The capital of Himachal Pradesh and former summer capital of British India, Shimla is the state’s most important center. Bulging at its seams with unprecedented expansion, Shimla retains a colonial aura, with its grand old buildings, among them the stately Viceregal Lodge, charming iron lampposts and Anglo-Saxon names. The Mall, packed with shops and eateries, is the center of attraction, and Scandal Point, associated with the former Maharaja of Patiala’s escapades, offers a view of distant snowclad peaks.

Shimla’s mood changes with the seasons, each having its own charm. Perhaps the best time of the year is autumn. When the days are warm and bright and the nights crisp and cool.

In spite of changes and considerable growth since independence, Shimla, perhaps more than any other place, still persents substantial evidence of an attempt by the sahibs to build an English town in India. Architectural style of buildings long forgotten are still evident here.

Shimla, originally a small obscure village surrounded by splendid forests, is said to have been the abode of goddess Shamla. History records that in 1822, a young officer, Major Kennedy, built the first permanent residence in Shimla. By 1831, Shimla was already established as ‘the resort of the rich, the idle and the invalid’. In 1870, the Viceregal Lodge was built as the summer residence of the Viceroy of India, and since then there has been no looking back for the hill resort. The capital was even further established when, in 1904, the longest mountain train in India commenced its maiden Journey from Kalka to Shimla.