SUMMER CAPITAL OF INDIA

SHIMLA  Shimla, written in British Indian records as Simla, is the capital of Himachal Pradesh.The area was called 'Shimla',...

SHIMLA 

Shimla, written in British Indian records as Simla, is the capital of Himachal Pradesh.The area was called 'Shimla', named after a Hindu goddess, Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of Kali.Shimla is a district which is bounded by Mandi and Kullu in the north, Kinnaur in the east, the state of Uttarakhand in the south-east, and Solan and Sirmaur.In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India.After independence, the city became the capital of Punjab and was later named the capital of Himachal Pradesh.As of 2011, the city had 171,817 permanent residents, and was one of the least populous capital cities in India.

The temples and the natural beauty of the city attract a large number of tourists. The major attractions include the Viceroy Lodge, the Christ Church, the Jakhoo Temple, the Mall Road and the Ridge,which together form the city centre. The Kalka–Shimla Railway line built by the British,a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also a major tourist attraction.The city is also an educational hub with a number of colleges and research institutions. The city also has sporting venues like the Indira Gandhi Rajya Khel Parisar, the main sports complex and the Naldehra Golf Club.

Shimla   also hosts the mountain biking race MTB Himalaya, which started in 2005 and is regarded as the biggest event of its  kind in South Asia. Shimla also has the largest natural ice skating rink in South Asia. The ice skating season usually begins in the start of December and goes on till the end of February. Apart from being a tourism centre, the city is also an educational hub with a number of colleges and research institutions. The city also has sporting venues like the Indira Gandhi Rajya Khel Parisar, the main sports complex and the Naldehra Golf Club.