Indian Cities & Destinations - Comprehensive guide to
cultural heritage of India where you discover art & craft, dances,
music, costumes, and languages of India.
Shimla,
the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, lies about 343 km from Delhi at an
altitude of 2,213 metres above sea level. Before the British discovered it
in 1819, Shimla was a small village that was part of the Nepalese kingdom.
In 1830, the local Raja was persuaded to part with the land by the British
and the settlement became the subcontinent's most fashionable summer resort.
Shimla was declared the summer capital of India in 1864.
Shimla
derives its name from goddess 'Shayamla Devi', which is another
manifestation of Goddess Kali. The capital of Himachal Pradesh came into
light when the British discovered it in 1819. Till then, it was a part of
the Nepalese kingdom. In 1864 Shimla was declared as the summer capital of
India.
Shimla becomes a frost glistening silent city. A
gathering of dark clouds tells us of the approach of snow generally a slight
fall first, followed by a heavier one when the snowflakes sweep down through
the fine-needles bending long branches to the ground. The following morning
sees the town as a fantastic fairyland of white beauty. After
India's independence, Shimla became the capital of Punjab till 1966, when it
came under Himachal Pradesh. The summers in Shimla are quit pleasant as the
maximum temperature rarely crosses 25°C. Winters are cold and Shimla
experiences quite a heavy snowfall. If you are among those who want to
escape from the scorching heat of the plains, Shimla would be the ideal
getaway. But for those who love snow, a visit in winters can be an exciting
experience.
 Major
Attractions of Shimla |
 |
The Mall : The Mall is the main shopping
centre of Shimla. It also has many restaurants, clubs, banks, bars, Post
Offices and tourist offices. The Gaiety Theatre is also situated there.
People walk up and down the Mall slowly, stopping to gossip, as it is the
main meeting place for everyone. The Ridge and Scandal point are the two
main meeting points at the Mall.
Christ Church : Situated on the Ridge is Christ Church,
which is the second oldest church in Northern India. It has a very majestic
appearance and inside there are stained glass windows which represent faith,
hope, charity, fortitude, patience and humility. Christ Church is a place
all visitors should spend some time in.
The Ridge
: The large open space in the heart of town presents excellent view of
the mountain ranges. Shimla's landmarks - the Neo-Gothic structure of Christ
Church and the new - Tudor Library building is worth seeing
| How
to Get There |
|
By Air : The Jubbarhatti airport is 23-km
from Shimla and major domestic airlines cater their services from here to
Shimla. One can catch direct flights from Delhi
By
Rail : Shimla has a narrow gauge railway line on which Toy Train runs
from Kalka to Shimla. The train cruises its way through valleys and
beautiful landscapes at a very slow pace making the journey very pleasant.
From Kalka one can take trains to other parts of India too. The Toy train
from Shimla is of two types - one is the normal multi coach train and the
other is the single car train, which has a glass roof giving an enthralling
experience during the journey.
By Road : Roads
connect Shimla with other places in Himachal as well as other major towns
and cities of the neighbouring states. There is regular bus service from
Delhi and Chandigarh as well as ordinary; semi deluxe, deluxe and AC coaches
for Shimla are available too.
Destinations
