Shimla:
The Queen of Hills |
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The
British called Shimla the "Queen of Hill Stations." Situated in
the north-West Himalayas, Shimla the summer capital of India before
independence is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla derives
its name from "Shyamala";- the goddess Kali, whose temple existed
in the dense forest that covered Jakhu Hill in the early 19th century.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. Covering the area
of 18 sq. km. at a height of 7,300 ft. Shimla is surrounded by pine,
deodar, oak and rhododendron forests. Its well developed facilities,
easy accessibility and numerous attractions make it one of Indian's
most popular hill-stations. |
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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. |
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Situated
in the North-West Himalayas, the climate of Shimla varies from a
maximum of 10-11 degrees in winter to a maximum of 25-26 degrees
in summers. Shimla never allows the gods to raise the temperature
above that limit and the gods always oblige. Shimla changes its
moods with the seasons. In spring we see flowers of all kinds, both
wild and cultivated, smiling in each garden. During the monsoon,
we see some of the best sunsets in the world. |
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Winter
in Shimla is known as the season of "Long moon-night." It 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. |
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| Places
of Interest in and Around Shimla |
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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. |
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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.A land mark of Shimla.
Jakhu Hill: 2 kms. from Shimla, at a height of
8000 ft, Jakhu Hill is the highest peak and offers a beautiful view
of the town and of the snow-covered Himalayas. At the top of the
Hill, is an old temple of Hanuman, which is also the home of countless
playful monkeys waiting to be fed by all visitors. |
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Shimla
State Museum: The Museum, which was opened in 1974, has
tried to project hill-out and the cultural wealth of the state.
There is a collection of miniature Pahari paintings, sculptures,
bronzes wood-carvings and also costumes, textiles and jewellery
of the region.
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. |
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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: 15kms. from the Shimla bus-stand. Tara
Devi has a temple dedicated to the goddess of stars on top of the
hill. Tara Devi is an ideal place for a person wanting peace and
some rest. |
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Sankat
Mochan: 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.
Mashobra: 13 kms. away from Shimla, Mashobra has
several excellent picnic spots, has a beautiful holiday resort.
Kufri: 16 kms. from Shimla at a height of 9,100 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. |
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| 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. The annual Sipi fair in June is held in Naldehra. |
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Chail:
Chail is a little mountainous heaven 45 kms. from Shimla. It was the
summer capital of the Maharaja of Patiala before Independence.Chail
is known for its cricket pitch, which is the highest cricket ground
in the world at a height if 7000ft. |
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| General
Information |
Shimla
is the best market for the handicrafts of Himachal Pradesh. Woollen
and pashmina shawls, decorative items, handmade shoes, dolls, woollen
caps, carved wooden sticks.
Shimla has the only natural ice-skating rink in India. An Ice-skating
Carnival is arranged every year by the Ice-skating Club during January.
During this festival, members display their skill on ice and participate
in a fancy dress competition.
The summer festival in Shimla offers the best entertainment of the
year. Artistes are invited from all parts of Himachal Pradesh and
from other parts of the country to entertain visitors with song,
dance and music both Indian and Western.
Besides the summer festival, regular cultural programmes are organised
in Shimla during the tourist season. |
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| Climate
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duration and temperatures of different seasons are as follows: |
Season |
Period |
Temperature |
Clothing |
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Summer |
May to June |
15°C to 28°C |
Cotton Clothes |
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Rainy |
July to September |
12°C to 22°C |
Cotton & Light Woollens |
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Autumn |
October to November |
7°C to 20°C |
Cotton & Light Woollens |
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Winter |
December to February |
-4°C to 7°C |
Heavy Woollens |
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Spring |
March to April |
11°C to 20°C |
Cotton & Light Woollens |
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| Language |
| Shimla
has a multilingual, cosmopolitan character. People speak and understand
both Hindi and English. Punjabi and Pahari languages are also spoken
and understood in and around Shimla. |
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