , Dharamshala , and McLeod Ganj , including the Bhagsunath Temple . Thereafter , district headquarters were shifted to a lower spot , and the town waited another half century before anything significant transpired in its history
1905 Kangra earthquake
1905 Kangra earthquake
McLeod Ganj