Shimla

“The Hill-Station with Rich Colonial History”

Shimla Tourism-A Glimpse

Probably the most popular hill station in northern India, Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh famous for its Mall road, the Ridge, Toy train etc. among honeymooners and families alike.

Situated at a height of 2200 m, Shimla is one of the most eminent tourist destination in the country. Set amidst beautiful hills and mystical woods, Shimla is one of most aesthetically planned cities in India. An erstwhile summer capital of British India, this town’s captivating natural beauty, and the atmosphere are bound to leave any tourist overwhelmed. The well-knit roads, impeccable cleanliness, and an efficient administration make for a perfect combination for any tourist destination in the world. This town has colonial-style buildings alongside the historic temples leaves everyone visiting this region spellbound. Within this city, one must visit the Mall Road, The Ridge, Institute of Advanced Studies and Jakhu Temple. Shimla is also used as a base to cover other nearby places like Chail, Kufri, Naldehra, Mashobra, Tattapani and Narkanda. The toy train to Shimla from Kalka passes through beautiful hills and valleys and is one of the most beautiful train routes in the world.

What’s Great?

The weather. It snows in winters and the landscape becomes all beautiful. One of the few hill stations to have an airport. One of the most developed hill stations.

What’s not so Great?

The climate has started to become warmer with extreme colonization. The greenery has started to go away a little bit. One of the most congested hill stations.

For Whom?

Perfect for people who want to have a short holiday and enjoy the weather as the winters approach. Extremely popular among students, couples, and adrenaline junkies. A stopping point to nearby hill stations.

History of Shimla

Back in the 18th century, Shimla was mostly all forest and trees. The only inhabitation was a temple and a few scattered huts. The establishment was called “Shimla”, after a Hindu goddess, Shyamala Devi. The British took over the territory as per the Sugauli Treaty after Bhimsen Thapa of Nepal who ruled then. In 1863, John Lawrence, the Viceroy of India, shifted the summer capital of British Raj to Shimla as a means to cope up with the Indian tropical heat. Later, Shimla became the capital of undivided Punjab in 1871. After the formation of Himachal Pradesh in 1971, Shimla became a part and was announced as the state capital.

The Religious Trail at Shimla

As it comes out, Shimla is popular even with religious seekers; thanks to a number of temples and religious shrines here. The most famous of these happen to be the Jaakh temple, located on a hill dedicated to it, called the Jaakhu Hill. The temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and is characterized by a strong presence of monkeys in the vicinity of the temple. A little farther from the city of Shimla, right on the outskirts is the Tara Devi temple. Legend has it, that Goddess Tara Devi watches over the whole town and has a protective gaze, with the statement location of the temple on top of a hill. The location also gives out a feeling of serenity and peace.

Shimla also happens to have its own Kali Bari! With the Kali Bari being older than 150 years, this abode of Goddess Kali is a popular tourist attraction and a spiritual hub both for locals and travelers. Talking about Goddess Kali, there is another temple dedicated to the Goddess Kali in Shimla, called the Shoolini Temple, that is dedicated to Maa Shoolini, who is considered an incarnation of Goddess Kali. The last week of June of every year witnesses the Shoolini Utsav that lasts for a good 3 days and is the highlight of people’s visit during this time of the year. However, the oldest temple in the city remains the Laxminarayan Temple. As the name suggests, the temple is dedicated to Maa Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and is flocked by lakhs of people every year.

Heritage Walk in Shimla

Shimla is a vintage city and had been the British’s favourite destination to spend the summer, all thanks to the chilled weather of this place back then that attracted the British from the hot and humid places all over India. And so, you can find a lot of British touch to everything here; from the buildings, to the overall construction of the city, to even the food. There is an old world charm attached to this place. The most popular heritage building here being the Viceregal Lodge, also known as the Rashtrapati Niwas which was the residence of the Viceory of India during the British rule; the last person to live here being the Mountbattens and houses the infamous Partition Table. The Shimla Heritage Museum is also an attraction for tourists looking for all historical insight into the city and the state of Himachal in general. The Heritage Walk will make you see the British architecture that had a strong Scottish influence, definitely visible at the Church on the Mall Road. Also, a walk through the ridge will make you see the beauty of the hills!

Restaurants and Local Food in Shimla

With tourism at the heart of this hill-station, Shimla is no less than brimming with options for food. There are a number of eateries here from Dhabas, Bakeries, Local eating joints, Restaurants as well as Fine dining restaurants. Shimla has a range of restaurants which serve different cuisines like North Indian, South Indian, Chinese, Continental etc. Surprisingly one may not find a lot of places in Shimla which serve the local Pahari food, since the cuisine has somewhat shifted to meet the needs of the town’s countless visitors.