As we descended to Shimla, we were greeted by the huge
towering architectural structures painted in a spectrum of colours. Shimla was
the summer capital of the British and after independence, it served as the
capital of Punjab province till Chandigarh was constructed. Unable to bear the
intense heat of the Indo-Gangetic plains, the British made Shimla the summer capital.
To meet the needs of elaborate administrative machinery, necessary
infrastructure was developed too. At the very first instance of Shimla, tourists
will be captivated by the vivid architectural splendour of the buildings
constructed in Victorian style. Shimla derives its name from the Goddess
Shyamala Devi, incarnation of Kali. Built on hilly terrain, the city has very
narrow, windy roads and managing vehicular congestions is a huge task. Hence
outside vehicles are denied entry beyond the Cart road. Lifts operate from Cart
Road to Mall Road to facilitate easy movement of men and material up the hill.
The place has a majestic aura and a visit to Shimla is not
complete without slice of history. We parked our car in the parking lot of Cart
Road and took a flight of steps to reach Mall Road. Roads are at different
elevations and could be reached by a steep climb. With every climb the view of
the place becomes much better and breathtakingly beautiful. After checking into
a hotel on Mall Road, the hub of all activity, we relaxed for awhile and got
ready for a wintery evening stroll. Mall road is bedecked with several old mansions
which are converted into extravagant hotels that offer a spectacular view of
the hills.
Till now, overwhelmed by the excitement of exploring hills,
we ignored the harsh winters of hilly region. By late evening, there was sudden
dip in temperatures but it didn’t deter the enthusiasm of the tourists to stay
indoors. The Mall road beaming with flashy lights from the business establishments
is reverberating with activity. We shopped for quality woollens, the trade mark
of hills before shutters began to roll down on shops in Mall road and Lower
Bazaar (On Mall) by 8pm. It is Valentine Days eve and we could spot young
couples frolicking in fun and flashing their best attires Besides being a
shopping centre Mall roads houses several administrative buildings too. We had
delicious dinner at the famous Gupta restaurant and retired to our rooms. We
slept quite early cuddling under three layers of blankets to get ready for our
return trip next day.
Sunday morning we woke up early to explore the city of
Shimla. We reached Ridge road which is above Mall road. The roads were very
clean for Indian standards. Plastic bags are banned. Hills have a very delicate
ecosystem and hence emphasis must be laid on conservation of nature. Ridge Road
has the 19th century majestic Christ Church and provides a beautiful
view of the mountains. Across the Christ Chruch is a municipal library and the spacious
road had statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Lalalajpat Rai and Indira Gandhi too. As
tourists began to slowly trickle out, horses were readied for a ride on this
road. Ridge has several fun activities and it is a nice place to hang around.
It has a skating rink and several food outlets.
Without losing much time, we began to walk towards Jakhoo
hill, the highest point of Shimla and 2 km away from the city. We began to walk
along the steep lanes but soon realised that you have to be a terrific walker
to reach the upper inclines. After walking few hundred meters we gave up the
idea of reaching the temple on foot and hired a taxi. The local drivers are
extremely dextrous and can meander through any narrow curve with enviable
expertise and skill. The stretch of the road leading to Jhakoo is marvellous, offering
a beautiful view of the dense deodar forests. The tall ever green trees are
visual delight for every nature lover. Jakhoo is 8100ft from the mean sea level
and provides a spectacular view of the ice capped mountains.
Legend says that Lord Hanuman rested on these temples while
he was searching for the Sanjeevani herb to revive Lord Lakshmana. Home to
countless playful monkeys visitors must be very cautious about their belongings
especially spectacles. We reached the Old Hanuman temple by climbing a flight
of stairs and along the stair case we could read Hanumana Chalisa painted along
the ceiling panels. Located in a tranquil environ, it is perhaps the best place
for meditation. We were simply awed by the
langar adjoining the temple. It served hot rice, dhal, curry and a sweet
dish free of cost to every devotee. We were impressed by the discipline and
commitment of the volunteers and temple organisation for their generous
gesture. The temple is abode of peace and the picturesque view of the distant
snow covered mountains offers immense contentment and felicity.
The 108-ft huge statue of Lord Hanuman on the hill top is the
single largest statue to stand at such an altitude and surpasses the 98ft
‘Christ the redeemer’ statue installed at an altitude of 2300 ft in Rio di
Janeiro. As we descended the stairs of Jhakoo there is a temple of Lord
Karthikeya. It housed idols of Lord Krishna, Radha and a Sivaling. Visit to the
Jakhoo was the most splendid and fulfilling experience for us in our entire
trip. After the taxi dropped us in a road above Ridge we went for a Heritage
Walk. Though we couldn’t take a guided walk, we on our own explored the inner
lanes of Shimla along the old dilapidated Victorian constructions, most of them
now turned into government offices and hotels. Walking down the lanes we had a
fantastic view of valley and the vastly spread out city and caught up with
history of Shimla. Being Sunday museums were closed hence we walked down to
Mall road and soon packed bags for our return journey. With a promise of
visiting again we waved bye to the Queen of the Shivaliks. Autos, rickshaws
don’t operate in Shimla. Tourists have to depend on taxis that run along the
Cart Road. The freshness and close encounters with nature and the explicit
beauty of the hills have rejuvenated our spirits. Thus we headed back to Delhi
mentally vibrant to face the stress and rigors of daily life.
On the way back to Delhi, we stopped at vegetable market in
Solan and shopped fresh vegetables and fruits. Winters being slack tourist
season, most vehicles were off the road and hence we could hit the Himalayan
Expressway much faster. Once again we couldn’t resist ourselves from
appreciating the huge highway which cut short the distance and made our drive
comfortable. The route we followed was Shimla-Solan (bypassed Parawanoo and
Panchakula)-Ambala-Karnal-Panipat-Sonipat-New Delhi.
Heritage Walk
Photographs Courtesy: Dr. T. L. S. Bhaskar & Samanvit Teegela
@ Copyrights reserved.
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