Shimla
Shimla is a tourist paradise through out the year. The town itself is worth a visit in the off-season when it is less crowded and can be explored to one’s heart's content. In the season, most of the over 1000 hotels in Shimla are filled to capacity and getting a room in a hotel in shimla can be ardous task. To prevent your visit to Shimla from any hiccups, it is advisable to get hotel reservations in advance. In the off-season, most hotels give "off-season discount" which ranges from 20-50% of room rent. People here, like in the rest of Himachal Pradesh are simple, hard working and fond of music and drama. They worship the goddess Shakti and one can see small temples on hillsides, in valleys, on peaks and ridges. These hillsides are known by the name of the goddess/god itself. The interior part of the Shimla district gives one a fine view of how rural or rather real hillside folks live like. The district offers something to any kind of a visitor. The young, the old, the writers, adventurers, nature lovers and peace lovers can all find their bit of heaven here.
The district of Shimla has amazingly beautiful forests of firs, pines, oaks and rhododendron. The beautiful meadows with hyacinth, celandine, asphodel, climb gently up to the deodar forests and further up to rocky and snowy peaks of the Himalayas. A pleasant way to enjoy natural beauty of the region is to travel to Shimla on the 'Kalka -Shimla' train. It runs on the narrow gauge and winds its way through forested hills of fir, pines, walnut, apricots and through terraced hillside fields of paddy, corn and the famous capsicum known as 'Shimla Mirch'. The entire Shimla district has a number of small streams and springs and is a delightful place for nature lovers.
Around In Shimla
Places to see in shimla
1. 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, charity, fortitude, patience and humility. Christ Church is a place all visitors should spend some time in.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Tara Devi
11kms. from the Shimla bus-stand. Tara Devi has a temple 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. At a height of 6,070 ft. Tara Devi is an ideal place for a person wanting peace and some rest.
6. 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.
7. Shopping in shimla
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, toys and other items made form wood are made in Shimla itself and are on sale in the Lakkar Bazar. Tibetan jewellery and trinkets are found in the small Tibetan shops near the Ridge.
Getting There
By Air
The nearest airport is at Jubbarhati, 23 km from Shimla, and is linked to Chandigarh, Kullu and Delhi
By Rail
Shimla is connected with a broad gauge railway line up to Kalka and after that by narrow gauge line.Kalka to Shimla is 90 km. The journey takes about 6 hours, the train winds its way through 103 tunnels and some picturesque scenery.
By Road
Shimla is connected by road with Kalka, Chandigarh, Ambala, Delhi, Dehradun, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Jammu and other towns of Punjab and Haryana.
