
Situated above 2213 metres Shimla, the largest hill city in India and formerly the largest in the world, is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. To the tourists it images itself as the Hill Queen of irresistible charm. With a dry refreshing breeze drifting along the calm azure, Shimla on a wide half-moon shaped ridge12km to the N-West of the Himalayas, is exactly surrounded by soothing natural scenes.
This beautiful hill city takes it name from Goddess Shyamala . It was discovered by the British around 1819 who wanted to escape from the scorching summer heat. Shimla was accorded the status of the summer capital during British rule.
These days new palatial buildings are mushrooming to daunt the old Tudor and Georgian style cottages the British had built in Shimla. The old residences with their corrugated tin roofscast a shabby look. Shimla is an echoing green teeming with firs, oaks , deodars and pines. Lilies, rhododendrons and several other unknown flowers of the hills blossom in abundance to add to the charm of and fraganance of Shimla.