Shimla was once part of the Nepalese kingdom and called Shyamala. In 1864 Shimla became the summer capital of India. Following independence, Shimla was initially the capital of the Punjab, then became the capital of Himachal Pradesh in 1966. Today, Shimla is a pleasant, sprawling town, set among cool pine-clad hills with plenty of crumbling colonial charm. High season is mid-April to mid-July, mid-September to late October and mid-December to mid-January. The best time to visit is mid-September to late November.

SIGHTSEEING

STATE MUSEUM
About 2.5 kms west of Scandal Point, the state museum has a good collection of statues, miniatures, coins, photos and other items from around Himachal Pradesh and is worth a visit.

JAKHU TEMPLE
Dedicated to the monkey god, Hanuman, Jakhu temple is east of the town centre near the highest point of the Shimla ridge. It offers a fine view over the surrounding valleys out to the snow capped eaks and over Shimla itself. Appropriately there are many monkeys around the temple.

KASAULI
About 12 kms from the Shimla to Kalka road, Kasauli is a charming place and a popular side trip from Shimla, or an alternative to staying in Shimla. There are numerous lovely walks around Kasauli, including one to Sanawar, another picturesque hill town and the location of a famous colonial college.

MASHOBRA
About 11 kms from Shimla, the small village of Mashobra has some pleasant walks, including one to Sipi, where there is a fair and a wooden temple dedicated to Shiva.

SANKAT MOCHAN TEMPLE
On Shimla-Kalka road is the famous "Lord Hanuman" temple. Situated at an altitude of 1,975m, it commands an excellent view of Shimla town

NALDEHRA
15 kms further north, at an altitude of 2050m, Naldehra is a pleasant little village. It is mostly famous for having one of the oldest and highest golf courses in India. There is even a temple, the Mahunag Mandir, in the middle of the course.

CHALI
Chail was created by the Maharaja of Patiala as a summer capital after his expulsion from Shimla. The town is built on three hills - one is topped by the Chail Palace, one by the village itself and the other by the Snowview mansion. Three kilometres from the village is the world's highest cricket ground built in 1893. There is also a wildlife sanctuary 3 kms from Chail.

CHRIST CHURCH & ST. MICHAEL'S CATHEDRAL
Built in 1846-1857, Christ Church is the second oldest church of Northern India. The Church overlooks the ridge and is one of the landmarks of Shimla. The clocks on Christ Church were added later but none of them are functional now. The Church's exquisite beauty comes with the stained glasses that are fitted on its windows. The town's other important churches are St. Michael's Cathedral and Roman Catholic Cathedral, which is just off the Mall.