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Shimla or Simla

Shimla is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh, at the foot of the Himalayas in northeastern India.

Unlike many cities in the Indian subcontinent, Shimla cannot boast of having a history that dates back to time immemorial.

This part of India was covered with dense forest in the 18th century and few people lived there. However, a temple dedicated to the god Hanuman had been erected at the top of the hill of Jakhu, near the present city of Shimla. The current city then boiled down to a few scattered houses.

This mountainous region was invaded by Nepal in 1806 and the English East India Company also had its sights set on it. At the end of a war between Nepal and this company which was a state in the British state, the treaty of Sugauli was signed in order to fix a demarcation line, and following this treaty, the British took possession of the region which remained largely uninhabited.

A few officers settled there, and the favorable climate attracted more and more Britons to the region to escape Delhi's scorching summer climate.

From 1826, Shimla became a holiday resort for the British, nostalgic for the freshness of their motherland.

The British, charmed by the climatic conditions, extended their territory, in particular through exchanges with the princely states of the region. This was the start of Shimla's development, which grew from 30 houses in 1830 to over 1,100 in 1881.

Soon Shimla became a place of political and diplomatic meetings and at the same time a social place where parties and balls multiplied.

Shimla, summer capital of India

The Viceroy of India, John Lawrence, made Shimla his summer capital in 1863. The capital of British India was scorching Calcutta at the time. He had his residence built there and the local populations were driven out to be relocated below while the European city developed on the ridge. Administrative buildings, a library and a theater were created.

As the summer capital of British India, many negotiations were conducted in Shimla, including those relating to the independence of the subcontinent.

Shimla was even the capital of Burma, seat of the British colonial government, during the Japanese occupation of Burma.

the temple of Jakhu, Shri Hanuman Mandir Jakhoo

The temple dedicated to the god Hanuman (the monkey god) existed before the foundation of Shimla. Recently, in 2010, a giant statue of the god Hanuman, 3 meters high, was added to the site. Located on a hill at an altitude of 2455 meters, this place offers an excellent view of the Himalayas.

Rashtrapati Niwas, the residence of the viceroy

The construction of this residence of the British Viceroy of India began at the very beginning of the 19th century and was completed in 1888. This building in an architectural style of the English Renaissance mixed with aspects of Scottish castles, served as the backdrop. negotiations for Indian self-government in 1945.

about the place, Shimla:

Shimla is the largest city and the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh. It was the summer capital of British India thanks to its temperate climate.

One of the city's tourist attractions is the Viceroy's Palace.

After independence, Shimla was declared the capital of Punjab before becoming that of Himachal Pradesh. It was even the capital of British Burma between 1942 and 1945.

The city has nearly 175,000 inhabitants.