Shimla: Himachal Pradesh

Shimla is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a popular hill station in Northern India. It was also the Summer Capital of India during the British Raj. During this time, the British spelled the name Simla.

History

Scottish civil servant Charles Kennedy built Shimla’s first British summer home in 1822, and by the latter half of the 19th century the city had become the summer capital of the British Raj. Many British soldiers, merchants, and civil servants moved there for roughly half of each year due to heat and disease at India’s lower altitudes.

Many others, like author Rudyard Kipling, went there for the active social life, which Kipling found both exciting and scandalous. Shimla is also etched in history of Indo Pak relations as it was witness to the Shimla Agreement signed by the two nations following Pakistan’s surrender in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Geography

Shimla district is located in the middle western ranges of the Himalayas. This region has a hilly terrain and has an uneven cover of evergreen pine forests. The Shimla city spreads over the hill at an average altitude of 2000 meters (roughly 6500 feet) above mean sea level.

Economy

A good part of the economy is supported by government. Shimla is also a good tourist attraction. Kufri, Naldera, Taatapani, Shiv Gufa (Near Sarrur pul), and Chail are among the main tourist attractions. Shimla district is also famous for its apple orchards.

Government and politics

Shimla is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. The population of permanent residents is approximately 100,000. In summers a substantial number of tourists (~10 thousand) add to the population whereas in winter the population is reduced heavily due to the residents taking vacation and going to warmer places.There are two major political parties in Himachal: the B.J.P and the Congress. Shimla has traditionaly been the fort of the Congress. At present the chief minister of this hill state is Raja Virbhadra Singh of Congress.

Demographics

The majority of the population consists of natives of Himachal Pradesh and a minority migrated from what is now Pakistan during the partition of India. Hindi, Punjabi and Pahadi are the main languages.