Shimla
Capital Of Himachal Pradesh And Former Summer Capital Of British India; The Kalka Shimla Railway Is Part Of The UNESCO Mountain Railways Of India (2008) · Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
The capital of Himachal Pradesh, strung along a ridge at over 2,000 metres, and from 1864 the summer capital of British India, when the whole government moved up from the heat of the plains each year. That history is the town's character: the Mall, a pedestrian promenade closed to vehicles, and the Ridge, an open square with the neo-Gothic Christ Church, lined with Tudor-style buildings, cafes and bookshops, and above the town the Viceregal Lodge, where the partition of India was discussed. The journey up is itself a sight: the narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla railway, opened in 1903, climbs through more than a hundred tunnels and over arched bridges, and is part of the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site. Jakhu temple, at the highest point, has a giant Hanuman statue and monkeys famous for stealing glasses. In winter Shimla gets snow, and it is one of the most popular hill escapes for north India. It is now crowded and overbuilt, with summer water shortages and monsoon landslides, including serious ones in recent years, and the old town still charms above the sprawl.
The Mall Road, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171001, India
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED; confirm before travelling. The usual pattern: the Mall and the Ridge are open at all times. The Viceregal Lodge runs guided tours in the daytime, roughly 9:30 am to 5 pm, and has a weekly closure day; check which. The State Museum keeps daytime hours with a weekly closure. The toy train runs several times daily from Kalka. Landslides in the monsoon and snow in winter can close roads and suspend the train at short notice, so leave buffer days.