82-422: Chharabra is a small village situated approximately 8250 feet (2514 m) above sea level, 13 km from Shimla , India , on National Highway 22 (Hindustan-Tibet Road). It has the summer retreat of President of India , the summer residence of Governor of Punjab , a five star luxury hotel, a boarding school, and a helipad, even though the population is less than 500 people (including boarding school students and
164-773: A Knight of the Thistle . Hay was born at Yester House on 29 January 1826. He was the third son (of six sons and eight daughters) born to Lady Susan Montagu and George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale (1787–1876). Among his many prominent siblings were Lady Susan Hay (wife of James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie ), Lady Hannah Hay (wife of Simon Watson Taylor ), Lady Elizabeth Hay (wife of Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington ), George Hay, Earl of Gifford , Lord Arthur, later Earl of Gifford and later 9th Marquess of Tweeddale , Lord John Hay , Lady Jane Hay (wife of Sir Richard Taylor ), and Lady Emily Hay (wife of Sir Robert Peel, 3rd Baronet ). His paternal grandfather
246-513: A ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland. On 18 May 1878, Lord Tweeddale was married to Candida Louise Bartolucci (1854–1925) at St Augustine's Church, London. Candida was a daughter of Signor Vincenzo Bartolucci of Cantiano , Italy . Candida's sister, Evelyn Bartolucci, was the second wife of Adm. Sir Astley Cooper Key . Together, William and Candida were
328-719: A career in the Civil Service. From 1845 to 1862, he served in the Bengal Civil Service , including some years as Deputy Commissioner of Simla and then as Superintendent of the Hill States of Northern India, during which time he leased The Retreat in Mashobra . Following his permanent return from India Hay was Liberal Member of Parliament for Taunton from 1865 to 1868, and was elected again for Haddington Burghs in 1878. He also became Chairman of
410-425: A hill station famous for balls, parties, and other festivities. Subsequently, residential schools for pupils from upper-class families were established nearby. By the late 1830s, the city also became a centre for theatre and art exhibitions. As the population increased, several bungalows were built and a big bazaar was established in the town. The Indian businessmen, mainly from Sood and Parsi communities, arrived in
492-640: A panic among the European residents of the town, but Shimla remained largely unaffected by the rebellion. In 1863, the Viceroy of India , John Lawrence , decided to shift the summer capital of the British Raj to Shimla. He took the trouble of moving the administration twice a year between Calcutta and this separate centre over 1,000 miles away, even though it was difficult to reach. Robert Bulwer-Lytton ( Viceroy of India 1876–1880) made efforts to plan
574-563: A portion of the Bharauli pargana. The settlement grew rapidly after this, from 30 houses in 1830 to 1,141 houses in 1881. In 1832, Shimla saw its first political meeting between the Governor-General Lord William Bentinck and the emissaries of Maharaja Ranjit Singh . In a letter to Colonel Churchill, he wrote: Shimla is only four days march from Loodianah ( Ludhiana ), is easy to access, and proves
656-582: A very agreeable refuge from the burning plains of Hindoostaun ( Hindustan ). Combermere's successor Earl Dalhousie visited Shimla in the same year. After this, the town was under Nawab (King) Kumar Ghosal of Bally, West Bengal, and saw regular visits from the Governors-General and Commanders-in-Chief of British India. Several young British officers started visiting the area to socialise with the higher-ups; they were followed by ladies looking for marriage alliances for their relatives. Shimla thus became
738-467: Is 16–45 years of age. A further 28% of the population is younger than 15 years. The low sex ratio – 930 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2001 – is cause for concern, and much lower than the 974 versus 1,000 for Himachal Pradesh state as a whole. The unemployment rate in the city has come down from 36% in 1992 to 22.6% in 2006. This drop is attributed to recent industrialisation, the growth of service industries, and knowledge development. Hindi
820-558: Is a separate village, it is officially considered part of Mashobra , which is a suburb of Shimla. Chharabra is situated on top of mountains which are a major watershed. One side of Chharabra is part of the catchment area for the Yamuna river while the other side is part of the catchment area for the Satluj river. The entire area around Chharabra is densely forested and is part of Shimla Reserve Forest Sanctuary and Catchment Area. Chharabra
