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Shimla (Hindi: शिमला, Urdu: شملہ), the summer capital of the erstwhile British Raj in India, is a city and a municipal corporation in Shimla district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is nestled in the middle Himalayas in northern India. Riding on the memories of its glorious past under the British, who built the town and named it Simla, it is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is also a popular hill station of India, where tourists flock during summers to enjoy the temperate climate and during winters to enjoy the snow.
Shimla is etched in history of Indo-Pakistan relations as it was witness to the Shimla Agreement signed by the two nations following Pakistan's surrender in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
History
Main article: History of Shimla
Scottish civil servant Charles Kennedy built Simla's first British summer home in 1822, and by the latter half of the 19th century the town had become the summer capital of the British Raj. Many British soldiers, merchants, and civil servants moved there for roughly half of each year due to heat and disease at India's lower altitudes.
Shimla is dotted with monuments; imposing buildings with a Victorian aura and often referred to as the hallmark of British rule in India. The Kalka-Shimla rail link, one of the few narrow gauge tracks still operational in India, bears testimony to the engineering excellence of the British.
Shimla is named after Shyamla Devi, an incarnation of the fierce goddess Kali.
Geography
Shimla district is located in the middle western ranges of the Himalayas. This region has a hilly terrain and has an uneven cover of evergreen pine forests. The Shimla city spreads over the hill at an average altitude of 2000 meters (roughly 6500 feet) above mean sea level.
| Season | months | Temperature | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | March - April | 10 °C to 20 °C | Generally clear skies with occasional shortlasting rains with thunder |
| Summer | May - June | 16 °C to 28 °C | Generally clear skies. Sometimes forest fires in this season cause the air to be smoky |
| Monsoon | July - September | 13 °C to 20 °C | Cool and humid atmosphere. It can rain for days continuously |
| Autumn | October - November | 10 °C to 23 °C | Skies are clear, with evenings becoming chilly |
| Winter | December- February | -7 °C to 10 °C | Generally dull weather with frequent snowfall |
Economy
A good part of the economy is supported by government. Shimla is also an important tourist destination, accounting for almost a quarter of all tourists arriving in Himachal. Kufri, Naldera, Tattapani, Shiv Gufa (Near Sarrur pul), and Chail are among the main tourist attractions. Shimla district is also famous for its apple orchards, originated by American missionary Satyananda Stokes.
Government and politics
Shimla is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. The population of permanent residents is approximately 100,000. In summers a substantial number of tourists (~10 thousand) add to the population whereas in winter the population is reduced heavily due to the residents taking vacation and going to warmer places. There are two major political parties in Himachal: the B.J.P and the Congress. Shimla has traditionally been the fort of the Congress. At present the chief minister of this hill state is Raja Virbhadra Singh of Congress.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census, Shimla had a population of 142,161. Males constitute 57% of the population and females 43%. Shimla has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 86%, and female literacy is 82%. In Shimla, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age. The majority of the population consists of natives of Himachal Pradesh and a minority migrated from what is now Pakistan during the partition of India. Hindi, Punjabi and Pahadi are the main languages.
Culture
Being the capital of the state, Shimla is the hub for cultural activities in Himachal.
The Summer Festival held in May June every year is a very famous festival. Many cultural activities and festivities go on for 2 weeks. Many great artists have performed at this festival including Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, etc.
Education
Shimla is the base of the Himachal Pradesh University. The university, established in 1970, is situated at Summer Hill, about 5 km from the Shimla town. It offers certificate courses, advanced diplomas, Post Graduate degrees and doctorates in various disciplines.
Shimla is also home to the Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS). Set up in 1965, the IIAS carries out academic pursuits in areas such as Indian Culture, Religion and the Social and Natural Sciences.
University Institute of Information Technology (UIIT) was established in Himachal Pradesh University Campus in order to impart training to students in the state-of-the-art Information Technology.
Shimla also has a Medical College (The Indira Gandhi Medical College) and a Government Dental College. Other colleges are: St. Bedes Girls College (a women's residential college), RKMV (a girl's college), Government College Sanjauli, and Government College Chaura Maidan.
Major schools in Shimla are: the Bishop Cotton School (a residential-only school for boys), St Edwards (day school for boys only), Convent of Jesus and Mary (girls only), Loreto Convent popularly known as Tara Hall (girls only) but now Sacred Heart Convent Tara Hall, Auckland House School (girls only), DAV Public School New Shimla, Dyanand School, SD School, St Thomas, Himalayan International School, et al. Of these, the Bishop Cotton School is perhaps the most well known. Founded in 1859, the school was originally established to educate the children of British Army officers. The school has contributed a number of professionals in every sphere of public life. However, General Dyer, the British officer who perpetrated the Jallianwalabagh massacre, remains the most (in)famous personality who has passed through the portals of this institution.
