PLACES TO VISIT IN SHIMLA AND THEIR HISTORICAL TALE
Shimla is always my favourite place to visit as native to this state I often visit this place. My uncle lives here so 2 to 3 times in a year I visit this place. This post gives you information about some of best places to visit in Shimla and their rich heritage.Shimla is capital town of Himachal Pradesh. It is beautiful small hill station in North India. Once it was summer capital of British India and British India Govt shifted its base from Delhi to escape from the scorching Summer heat in North Indian Plains. As the climate of this town is most beautiful and delightful, representing something like European conditions in India so it suits better for British. This town was built over several hills and connecting ridges. The important hills of Shimla are Jakhu, Prospect Hill, Observatory Hill, Elysigim Hill and Summer Hill. The scenery in the immediate neighbourhood of Shimla presents a number of magnificent views.
JAKHU HILL
This is the highest peak of Shimla and offers a panoramic view of the town and the mountains. ‘HANUMAN TEMPLE OF JAKHU’ is very famous. According to legend, Hanumanji took rest here when he was carrying a hill of ‘sanjiwani booti’(a herb to save the life of Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama). On 4th November 2011, the famous Jakhu temple became the site for the tallest idol of Lord Hanuman in the world at a height of 8,500 feet. The Jakhu temple is a famous shrine where devotees make a beeline but now there is another attraction in the form of tallest Hanuman idol in the world.
This is the highest peak of Shimla and offers a panoramic view of the town and the mountains. ‘HANUMAN TEMPLE OF JAKHU’ is very famous. According to legend, Hanumanji took rest here when he was carrying a hill of ‘sanjiwani booti’(a herb to save the life of Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama). On 4th November 2011, the famous Jakhu temple became the site for the tallest idol of Lord Hanuman in the world at a height of 8,500 feet. The Jakhu temple is a famous shrine where devotees make a beeline but now there is another attraction in the form of tallest Hanuman idol in the world.
VICEREGAL LODGE (Indian Institute of Advance Studies)
The institute is housed in the erstwhile Vice regal Lodge which was built in 1884-88 during the period of Lord Dufferin. It is a commanding building in Summer Hill. The gardens of the Institute are really beautiful and fascinating. It was designed by Henry Twain.
The main architect of this stately structure built in the neo-Gothic style, with elements of Scottish Baronial architecture, was Henry Irwin. It is spread over 123 acres, it is built in blue-grey stone masonry with tiled-pitch roofing. The main block has three storeys and the kitchen wing. It is a witness to many events that shaped the history of India. It was the venue for the Shimla conference in 1945. In 1947, the decision on the partition of India and carving out West and East Pakistan was taken here. After independence, it became the property of the President of India and was renamed Rashtrapati Niwas. It has an excellent library and is under the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.
RAILWAY BOARD BUILDING
This distinct building was constructed in 1896-97 at a cost of about Rs. 7.31 lakh in the unique colonial style cast iron and steel structure fabricated by the Bombay based Richardson and Cruddas firm. Besides this building, the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore is the only such building in South Asia. It houses various Central Government offices. The 25-meter tall building has four floors and three basements. It was originally designed to house the office of the Public works department secretariat.
ELLERSLIE
This building was constructed in 1886 after dismantling a structure by the same name which housed the military department of the Punjab Government. It was purchased for Rs. 18,000 in 1881. Lt Col HES Abbot designed it to accommodate the Punjab Secretariat. It is spread over 4.66 acres, it is made of stones quarried from Sanjauli and Raj Bhawan and bound with lime mortar. The Himachal Secretariat occupied it in the summer of 1967 when Dr YS Parmar took over as the state’s first Chief Minister. In 1972, the Summit Hall was renovated and named on the basis of initial summit meetings held here between India and Pakistan before the Shimla Agreement was finally signed.
TOWN HALL
This building occupies a commanding location and is architecturally magnificent. It was built in 1860 using stone and timber with slanting slate roof and big glass windows. It has a fair amount of European character and most of its rooms have a fireplace. It houses the offices of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation.
BARNES COURT
The single-storeyed building that stood here was bought by Lord Edward Barnes, Commander in Chief, for Rs. 14,500 in 1828. Later a two-storeyed building with ‘dhajji’ walls and excellent teak work was raised in 1879-1886 at a cost of over Rs. 3 lakh. It has spacious rooms with ample natural light and is spread over 46 acres. It acted as the summer Raj Bhawan of Punjab till 1966. After the reorganization of states, the state guest house was set up here. In 1972, Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto signed the Simla Agreement here. After the Raj Bhawan at Peterhoff was gutted in 1981, the Governor’s residence was shifted here. The Chief Minister, ministers and the Chief Justice of High Court are administered the oath of office at Barnes Court, known as Raj Bhawan. As Barnes Court was the residence of the Punjab Governor and earlier, the seat of the British Commander-in-chief of the Indian Army. It was here that the news of the Great Uprising of 1857 was given to General Anson, and in more recent times, where the Shimla Agreement was signed between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan.
COFFEE HOUSE SHIMLA
This coffee house of Shimla is working under a cooperative society with the head office in Delhi, the society called the Indian Coffee Workers Cooperative Society is one of the few very successful cooperative societies of India. Before making of these cooperative societies in 1956-57, all coffee houses in India were under the Central Coffee Board of Government. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who was mainly instrumental in encouraging workers to make these cooperatives. That may be the reason, why only the photographs of Nehru and Gandhi are seen in these coffee houses all over. There are two floors, the Shimla Coffee House is spacious but it is always packed. Recently Prime Minister Modi stopped here to drink coffee after the oath ceremony of Himachal Pradesh Cabinet.
GAIETY THEATRE
This building was built in 1887, it was the cultural nerve centre during the British era as the Amateur Dramatics Club held events here. It houses a theatre, a photo gallery and art and exhibition gallery. A part of it is with the ADC to be used as a club.
CHRIST CHURCH
The imposing church stands majestically on the ridge, is the second oldest church in north India, it has a very majestic appearance and inside there is stained glass window which represents faith, hope, charity, patience and humanity. It was built in 1857. In fact, it has become synonymous with Shimla and no picture of the town is complete without it.
THE STATE MUSEUM SHIMLA
State Museum has endeavoured to project hill art and the cultural wealth of the state showing their link with the national scene. There is a collection of miniature paintings, Pahari as well as from other schools, sculptures, woodcarvings and costumes, textiles and jewellery of the region.
State Museum has endeavoured to project hill art and the cultural wealth of the state showing their link with the national scene. There is a collection of miniature paintings, Pahari as well as from other schools, sculptures, woodcarvings and costumes, textiles and jewellery of the region.
There you have it my current list of places to visit in Shimla! I hope you add them to your watch list and enjoy exploring them as I do