902-539: Is closed to visitors. There is one rest house inside, and three outside the sanctuary. Mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures range from 8.6 C in January to 24.1 C in July and from 1.9 C to 15.7 C, respectively. Mean annual rainfall is 1600 mm. Annual precipitation is in excess of 1500 mm, over half of which falls during the summer monsoon. Chharabra has temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Summer
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#1732797385802984-826: Is currently the effective boundary between China and India, although its legal status is disputed by the Chinese government. This was also the site of a series of talks held by Viceroy Wavell to discuss a plan for the independence of India with the Indian political leaders of the time. Known as the Simla Conference, the talks failed to bring about a resolution. Shimla was the capital city in exile of British Burma (present-day Myanmar ) from 1942 to 1945. The Kalka–Shimla railway line , opened in 1903, added to Shimla's accessibility and popularity. The railway route from Kalka to Shimla, with more than 806 bridges and 103 tunnels,
1066-459: Is on the south-western ranges of the Himalayas at 31°37′N 77°06′E / 31.61°N 77.10°E / 31.61; 77.10 . It has an average altitude of 2,206 metres (7,238 ft) above mean sea level and extends along a ridge with seven spurs . The city stretches nearly 9.2 kilometres (5.7 mi) from east to west. The city is a Zone IV (High Damage Risk Zone) per
1148-529: Is part of Shimla Reserve Forest sanctuary and catchment area. The natural vegetation comprises pine , oak , cedar or Himalayan deodar , rhododendron , maple and horse chestnut. The wildlife consists of jackals , kakkar ( barking deer ), and the occasional leopard , as well as numerous bird species such as the Himalayan eagle , pheasants , chikor and partridges . During monsoons, many wild flower species, wild strawberries and other berries can be found in
1230-405: Is situated 88 km (55 miles) northeast of Kalka , 116 km (72 miles) northeast of Chandigarh , 247 km (154 miles) south of Manali and 350 km (219 miles) northeast of Delhi , the national capital. Kalka can be reached within 2.5 hours, and Chandigarh can be reached in 3 hours and 15 minutes. Delhi and Manali are both around 7 hours away from Shimla. To the east of Shimla stand
1312-424: Is situated adjacent to National Highway 22. It starts right after Dhalli and extends beyond Kufri. The area of this sanctuary is 951ha. The altitude ranges from 1,900 m to 2,620 m. The sanctuary is connected by a forest corridor to Chail Sanctuary in the south. This catchment is the main water supply for Simla. Nine perennial streams flow from this area, the main ones being Churat Nala and God Ki Nala . The sanctuary
1394-530: Is situated on the road leading to the Retreat, between Wildflower Hall and the Retreat. The house was originally built by an Englishman called Mr Dane, who, believing that Shimla town would come up at this point, predicted that Shimla would come up on this side of the hill. However, as his prediction was proved wrong he named the house Dane's Folly. A new building was constructed next to the Dane's Folly building, which
1476-414: Is the lingua franca of the city, it is the principal spoken language of the city and also the most commonly used language for official purposes. English is also spoken by a sizeable population and is the second official language of the city. Other than Hindi, Pahari languages are spoken by the ethnic Pahari people, who form a major part of the population in the city. Punjabi language is prevalent among
1558-458: Is the months of April to June, the rainy season (monsoon) is from July to August, autumn is from September to November and winter is from December to March. Chharabra used to receive snowfall by end of November, but with global warming, there has been remarkable change in weather patterns here as well. The Retreat Building is the official summer residence of the President of India . Entry to
1640-526: Is typically around 45 millimetres (1.8 in) per month during winter and spring, and around 190 millimetres (7.5 in) in June as the monsoon approaches. The average total annual precipitation is 1,487 millimetres (59 in), which is much less than most other hill stations but still much heavier than on the plains. Snowfall in the region, which historically has taken place in December, has lately (over
