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Shimla Tourist Info
The people of Shimla are
informally called Shimlaites. With largely cosmopolitan crowds, a variety
of festivals are celebrated here. The Shimla Summer Festival, held every
year during peak tourist season, and lasting 3-4 days, is celebrated on
the ridge. The highlights of this event include performances by popular
singers from all over the country. Shimla has a number of places to visit.
Local hangouts like the mall road and ridge are in the heart of the city.
Most of the heritage buildings in the city are preserved in their original
tudorbethan architecture. The Viceregal lodge which houses the Indian Institute
of Advanced Study, and Wildflower hall that is now a luxury hotel are some
of the famous ones. A collection of paintings, jewellery and textiles of
the region can be found at the State Museum (built in 1974). Further out
from the city is the Naldehra nine-hole golf course, the oldest of its
kind in India. Kufri is a ski resort (winter only) located 19 kilometres
(11.8 mi) from the main city. Lakkar Bazaar, a market extending off the
ridge, is famous for souvenirs and crafts made of wood. Tatta Pani, 55
kilometres (34.2 mi) from the main city, is the name of hot sulphur springs
that are believed to have medicinal value located on the banks of river
Satluj. Shimla is also home to Asia's only natural ice skating rink. State
and national level competitions are often held at this venue. The Shimla
Ice Skating Club, which manages the rink, hosts a carnival every year in
January, which includes a fancy dress competition and figure skating events.
Due to effects of global warming and increasing urban development in and
around Shimla, the number of sessions on ice every winter have been decreasing
in the past few years.
Shimla has many temples and
is often visited by devotees from nearby towns and cities. The Kali Bari
temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali is near the mall. Jakhoo Temple,
for the Hindu god Hanuman is located at the highest point in Shimla[citation
needed]. Sankat Mochan, another Hanuman temple, is famous for the numerous
monkeys that are always found in its vicinity. It is located on Shimla-Kalka
Highway about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the city. The nearby temple of
Tara Devi is a place for performing rituals and festivals. Other prominent
places of worship include a Gurudwara near the bus terminus and a Church
on the ridge.
The temperature range
is not very high and the maximum temperature rarely crosses 25°C during
summers. Winters are cold due to the chilly winds from the upper Himalayas.
Around Christmas, Shimla experiences snowfall. Sometimes the temperature
goes beyond 0 degrees in the winter months. Heavy woolens are suggested
from November to February months. The rainy season is in July and august
months.
Chandigarh to Shimla 117
Kms
Delhi to Shimla (via
Chandigarh) 367 Kms
Manali to Shimla 262
Kms
Kalka (nearest broad
Gauge Station) to Shimla 90 Kms.
Plane
Shimla has its own airport
at Jubbarhatti (IATA code:SLV) that accommodates turbo-props Dorniers,
while Jet, Airbus A310, 320s and Boeing 737s can all land at the larger
Chandigarh (IATA code:IXC) airport. Commercial service at the Jubbarhatti
Airport is limited with six flights a week operating to and from Delhi,
all operated by Jagson Airlines. Chandigarh offers far better options.
Major airlines including Indian, Jet Airways and Air Deccan
operate flights to Delhi, Jammu, and Mumbai. Most of the flights to Mumbai
require a stop-over in Delhi, but low-cost Indus Air operates a daily
non-stop flight in the afternoons. Kullu and Dharamsala are smaller towns
which are connected to Chandigarh through Jagson Airlines bi-weekly flights.
Tip, confirm the flights till the very last moment, bad weather often delays
flights during the winter fog.
After landing at the airport,
take a pre-paid taxi to minimize hassle. Chandigarh is a good four-hour
drive away, so stop for a bite on the Kalka-Shimla highway. |
