Shimla is really the Beauty of all Beauties. It is a lovely sprawling town, set among spectacular cool hills with plenty of crumbling colonial charm.
Shimla was once part of the Nepalese kingdom, and called Shyamala, another name for the Goddess Kali. Shimla never gained any fame till it was first discovered by the British in 1819. Three years later the first British House was erected, and by 1864 Shimla had become the Summer Capital of India. Not a mean achievement. After construction of the Kalka-Shimla Railway line in 1903, Shimla really prospered and boomed. After Independence Shimla was initially the Capital of Punjab, and then it became the Capital of Himachal Pradesh. Now it is the Capital of Uttaranchal.
I have been to Shimla twice with my wife, when I was the Manager of the Indian Express at Chandigarh. Every night our newspaper was sent by taxis to Shimla and beyond. When Shimla was snowing, we went there at night, leaving Chandigarh after 12 in the midnight to arrive Shimla early in the morning before sunrise. White snow everywhere - on roof tops, on top of the trees, in their branches, on the roads and so on. The road to our Guest House was covered with thick snow. Shimla with snow looks like a beautiful young girl with flowing thick hair inviting you to embrace you. It is an unforgettable sight.
One could go to Kufri, beyond Shimla, and brave the cold. Shimla during summer is not that beautiful. On the road to Shimla is Taradevi, where in a historic Conference, the National Youth Policy was evolved.
Well, Shimla is different from Mussoorie, Ooty, Kodaikanal and other Hill Stations. Although Shimla has no lake, it has other attractions like the Botanical Gardens and the Himalayan Bird Park to keep you engaged.
Shimla is always in my dreams.