1722-464: Is used as the residence of the Governor of Punjab. Dane's Folly and the new building both still exist. The entire property has now been renamed Hemkunj. Wildflower Hall Hotel is a luxury hotel constructed on the site of the summer residence of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum . The original hall was located higher up than the present building. After the first building was burned, a second was constructed at
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#17327973858021804-428: The 2023 North India floods . Highest recorded temperature: 32.4 °C (90.3 °F) on 28 May 2010 (A temperature of 37.7 °C (99.9 °F) was recorded on 22 May 2012 at Shimla airport . ) Lowest recorded temperature: −12.2 °C (10.0 °F) on 13 December 1963. Employment is largely driven by the government and tourism sectors. Education sector and horticultural produce processing comprise most of
1886-659: The Earthquake hazard zoning of India . Weak construction techniques and an increasing population pose a serious threat to the already earthquake prone region. There are no water bodies near the main city and the closest river, the Sutlej , is about 21 km (13 mi) away. Other rivers that flow through the Shimla district, although further from the city, are the Giri, and Pabbar (both tributaries of Yamuna ). The green belt in
1968-655: The Gaiety Theatre are reminders of British rule in India. The original Peterhoff , another Viceregal residence, burned down in 1981. British Shimla extended about a mile and a half along the ridge between Jakhoo Hill and Prospect Hill. The central spine was the Mall Road , which ran along the length of the Ridge, with a Mall Extension southwards, closed to all carriages except those of the viceroy and his wife. Shimla
2050-583: The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1889 to 1892 and, again, from 1896 to 1897. On 26 October 1898 Tweeddale was appointed a Knight of the Thistle and was invested at Windsor Castle on 8 December. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant for the counties of Haddingtonshire (now called East Lothian and Berwickshire ) and a Brigadier-General of the Royal Company of Archers ,
2132-720: The Governor-General of Bengal , visited Shimla and stayed in the Kennedy House. A year later, Stapleton Cotton , the Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in India, stayed at the same residence. During his stay, a three-mile road and a bridge were constructed near Jakhoo . In 1830, the British acquired the surrounding land from the chiefs of Keonthal and Patiala in exchange for the Rawin pargana and
2214-618: The Hill States , set up a wood cottage in Shimla. Three years later, his successor and the Scottish civil servant Charles Pratt Kennedy built the first pucca house in the area named Kennedy Cottage in 1822, near Annadale , what is now the home for CPWD office. The accounts of the Britain-like climate started attracting several British officers to the area during the hot Indian summers. By 1826, some officers had started spending their entire vacation in Shimla. In 1827, William Amherst ,
2296-626: The North British Railway Company . After succeeding his brother Arthur as Marquess of Tweeddale on 29 December 1878, he became the owner of estates totalling some 40,000 acres in Scotland. In 1881 he was created Baron Tweeddale of Yester in the peerage of the United Kingdom , giving him a seat in the House of Lords . As well as being Hereditary Chamberlain of Dunfermline , he was Lord High Commissioner to
2378-492: The Prime Minister of India . The agreement paved the way for diplomatic recognition of Bangladesh by Pakistan. Technically the document was signed at 0040 hours on the night of 3 July; despite this official documents are dated 2 July 1972. Pre-independence structures still dot Shimla; buildings such as the former Viceregal Lodge , Assembly Chamber, Auckland House , Christ Church , Gorton Castle, Shimla Town Hall and
2460-769: The Ridge ground , it goes to the Arabian Sea via the Sutej River , and if water is poured on the southern slope, it meets the Bay of Bengal through the Yamuna River. Shimla was built on top of seven hills: Inverarm Hill, Observatory Hill, Prospect Hill, Summer Hill, Bantony Hill, Elysium Hill and Jakhu Hill. The highest point in Shimla is the Jakhu hill, which is at a height of 2,454 metres (8,051 ft). In recent times
2542-739: The Sugauli Treaty after the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–16). The Gurkha leaders were quelled by storming the fort of Malaun under the command of David Ochterlony in May 1815. In a diary entry dated 30 August 1817, the Gerard brothers, who surveyed the area, describe Shimla as "a middling-sized village where a fakir is situated to give water to the travellers". In 1819, Lieutenant Ross, the Assistant Political Agent in
