Shimla, an exceptionally beautiful hill station in the state of Himachal Pradesh (India), has it all – busy bazaars, skiing, temples, shopping. treks and lazy walks…not to mention the amazing fruits available in this place so preferred by the Raj. You can still see the traces of an bygone era in the buildings, the roads and the people in this hill city.
I arrived by the slow train and was met by “agents” at the station who promised me a room nearby, but that involved walking steadily uphill for 15 minutes minutes, past the quaint library and further on uphill till we arrived at the hotel. I can’t say I was amused – having travelled for long hours on the train but there was no other way.
You get the idea!
Eventually I panted my way up, pas this cute library (below) and found a rather modest lodging (but the bedding was so damp and musty) for the night.
In the morning, I walked down for breakfast and fell in love with the city. A love that cannot be explained – but it helped that one of my favourite films back then Jab We Met was shot here. I distinctly remember seeing that school scene and the ground in front of the library in few other movies as well (Bang Bang).
Yes, I love Shimla.
Why Shimla
1. The best (and worst, perhaps) thing about Shimla is its strict no-vehicles within the city limits policy. To a city bum, that would mean a little hardship at first, ‘coz here, you are either walking uphill or downhill which at first can be a little exhausting, but this policy has kept the place free of pollution to a large extent.
2. Ambulances are strategically placed in case of emergency.
3. Gas is carried on the human back for delivery.
These snacks are fabulous on a cold evening – watch out for the spice though! The parathas that get served here are nearly the double the size as you’d get elsewhere and come with a big blob of butter on it. Of course, because you are walking that much… There is samosa and all kinds of chat to be had. Tastes great with tea.
The first thing I went to was The Indian Coffee house (near the High Court). I’ll say the coffee doesn’t taste the same as the coffee in Indian Coffee House in Bangalore, but it sure was a hell of a lot better than most coffee here that usually comes with a sprinkling of chocolate powder!! I have no idea what there is a “Dollar Store” sign above this.
I do wish that this hill station wasn’t as populated – it does sometimes feel as though you are caught in a metropolitan Indian city.
