Shimla

SHIMLA

Shimla is the famous hill station of the world and the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated at a height of 2100 mtr.  This beautiful hill station was discovered by a British officer, Lt. Rose and was named after Goddess Shamla. Shimla was favourite  hill station of the British and was the summer capital of india during the british raj.

Shimla has wealth of natural beauty and the locals are privileged to live in such panoramic locations. This place can enamor anyone with its beauty.

Shimla has a lot of variety to offer. Shimla is an ideal place for fishing, golfing, skiing, trekking etc. Adventuring here which definitely make you enthusiastic and spirited. For more energetic entertainment, hit the indoor roller-skating ring in Lakkar Bazaar or go open-air ice-skating above the Rivoli Bus stand. There are always wonderful things to be explored in its surrounding countryside. Fagu, Kulfri and Naldhera are some of the well- known places for adventuring and camping too.

Long walks in the deep green woods will give you a shining feeling. The Shimla Ridge gives  a wonderful view of the sunset which is beyond words. Tour to Shimla  offers with its natural charm and enable   get closer to nature. One of the attractions of this hill-station are its apple trees. The sight of a cluster of apple trees with leave you dumbstruck.

  Shimla is engulfed by snow-covered mountains, green pastures dense forests and wholesome climate. These overall conditions draw tourist to this hill station. The toy train ride from Kalka station to Shimla takes   through a picturesque route.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS

JAKHOO TEMPLE

 Popular as the ‘Hanuman Mandir’ among the localities of Shimla, the Jakhoo (or Jakhu) Temple has been on the ‘must visit list’ of most travellers. It is frequented by the devotees of the ‘Pawan Putra’ – Hanuman. One would get to hear about different versions of legend behind this temple that is mainly related to the time of the Ramayana where Lord Hanuman rested on his way to bring Sanjeevani Booti (a therapeutic herb) to heal Lord Ram’s brother, Lakshman.

THE RIDGE

Located in the heart of Shimla, The Ridge road is a large open space which runs east to west alongside the Mall Road, and joins it at the Scandal point on the west side. On the east side, the Ridge road leads to Lakkar Bazaar, a wooden crafts market.  

The Ridge road is also the venue for summer festival (held in May), government functions and local celebrations during the New Year's Eve. Some of the most prominent landmarks of Shimla are located on the Ridge. Dotted with a church, library and many statues, the Ridge is a choice of many for a long walk.

CHRIST CHURCH

 Christ Church in Shimla is the second oldest Church in India. Christ Church is one of the prominent landmarks of Shimla. The clock on the church tower was donated in 1860 and the porch added in 1873. Visible from miles away, the design of this place is marvelous.

In Shimla's 75 years of reigning as summer capital, a long line of officials and other notables of the Raj came to the church for their Sunday prayers. The seasonal influx is so great at times that space poses a big problem.

The brass plaques and beautiful stained glass windows are the prime attractions for tourists coming here. Some adjoining attractions also include the Ridge, Statue of Mahatma Gandhi and Skating Rink.

THE MALL ROAD

Mall Road is the lifeline of Shimla, as it is the point where the people of Shimla socialize. It is mainly the center of all activity that tourists can enjoy. The streets are lined with various shops that sell various items. The popular hotels, showrooms, departmental stores, restaurants and recreation centers are also located here.

Tourists can enjoy horse riding and shop various handicrafts items from the Mall. The major attractions, like Chrish Church, Scandal Point and Ridge are also located on the Mall. The area was developed by the British and to keep the area clean and unaffected by pollution, vehicles are not allowed on the road.

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDY

Observatory Hill in the west of Shimla, houses as the Indian institute of Advanced Study (offering various courses) and is a famous attraction in Shimla. Observatory hill is a high peak in Shimla, offering splendid views of the surroundings.

Much of the institute is closed for public view. The observatory Hill is the historical place from where the British government held meetings on their actions on ruling on India. Guides are available.

THE SHIMLA STATE MUSEUM

The Shimla State Museum houses a huge collection of magnificent paintings, sculptures, coins, handicrafts, photos, etc of not only the state of Himachal Pradesh but outside too. The state museum is a major attraction of the Mall area of Shimla built in the style of colonial edifice with sprawling lawns all around. This museum was inaugurated in 1974. The museum is open from ten in the morning to five in the evening. It is open on all days except Monday and the national holidays.

TARA DEVI TEMPLE

Tara Devi Temple is one of the notable temples of Shimla. Tara Devi Temple captivates even the most life's battle hardened soul by its ethereal beauty and splendid location. Tara Devi Temple is situated at a height of 1851 meters above sea level. Tara Devi Temple is situated at a distance of 11 kilometers from Shimla. Tara Devi Temple was built approximately 250 years ago. Legend was that the goddess Tara Devi was brought to Himachal Pradesh from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. According to that legend a King of the Sen Dynasty of Bengal visited Himachal Pradesh.  

TOY TRAIN

Shimla is famous all over the world for its dream like journey on the toy train. Starting from Kalka the 96 kms long journey to Shimla is covered in about 5 hours. Running for more than 100 years, this toy train ride (staretd in the year 1903 by Lord Curzon) has been credited as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

This scenic journey takes the passengers through 103 tunnels, crossing more than 800 bridges and viaducts. The toy train runs on a narrow gauge and moves slowly between the flanked mountains, through mesmerising valleys and pine, fir and deodar forest glades.

The train arduously climbs on the steep cliffs and halts at various places where tourists can capture the spectacular glimpse of nature in their cameras. In fact, the train runs in such a slow motion that tourists can get down for a quick picture and get back on the train in a jiffy.

There are many classes of toy trains that run on this route. There are regular passenger trains (Kalka Shimla Express and Himalayan Queen), deluxe trains (Deluxe Motor Rail car and Shivalik Deluxe Express), super deluxe (Shivalik Queen Tourist Coach, Shivalik Palace Tourist Coach). The train usually leaves in the morning from Kalka while from Shimla trains usually leave during the second half of the day.