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2624-493: The ethnic Punjabi migrant population of the city, most of whom are refugees from West Punjab , who settled in the city after the Partition of India in 1947. William Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale , KT , DL (29 January 1826 – 25 November 1911), known before 1878 as Lord William Hay or Lord William Montagu Hay , was a Scottish landowner, peer and politician. He
2706-690: The Auckland Tunnel), about 120 feet (37 m) in length, was also built in 1905. The Simla Convention , an ambiguous treaty concerning the status of Tibet negotiated by representatives of the Republic of China , Tibet and Great Britain was signed in Simla in 1913 and 1914. At the convention a demarcation line between Tibet and the North-east region of India was proposed by Sir Henry McMahon . The line came to be known as McMahon Line and
2788-526: The British, a UNESCO World Heritage Site , is also a major tourist attraction. Owing to its steep terrain, Shimla hosts the mountain biking race MTB Himalaya , which started in 2005 and is regarded as the biggest event of its kind in South Asia. Shimla also has the largest natural ice skating rink in South Asia. Apart from being a tourism centre, the city is also an educational hub with several colleges and research institutions. One theory suggests that
2870-463: The Choor . The accompanying notes record that "During a considerable part of the year, the Choor is hoary with snow; and when moonlight falls upon the scene, an effect is produced as if floods of molten silver were poured over the surface. Moonlight in these regions assumes a novel charm." Shimla city is geographically uniquely positioned in such a way, that if water is poured on the northern slope at
2952-760: The Choor Mountains (Chuor, 3647m ). A passage over these mountains, from the Tons River to Shimla is described in Views in India, chiefly among the Himalaya Mountains , by George Francis White with accompanying drawings, Village of Khandoo, on the Ascent to the Choor , and two that were subsequently the subject of poetical illustrations by Letitia Elizabeth Landon , namely Crossing the Choor Mountains , and Village of Koghera and Deodar Forest, near
3034-758: The Extra-Provincial Jurisdiction Act, 1947 (later renamed as the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1947 vide A.O. of 1950). The State of Bilaspur was merged into the Himachal Pradesh on 1 April 1954 by the Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur (New State) Act, 1954. Himachal became a part C state on 26 January 1950 with the implementation of the Constitution of India and the Lt. Governor was appointed. The legislative assembly
3116-661: The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation in 1973 which then ran Wildflower Hall Hotel until 1993. On 5 April 1993 the building was razed to the ground by a fire caused by an electricity short circuit. After this, the Himachal Pradesh Government formed a joint venture with the Oberoi Hotel Group to rebuild Wildflower Hall as a luxury hotel. The present building is the third building on
3198-601: The National Academy of Audit and Accounts, Shimla. Students from across India prefer to study in Shimla because of its climate and Queen of Hill Stations status. These have added to the economy of the district as well as the state. The government is trying to promote the technology and IT sector as the new area for growth and promotion although not many companies have yet settled in Shimla. There are many new startups in and around Shimla. There are over six call centres in Shimla. The administrative responsibilities of
3280-526: The Rothney Castle . Many believe that during the British period , the image of the goddess was shifted to a new place, the now-famous Kali Bari Temple . In 2018, the state government decided to change the city's name from Shimla to Shyamala. However, seeing the negative response of the general public, the state government dismissed the plan. Most of the area occupied by present-day Shimla city
3362-487: The Shimla planning area is spread over 414 hectares (1,020 acres). The main forests in and around the city are of Pine , Deodar , Oak and Rhododendron . Environmental degradation due to the increasing number of tourists every year without the infrastructure to support them has resulted in Shimla losing its popular appeal as an ecotourism spot. Another rising concern in the region are the frequent number of landslides that often take place after heavy rains. The city
