Shimla
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Image:Shimla from south.jpg Shimla, the summer capital of the erstwhile British Raj in India, is nestled in the middle Himalyas in northern India. Riding on the the memories of its glorious past under the British, who built the town and named it Simla, is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is also a popular hill station of India, and a favored destination for the old timers, who frequent the place to reminisce about the lost glories of the Raj time town.
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History
Scottish civil servant Charles Kennedy built Shimla's first British summer home in 1822, and by the latter half of the 19th century the city had become the summer capital of the British Raj. Many British soldiers, merchants, and civil servants moved there for roughly half of each year due to heat and disease at India's lower altitudes. Many others, like author Rudyard Kipling, went there for the active social life, which Kipling found both exciting and scandalous. Shimla is dotted with monuments;imposing buildings with an Victorian aura and often referred to as the hallmark of British rule in India. The Kalka-Shimla rail link, one of the few narrow gauge tracks still operational in India, bears testimoney to the engineering excellence of the British. Shimla is etched in history of Indo Pak relations as it was witness to the Shimla Agreement signed by the two nations following Pakistan's surrender in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Shimla is named after Shyamla Devi, an incarnation of the fierce goddess Kali.
Geography
Shimla district is located in the middle western ranges of the Himalayas. This region has a hilly terrain and has an uneven cover of evergreen pine forests. The Shimla city spreads over the hill at an average altitude of 2000 meters (roughly 6500 feet) above mean sea level.
| Season | months | Temperature | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | March - April | 10 °C to 20 °C | Generally clear skies with occasional shortlasting rains with thunder |
| Summer | May - June | 16 °C to 28 °C | Generally clear skies. Sometimes forest fires in this season cause the air to be smoky |
| Monsoon | July - September | 13 °C to 20 °C | Cool and humid atmosphere. It can rain for days continuously |
| Autumn | October - November | 10 °C to 23 °C | Skies are clear, with evenings becoming chilly |
| Winter | December- February | -7 °C to 10 °C | Generally dull weather with frequent snowfall |
Economy
A good part of the economy is supported by government. Shimla is also a good tourist attraction. Kufri, Naldera, Taatapani, Shiv Gufa (Near Sarrur pul), and Chail are among the main tourist attractions. Shimla district is also famous for its apple orchards, originated by American Satyananda Stokes.
Government and politics
Shimla is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. The population of permanent residents is approximately 100,000. In summers a substantial number of tourists (~10 thousand) add to the population whereas in winter the population is reduced heavily due to the residents taking vacation and going to warmer places.There are two major political parties in Himachal: the B.J.P and the Congress. Shimla has traditionaly been the fort of the Congress. At present the chief minister of this hill state is Raja Virbhadra Singh of Congress.
Demographics
The majority of the population consists of natives of Himachal Pradesh and a minority migrated from what is now Pakistan during the partition of India. Hindi, Punjabi and Pahadi are the main languages.
Culture
The Summer Festival held in May June every year is a very famous festival. Many cultural activities and festivities go on for 2 weeks. Many great artists have performed at this festival including Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, etc.
Education
Schools in Shimla are Bishop Cotton School (a purely residential school for boys only), St Edwards (day school for boys only), Convent of Jesus and Mary (girls only), Loreto Convent popularly known as Tara Hall (girls only) but now Sacred Heart Convent Tara Hall, Auckland House School (girls only), DAV Public School New Shimla, Dyanand School, SD School, St Thomas, Himalayan International School, et al. Shimla has a Medical College IGMC, St Bedes Girls College(a women's residential college), RKMV (a girl's college), Government College Sanjauli, and Government College Chaura Maidan. Himachal Pradesh University offers Masters and Ph.D. programs.
The city is home to Bishop Cotton School. Founded in 1859, the school was originally established to educate the children of British Army officers. The 170 years old institution has a strong network of old students across the globe. The school has contributed a number of professionals in every sphere of public life. However,General Dyer, the British officer who perpetrated the Jallianwalabagh massacre, remains the most (in)famous personality who has passed through the portals of this Shimla institution.
Media
Sports
Ice skating is pretty popular in Shimla. The Shimla Ice Skating Club is said to be the oldest of its kind in Asia. Though the rink is operational only during the winter, a lot of locals flock the place. Volleyball is another popular sport in these parts.
The city withdrew it's bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics due to the lack of government support.
Transport
Shimla is accessible by road, air and railway but road is perhaps the best means of transport.
Road
The nearest large city is Chandigarh, 115 kilometres on National Highway no 22. New Delhi is 365 kilometers. There are Volvo (Super-Deluxe) buses, operated by State owned roadways,that run between Delhi and Shimla via Chandigarh. It takes about 7-8 hours to complete the journey in these buses.
Railway
The narrow gauge Kalka Shimla Railway connects Shimla to the main railway network at Kalka. Travel by rail is slow but the scenery and 103 tunnels en route make it a tourist attraction. Shivalik Express (deluxe train with facilities like Shatabdi Express) runs daily on this route.
Air
There is a small airport about 25km from the city at Jubbalhatti. A private airline operates weekly flights to Delhi.
Restaurants and Dining
- Baljees Restaurant (The Mall): Indian & Chinese Continental
- Devicos (The Mall): Indian & Mughlai
- Ashiana-Goofa(The Ridge): Indian & Continental
- Dominos (The Mall)
- Barista (The Mall)
- Trishool (The Mall) : Old & very famous Bakery
- Sita Ram (Lakkar Bazaar): Old & Famous Chole-Bhature shop
- New Plaza Restaurant (Opposite Gaiety Theater, The Mall)
- Mehru's (Lower Bazaar) :100 Years Old & Famous for Poori Chole
Places of interest
Heart of the city
The ridge and the adjacent Mall form the heart of the city. Vehicular traffic is not allowed on the Mall, making it a favorite place for walking.
Gaiety Theatre
Gaiety Theatre,located on the Mall road,is one of the oldest theatres in the world.It was opened on the 30th of May, 1887,Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year. Notable film personalities like K.L. Saigal, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendall, Raj Babbar, Anupam Kher, Manohar Singh, Nasseerudin Shah, frequently performed on the stage of the Gaiety theatre.
Viceregal Lodge
On the Observatory Hills is located the Viceregal Lodge. Also known as Rashtrapati Niwas, it was formerly the residence of the British Viceroy Lord Dufferin.This is the most beautiful building in Shimla. It houses some of the most ancient articles going back to the times of the British rule.23123123
Places of worship
Kali Bari (a temple of the Hindu goddess Kali) is five minutes walk from Mall Road, Jakhoo Temple (a temple of the Hindu god Hanuman) is located at the highest point in Shimla (2600 m above mean sea level, about a 30 minute to one hour walk from the mall). Sankat Mochan (a temple of the Hindu god Hanuman) is located on Shimla-Kalka Highway. Tara Devi Temple is about 10 km from Shimla, directly visible from the city.
Marketplaces
The Lower Bazaar adjoining the Mall Road caters the city. Lakkar Bazaar is famous for its wooden articles.
Pictures
 Scandal Point |
 The telecom office |
 View from near the HighCourt |
 A fountain adjoining Scandal Point |
 View from above the railway station |
 The ridge road |
 The ridge |
 Public library near the church |
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