Swathed by cedar, rhododendron, fir and Himalayan oak trees, the state capital of Himachal Pradesh is one of the most popular hill stations of India. Basking in the grandeur of the British era with apparent influences in its architecture, Shimla did charm the British colonisers of the 19th century so much that they elevated the small township into the summer capital of an empire sprawling the sub-continent.

In its heyday Shimla attracted princes, merchants, diplomats and political leaders from Afghanistan, Tibet, China, Myanmar and other countries. Several heritage buildings in the city are witness to historical moments that have shaped the history of south Asia.

Leaders of the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad, C. Rajagopalachari and others frequently visited Shimla in their struggle to gain independence from British rule. Hard contested deliberations over the partition of India and Pakistan at Viceregal Lodge, now the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, between the resident Viceroy and leaders of the freedom struggle finally won the country its Independence on 15th August, 1947.

An engineering marvel, the Kalka-Shimla railway line with 102 tunnels constructed between 1898 to 1903 has been recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage mountain railway site. The Ridge and The Mall are still popular landmarks just as they were in the pre-Independence era. The imperial Viceregal Lodge, the graceful Christ Church, Gaiety Theatre, Gorton Castle, Barnes Court and several buildings are part of the colonial architectural heritage of the town.

Language

English and Hindi are the dominant languages spoken in Shimla. A sizeable minority does speak Punjabi. In addition to these several native dialects of Pahari language are also spoken by the residents of the area.

Clothing Essentials

Bearing a temperate climate, cotton clothes with light woolens are worn from April to October. Heavy woollends and jackets are required for the winter which starts to set in from November and lasts upto March. In spring and autumn thin sweaters and hoodies are needed to beat the morning and evening chills.