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3444-531: The Wildflower Hall site. There are views of the Himalayas, Shimla and the valley below from this point. This was originally the site of a two storied residential house called Dukani. Dukani was famous for its picnic grounds and terraced flower garden. The Straits Times reports of a competition called "Scents of Dukani" held here where people were asked to identify the smell of various flowers grown in
3526-613: The area to cater to the needs of the growing European population. On 9 September 1844, the foundation of the Christ Church was laid. Subsequently, several roads were widened and the construction of the Hindustan-Tibet road with a 560-feet tunnel was taken up in 1851–52. This tunnel, now known as the Dhalli Tunnel, was started by Major Briggs in 1850 and completed in the winter of 1851–52. The 1857 uprising caused
3608-643: The area. The climatic conditions attracted the British to establish the city in the dense forests of the Himalayas . As the summer capital, Shimla hosted many important political meetings including the Simla Deputation of 1906 , the Simla Accord of 1914 and the Simla Conference of 1945 . After independence, the state of Himachal Pradesh came into being in 1948 as a result of the integration of 28 princely states . Even after independence,
3690-440: The building is by permission only. The President visits Mashobra at least once every year, and during this time his/her core office shifts to The Retreat at Chharabra. The building housing the Retreat is a purely wooden structure originally constructed in 1850. It has dhajji wall construction, and a plinth area of 10,628 sq ft (987.4 m). The Retreat is the smallest of the Indian president's residences. The building
3772-686: The city has spread past the initial seven hills. Shimla features a subtropical highland climate (Cwb) under the Köppen climate classification . The climate in Shimla is predominantly cool during winters and moderately warm during summer. The average temperature during summer is between 16 and 25 °C (61 and 77 °F), and between 3 and 11 °C (37 and 52 °F) in winter. Monthly precipitation varies between 13.6 millimetres (0.54 in) in November and 350 millimetres (14 in) in August. It
3854-619: The city of Shimla and merged areas of Dhalli, Totu , and New Shimla reside with the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC). All three areas were taken under SMC in 2006–07. Established in 1851, the Shimla Municipal Corporation is an elected body comprising 41 councillors, three of whom are nominated by the government of Himachal Pradesh . The nominations are based on prominence in the fields of social service, academics, and other activities. 33% of
3936-534: The city remained an important political centre, hosting the Simla Agreement of 1972 . After the reorganisation of the state of Himachal Pradesh, the existing Mahasu district was named Shimla. Shimla is home to several buildings that are styled in the Tudorbethan and neo-Gothic architectures dating from the colonial era, as well as multiple temples and churches. The colonial architecture and churches,
4018-571: The enactment of Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 by the Parliament. On 18 December 1970, the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Thus Himachal emerged as the eighteenth state of the Indian Union. The Simla Agreement treaty was signed in Shimla by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto , the President of Pakistan , and Indira Gandhi ,
4100-401: The estate. Thereafter the Retreat was consigned to the government on permanent lease by Raja of Koti. The Earl of Elgin was the first Viceroy of India to have used the Retreat as a viceregal residence. Lord Elgin secured use of the Retreat for future viceroys and constantly spent his weekends there. After the Rashtrapati Niwas at Shimla was handed over to the Government of India in 1962 by
4182-476: The forest. Chharabra has a good climate for apple cultivation, and there are a few apple orchards here. Cobra plant is plentiful during monsoons. The British introduced several trees and flowering plants, notably weeping willows, silver oak, and chestnut, from other parts of the world, which can be seen at Chharabra. The retreat, Hem Kunj, Dukani, Kalyani House and Wild Flower Hall had weeping willows on their grounds. Shimla Reserve Forest Sanctuary and Catchment Area