Media
Sports
Ice skating is pretty popular in Shimla during winters. The Shimla Ice Skating Club is said to be the oldest of its kind in Asia. Though the rink is operational only during the winter, a lot of locals flock the place. Volleyball is another popular sport in these parts.
Roller skating is also populer and there is a roller skating club in Lakkar Bazaar just adjacent to the Ridge.
The city withdrew its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics due to the lack of government support.
Transport
Shimla is accessible by road, air and railway but road is perhaps the best means of transport.
Road
The nearest large city is Chandigarh, 115 kilometres on National Highway no 22. New Delhi is 365 kilometers. There are Volvo (Super-Deluxe) buses, operated by State owned roadways, that run between Delhi and Shimla via Chandigarh. It takes about 7-8 hours to complete the journey in these buses.Railway
The narrow gauge Kalka Shimla Railway connects Shimla to the main railway network at Kalka. Travel by rail is slow but the scenery and 103 tunnels en route make it a tourist attraction. Shivalik Express (deluxe train with facilities like Shatabdi Express) runs daily on this route.
Air
There is a small airport about 25km from the city at Jubbalhatti. A private airline operates weekly flights to Delhi.
Restaurants and Dining
- Baljees Restaurant (The Mall): Indian & Chinese Continental
- The Devicos (The Mall): Indian, South Indian, Chinese, Mughlai, Bar
- Ashiana-Goofa (The Ridge): Indian & Continental
- Dominos (The Mall)
- Barista (The Mall)
- Trishool (The Mall) : Old & very famous Bakery
- Sita Ram (Lakkar Bazaar): Old & Famous Chole-Bhature shop
- New Plaza Restaurant (Opposite Gaiety Theater, The Mall)
- Mehru's (Lower Bazaar) :100 Years Old & Famous for Poori Chole
Places of interest
Heart of the city
The ridge and the adjacent Mall form the heart of the city. Vehicular traffic is not allowed on the Mall, making it a favorite place for walking. This is also the main shopping area with most of the shops still housed in old time buildings. One tier below this shopping area is the Middle Bazar with smaller and less costly shops interspiced with peoples homes. A tier below Middle Bazar is the Lower Bazar which houses small shops catering to everyday needs and the vegetable market called the Sabji-Mandi. This market is the most crowded of the three though the going can get tough on the Mall Road during peak tourist season. Most of the locals shop from the Lower Bazar using the Mall road to shop for pricy durables. Mostly the Mall Road provides a pleasant walk in the evenings and a favourite meeting place.Gaiety Theatre
Gaiety Theatre, located on the Mall road, is one of the oldest theatres in the world. It was opened on the 30th of May, 1887,Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year. Notable film personalities like K.L. Saigal, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendall, Raj Babbar, Anupam Kher, Manohar Singh, Nasseerudin Shah, frequently performed on the stage of the Gaiety theatre.Viceregal Lodge
On the Observatory Hills is located the Viceregal Lodge. Also known as Rashtrapati Niwas, it was formerly the residence of the British Viceroy Lord Dufferin. This is the most beautiful building in Shimla. It houses some of the most ancient articles going back to the times of the British rule.Kufri
Kufri is located at a higher altitude than the Shimla town and is 19 km from Shimla. The local zoo and the ski slopes are major tourist attractions.Naldehra
Naldehra boasts of a 9 hole golf course and is another tourist attraction of Shimla. Many movies have also been shot here.Places of worship
Kali Bari (a temple of the Hindu goddess Kali) is five minutes walk from Mall Road, Jakhoo Temple (a temple of the Hindu god Hanuman) is located at the highest point in Shimla (2600 m above mean sea level, about a 30 minute to one hour walk from the mall). Sankat Mochan (a temple of the Hindu god Hanuman) is located on Shimla-Kalka Highway. Tara Devi Temple is about 10 km from Shimla, directly visible from the city.Marketplaces
The Lower Bazaar adjoining the Mall Road caters the city. Lakkar Bazaar is famous for its wooden articles.Pictures
Cities and towns in Himachal Pradesh | Indian hill stations | Indian state-capitals
Shimla | Shimla | Shimla | शिमला | Shimla | シムラ (インド) | Shimla | Shimla | சிம்லா | 西姆拉
"Shimla"