Itinerary Guide to HP Hill-Stations-Shimla

Shimla or Simla, former summer capital of India and now the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh, is a very popular holiday-retreat
during the summer months and is well-known for its Victorian
architecture.The higher areas of the town reflect its British
connection, comprising mostly buildings in the Victorian style, while
the lower slopes are occupied with Indian bazaars and restaurants.
Traffic is banned from the historic central area, (known as the Mall)
which means that the atmosphere is calm and the air pristine.



There are quite a few theories regarding the origin of the word
Shimla. Locals insist that the name originates from Shyamali Devi, a
re-incarnation of the fearsome Goddess Kali.

Shimla has a population of around 1,45,000. Most of the residents are
from the Pahadi community (the natives of Himachal Pradesh), but there
is also a sizable minority from Punjab and Sindh, who moved to Shimla
during the partition. As a result, the languages spoken in Shimla
include Hindi, Punjabi, Pahadi and English, which serves as a koine.

It is also a famous holiday spot for honeymoon. There are certainly n
number of tourist destinations serene and peaceful enough to
rejuvenate your soul and mind.Cart Road runs south of the Mall and is
connected to it via the lifts. The Ridge, north of the Mall, is a good
place to view the the seven majestic hills of Shimla. Further along
the same road is Lakkar Bazaar, which a good place to buy some
handicrafts and other souvenirs.

Jakhu Temple, Jakhu Hill. Open every day. Offers spectacular views of
the North-Western Himalayan mountains from its location above the
town. According to the epic Ramayana, the monkey god Hanuman rested
here during his journey to the Himalayan mountains. The climb up is a
physically demanding one-hour walk. However, you can drive up the hill
also. The temple and hill side is populated with very aggressive and
cunning monkeys.

Sankat MochanTemple: A popular Hanuman temple is located here. We get
an excellent view of Shimla from the temple. It can be reached by car
or on foot.

Indian Institute of Advanced Studies: This institute is housed in the
Viceregal Lodge, which was built in 1884-88 during the British times.
It has spacious gardens and is ringed by beautiful pine trees. All is
calm and serene just the right atmosphere for a student of literature
or politics.

Summer Hill: Situated at a distance of 5 kms. from the Ridge is the
lovely township of Summer Hill at a height of 6,500 ft. on the
Shimla-Kalka railway line. Mahatma Gandhi lived in these quiet
surroundings during his visits to Shimla. Himachal Pradesh University
is situated here.

Annandale: Developed as the playground of Shimla, Annandale is 2-4
kms. from the Ridge at a height of 6,117 ft. It is a favourite spot
for cricket, picnics and the princely game of polo.

Tara Devi: 11kms. from the Shimla bus-stand,At a height of 6,070 ft,
Tara Devi Temple is dedicated to the goddess of stars on top of the
hill. There is a military Dairy Town here as well as the headquarters
of Bharat Scouts and Guides.

Mashobra: Ata distance of 13 kms from Shimla is Mashobra, an excellent
picnic spot. Mashobra is the site of the annual Sipi fair in June. The
nearest rest house is at Craignano which is 3 kms. from Mashobra which
is a beautiful holiday resort.

Ski Slopes at Kufri 16 kms. from Shimla at a height of 8,600 ft. Kufri
is the winter sports capital. During winter, visitors have the
facility for skiing. The skiing season is at its best during January
and February. Equipment for sking is available from HPTDC winter
sports club at Kufri. Apart from skiing, Kufri is a lovely picnic spot
with a beautiful view of the hills around and the snowy peaks. There
is also a zoo that delights children.

Naldehra
Naldehra: 22 kms. from Shimla and surrounded by beautiful deodar
trees. Naldehra has a well kept nine-hole golf-course. It is a lovely,
popular picnic spot.

Dorje Drag Monastery, Sarasvati Garden Estate, Kusmuti. A monastery in
the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, also known as Thubten Evam
Dorje Drag.

The Ridge, Jakhu Hill (North of The Mall). Built at the top of the
town at 2230m, The Ridge is the center of Shimla's cultural and social
life - an excellent place to view the surrounding mountains.

Christ Church, The Ridge (Near Municipal Library).Constructed in 1846,
this is one of the oldest churches in North India. The stain-glass
windows and 19th century organ are particularly impressive, and the
fresco that surrounds the chapel window was designed by Lockwood
Kipling, Rudyard Kipling's father. Entry free, donations welcome.

Lower Bazaar, The Mall (Below Central Section).The Lower Bazaar is
home to the city's less expensive hotels, cheaper restaurants and
stores, and a congested wholesale vegetable market. Although less
opulent than its upper neighbor, the Lower Bazaar retains an old
worldly charm and is an excellent place to try some Shimla specialty
dishes, like Uradh Dal with rice or Shepard's Pie.

Viceregal Lodge, The Mall Open every day (Only the entrance hall and
gardens are open to the public). An imposing British-raj mansion built
under the guidance of Lord Dufferin in 1888. Manicured British style
gardens surround the mansion on three sides, while the fourth side is
a place to relax and watch the sun dip below the Himalayan foothills.
The teak-paneled interior is impressive, and well worth a viewing.
Entry Rs 10, cameras not allowed inside (Guided tours available).

Shimla houses a few excellent museums. The State Museum is perhaps the
most well-known.

State Museum, Chaura Maidan - Housed in a reconstructed Raj-style
building, the State Museum displays a collection of around 10,000
artifacts gathered from all over Himachal Pradesh. The Pahari
miniatures and 6th-11th century Gupta sculptures are especially
impressive. Entry Rs 10 (Cameras free, flash prohibited).

Photo Art Gallery, Potter's Hill - The gallery displays more than
20,000 photographs of Himachal taken by the celebrated photographer
Inder Pal. It's a wonderful place to explore and learn more about the
beauty, culture and flora and fauna of this Himalayan state. In
addition, Potter's Hill is scenic area, so as well as visiting the
gallery, visitors can also enjoy hiking, climbing, observing wild life
and enjoy the fresh Himalayan air.

Nearby Visiting Spots
Kinnaur. An area located on the Tibetan border is home to ethnic
Tibetans and houses several traditional Buddhist monasteries.

Manali, Kullu Valley (260 km). An area of hot springs, traditional
buildings, and Buddhist monasteries.

Dharamsala. Home of H.H. Dalai Lama and the
Tibetan-Government-in-exile. Many Buddhist monasteries in the area.

Chail (43 km). Originally a private reserve created by the Maharaja of
Patiala who was banned from Shimla. Now a A 75 acre resort that
meanders over undulating hills. Home to the world's highest cricket
pitch.

Shimla is well connected by air, road and rail with all parts of
Himachal Pradesh, and the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana,
Jammu and Kashimir and the Union territory of Chandigarh.A
narrow-railway links Kalka with Shimla. This important rail-link was
built in 1924 and its "toy trains" still ply between the two stations,
passing through 105 tunnels and beautiful rail-road stations. Half-way
through the journey, after Solan, the lights of Shimla flow in the
distance, looking like glimmering jewels studding the dark green of
the mountains. The train takes six hours, and at every stop on the
journey are smiling faces giving a warm welcome.

The climate of Shimla varies from a maximum of 10-11 degrees in winter
to a maximum of 25-26 degrees in summers.