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#17327973858024264-503: The four armed police battalions in the state, is available for assistance to the local police. There are eleven courts in the district including a fast-track court. According to 2011 census, Shimla city spread over an area of 35.34 km had a population of 169,578 with 93,152 males and 76,426 females. Shimla urban agglomeration had a population of 171,817 as per provisional data of 2011 census, out of which males were 94,797 and females were 77,020. The effective literacy rate of city
4346-446: The garden of Dukani. Dukani was built by Lt. Col. Thomas David Colyear (died 8 August 1875) of 7th Bengal Cavalry. Amongst its famous occupants were Sir John Woodburn , Lt. Governor of Bengal Sir George Robertsoe, and Lt. Governor of Bengal Sir George Charles River. Other owners of Dukani included H.B. Goad and Maharaja of Alwar . This building was also owned by the late Sir Edward Buck, the author of Simla, Past and Present . The house
4428-480: The heat during summer in the Indo-Gangetic plain . The presence of many bachelors and unattached men, as well as the many women passing the hot weather there, gave Shimla a reputation for adultery, and at least gossip about adultery: as Rudyard Kipling said in a letter cited by Allen, it had a reputation for "frivolity, gossip, and intrigue". The 500-foot (150 m) Lower Bazaar tunnel was built in 1905 and christened Khachhar Surang. The Elysium Tunnel (now known as
4510-464: The last fifteen years) been happening in January or early February every year. The maximum snowfall received in recent times was 38.6 centimetres (15.2 in) on 18 January 2013. On two consecutive days (17 and 18 January 2013), the town received 63.6 centimetres (25.0 in) of snow. On the weekend of 12–13 August 2023, torrential rains attributed to climate change caused major landslides in Shimla, killing at least 57 people. These were part of
4592-441: The list of Indian cities with the highest-ranked hotels. Along with schools of higher education, several institutes are also present, namely Himachal Pradesh University and Indian Institute of Advanced Study . Recruitment to the IAAS is through the joint competitive examinations (the Civil Services Examination ) and promotion from the subordinate cadre. Once recruited to IAAS, the directly recruited officers are trained mainly at
4674-404: The name "Shimla" was derived from Shyamalaya , meaning 'blue house', a solitary house made of blue slate on Jakhu Hill, built by a fakir . According to another version, the city gets its name from Shamli or Shyamala , meaning 'blue lady', referring to the goddess Kali . It is believed that a temple dedicated to goddess Shamli, an incarnation of Kali, used to be on the Jakhu hillside near
4756-471: The official name until 1972 ) is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh . In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of British India . After independence , the city became the capital of East Punjab and was later made the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. It is the principal commercial, cultural and educational centre of the state. Small hamlets were recorded before 1815 when British forces took control of
4838-423: The parents of: Lord William Montagu Hay died on 25 November 1911 at his house in London, 6 Hill Street, and was succeeded by his eldest son, the Earl of Gifford (born 1884). He is buried at Yester Parish Church in Gifford, East Lothian , close to his family home at Yester House . As his eldest son died without male issue, David George Montagu Hay , the son of his youngest son Lord Edward Douglas Hay, became
4920-479: The present site. The first owner of Wildflower Hall was G.H.M. Batten, CS, private secretary to Earl Lytton (1876–1880). The Hall is also said to have been a favourite retreat of Lord Ripon . The most famous resident of Wildflower Hall was the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, Lord Kitchener, who spent a considerable amount of money laying out the gardens, and planting trees and flowers. Immediately upon his arrival at Shimla, Lord Kitchener secured lease of
5002-403: The property from the then owner Mrs. Goldstien. In 1909, after Lord Kitchener returned to England, Wildflower Hall was sold to Robert Hotz and his wife. In 1925, after demolishing the old house, Mrs. Hotz erected a fine three-storey hotel. After Independence, the hotel was taken over by the Indian Government, and given to the Himachal Government to run an agriculture school. It was taken over by
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#17327973858025084-591: The regional Government of the Punjab moved from Murree , in modern-day Pakistan, to Shimla in 1876. They were joined by many of the British wives and daughters of the men who remained on the plains. Together these formed the Shimla Society, which, according to Charles Allen , "was as close as British India ever came to having an upper crust." This may have been helped by the fact that it was very expensive, having an ideal climate and thus being desirable, as well as having limited accommodation. British soldiers, merchants, and civil servants moved here each year to escape from
