Shimla or the
"Queen of hill stations", as it is often called is one of India's most popular holiday resorts. The capital of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla is named after its patron, Shamla Devi and was a tiny village until it was popularized as a hill resort by the British who established their summer capital here in 1864. Shimla is situated in the north-west Himalayas, Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Spread across 12 kms along a ridge that overlooks terraced hillsides and cultivations, Shimla is magnificently robed in dense forests of oak and pine, fur and rhododendron, and it is best to travel here on the slow train from Kalka. Shimla also is a convenient base for variety of adventure sports such as Skiing, Trekking, Fishing and Golfing etc.
History :
Shimla derives it names from Shayamla, which is another name for goddess Kali. Shimla came in to light when the britishers discovered in 1819. till then it part of the Nepalese Kingdom. Soon after the British came to this place many Europeans started making house here. Shimla was first discovered by British in 1819 ,but the building of the houses was not started till 1822. The modern period of Shimla’s history began in the 19th century when Gorkha raiders ravaged the small village with fearful persistence and efficiency. Local rulers appealed to the British for military aid; the British seeing a chance to extend their power into the Sutlej River area, obliged, defeated Gurkhas in 1815. Over the next half-century British civil servants and injured soldiers flocked to Shimla each summer seeking rest from the rigors of administration. In 1864 imperial authorities made summer haul to Shimla official, declaring that it could serve as a seasonal capital of the Raj. During the summer and especially during the world wars Shimla bustled with British officials and their incredible entourages of servants. IN 1946 leaders of the Indian nationalist movement came to Shimla for a crucial conference that paved the way to Independence. Shimla’s legacy of British control has left in somewhat of Aesthetic anomaly: an Indian town, a state capital, no less that looks and feels like a village in Northern England
Cities of Manali
Manali,
Shimla
Tourist Attraction of Manali :-
Summer Hill, The Ridge, Himachal state Museum & Library, Sankat Mochan, Tara devi Temple, Hazratbal Mosque, The Mall, the Glen, Christ Church.
How to get there :
By Air :
The nearest airport is at Jubbarhati, 23 km from Shimla, and is linked to Chandigarh, Kullu and Delhi.
By Rail :
Broad-gauge trains run till Kalka, from all the parts of the country. From Kalka onwards, a rail car on narrow gauge takes you to Shimla which offers some fantastic sights.
By Road :
Shimla is connected by road to Chandigarh, Delhi, Dehradun, Kalka, and to many other places as well.