5166-592: The remainder. Recently a Model Career Centre has been set-up at Regional Employment Exchange, Shimla to enable bridging the gap between job-seekers and employers. In addition to being the local hub of transport and trade, Shimla is the area's healthcare centre, hosting a medical college and four major hospitals: Indira Gandhi Hospital (Snowdown Hospital,) Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital (formerly called Ripon Hospital), Kamla Nehru Hospital and Indus Hospital. The city's development plan aims to make Shimla an attractive health tourism spot. Major departmental headquarters of
5248-472: The seats are reserved for women. The elections take place every five years and the mayor and deputy mayor are elected by and amongst the councillors themselves. The administrative head of the corporation is the Commissioner who is appointed by the state government. The two major political parties are the Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress with a third party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) , emerging. The city contributes one seat to
5330-473: The staff of the president's retreat, governor's house and hotel). The village is surrounded by evergreen pine forests , and has views of the Himalayas . The Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas at more than 19,000 feet (5,800 m) high, Deo Tibba at 19,687 feet (6,001 m), Chota Shali and Shali peaks, Bandar Poonch peak , Rakt Dhar at 20,100 feet (6,100 m), and Badrinath at 23,190 feet (7,070 m) are all visible from here. Even though Chharabra
5412-430: The state are also located in Shimla such as Himachal Pradesh Government Printing and Stationery Press , Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board , and Himachal Pradesh Police Headquarters . The hotel industry is one of the major sources of income generation for the city. Shimla has up to 6500 hotels, including 5-star hotels, most popular is Oberoi Cecil , Peterhoff , Wildflower Hall and Hotel Holiday Home. Shimla leads
5494-446: The state assembly ( Vidhan Sabha ) and one seat to the lower house of parliament ( Lok Sabha ). Law and order in the city is collectively maintained by the Police Force, Vigilance Department, enforcement directorate, forensics, fire brigade, prisons service and Home Guard. There are five police stations and three fire stations in Shimla. The Superintendent of Police , Shimla heads the police force. The First Armed Police Battalion, one of
5576-413: The steep slopes from the Ridge. The Upper Bazaar was cleared for a town hall, with many facilities such as a library and theatre, as well as offices for police and military volunteers as well as municipal administration. During the "Hot Weather", Shimla was also the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief, India , the head of the Indian Army , and many departments of the government . The summer capital of
5658-447: The temples, and the natural environment of the city attract tourists. Major city centre's attractions include the Shri Hanuman Jakhu (Statue) , Jakhu Temple , Viceregal Lodge , Christ Church , Mall Road , The Ridge and Annadale . The city centre's northernmost point is Jakhoo and the southernmost location is Annadale, the easternmost point is Sanjauli and the western point is Chotta Shimla. The Kalka–Shimla Railway line built by
5740-399: The then president, Dr S. Radhakrishnan , in order to become an academic institute, the Indian Institute of Advanced Study , the Retreat was officially assigned to be the presidential mansion. The 16-room residence is surrounded by a 300-acre (1.2 km) forest. Hemkunj or Hem Kunj is the official summer residence of the Governor of Punjab , India. It was formerly known as Dane's Folly. It
5822-426: The town from 1876, when he first stayed in a rented house, but began plans for a Viceregal Lodge , later built on Observatory Hill. A fire cleared much of the area where the native Indian population lived (the "Upper Bazaar" nowadays known as the Ridge ), and the planning of the eastern end to become the centre of the European town forced them to live in the Middle and Lower Bazaars on the lower terraces descending
5904-407: The two roads from Simla and Mashobra village should, in the interest of native population of Koti State, be open to the public; no trees should be felled; and no cattle be slaughtered on the grounds. The lease of the Retreat was then taken by Sir William Mansfield , Commander-in-Chief , and then By Sir Edward Buck in 1881. In 1896, Raja of Koti used his right of preemption and took the possession of
5986-515: Was George Hay, 7th Marquess of Tweeddale and Lady Hannah Charlotte Maitland (a daughter of James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale ). His maternal grandparents were William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester and Lady Susan Gordon (third daughter of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon ). As the third son of a Marquess who was not expected to inherit the title, Hay was educated at the Imperial Service College and prepared for
6068-437: Was 93.63% and that of urban agglomeration was 94.14%. The city area has increased considerably along with time. It has stretched from Hiranagar to Dhalli from one side & Tara Devi to Malyana in the other. As per the 2001 India Census, the city has a population of 142,161 spread over an area of 19.55 km . A floating population of 75,000 is attributed to service industries such as tourism. The largest demographic, 55%,
6150-467: Was born at Yester House , near Gifford , East Lothian , and served in British India as a member of the Bengal Civil Service and later as a Liberal Member of Parliament . In 1878 he succeeded his brother as Marquess of Tweeddale and as owner of some 40,000 acres in Scotland. He went on to become Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and was appointed
6232-463: Was dense forest during the 18th century. The only sign of civilisation was the Jakhu Temple and a few scattered houses. The area was called 'Shimla', perhaps named after a Hindu goddess , Shyamala Devi , an incarnation of Kali . The area of present-day Shimla was invaded and captured by Bhimsen Thapa of Nepal in 1806. The British East India Company took control of the territory as per
6314-482: Was elected in 1952. Himachal Pradesh became a Union Territory on 1 November 1956. Following areas of Punjab State namely Shimla, Kangra, Kulu and Lahul and Spiti Districts, Nalagarh tehsil of Ambala District, Lohara, Amb and Una kanungo circles, some areas of Santokhgarh kanungo circle and some other specified area of Una tehsil of Hoshiarpur District besides some parts of Dhar Kalan Tehsil of Pathankot district ; were merged with Himachal Pradesh on 1 November 1966 on
6396-484: Was named after Maharani Kam Sundari (Kalyani) Singh, the third wife of Maharaja of Darbhanga Kameshwar Singh. This school was founded by Major General Jagjit Singh (Retd.) and the main patron was Maharani Kalyani Singh of Darbhanga. Jagjit Singh was also the first chairman of the school. The first principal of the school was Mrs. Indira Goswami. Shimla Shimla ( English: / ˈ ʃ ɪ m l ə / ; Hindi: [ˈʃɪmla] ; also known as Simla ,
6478-578: Was named its capital. After independence, the Chief Commissioner's Province of H.P. came into being on 15 April 1948 as a result of the integration of 28 petty princely states (including feudatory princes and zaildars) in the promontories of the western Himalaya , known in full as the Shimla Hills States and four Punjab southern hill states by the issue of the Himachal Pradesh (Administration) Order, 1948 under Sections 3 and 4 of
6560-491: Was originally constructed by the then Medical Superintendent of Simla, whose name is not known (referred to merely as Mr. C____ in Simla Past and Present by Edward J. Buck). The Retreat was taken on lease from Raja of Koti by Lord William Hay . During this period, the local population called it "Larty Sahib Ki Kothi", i.e. house of Mr. Larty, as Lord William Hay was named by locals. The lease deed contained stipulations that:
6642-545: Was surrounded by an apple orchard. After independence the property was taken over by the Government of India. The building was used by the State Horticulture Department until 1986 when it was razed to make way for the helipad. Himalayan International School is a co-ed day and boarding school situated in the summer palace of the former Maharaja of Darbhanga called Kalyani House. The building
6724-567: Was touted as an engineering feat and came to be known as the "British Jewel of the Orient". In 2008, it became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site . Following the partition of India , it briefly served as the capital of East Punjab, until construction of the new city of Chandigarh (the present-day capital of the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana ). Upon the formation of the state of Himachal Pradesh in 1971, Shimla
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