!.!.SHIMLA THE QUEEN OF THE HILLS.!.!

Shimla is popularly known as “THE QUEEN OF THE HILLS” as it spreads across seven hills in the northwest hills of the Himalayas. It is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh and was the summer capital during British Period.

Shimla is a wonderful place to explore for those who crave to see nature. Especially during summer as it is extremely cold in Shimla no matter what the monsoon is. I would recommend staying there for a minimum of 4 to 5 Days. Though Shimla might look like a small place to visit, there are various new things you might not even know.

 

How to Reach Your Destination

Shimla is a Hill station so it is obvious why I recommend not taking a direct flight to Shimla because the airport there is often closed due to construction work and their facility is not that good.

Instead, I recommend taking a flight to Chandigarh and then enjoying a 5-hour road trip to Shimla.

If you plan on taking a train because you think that flights are expensive, then it is not a bad idea but taking a train is actually very dangerous since the railway tracks aren’t maintained or firm like the roads, plus trains are heavier than road vehicles, so there are higher chances of an accident if you are going by train.  

Wonders of Shimla

I had a maximum stay of 2 days in Shimla because my vacations were getting over. Yet I have seen some magnificent art of nature.

The Mall Road is the major hangout point and shopping center in Shimla. It’s a must place to visit before anything else. It is called “The Mall Road” because big luxurious malls cannot be built in hilly areas; small shops of luxurious brands are made.

The structure of mall road is almost exactly like exploring different floors of a mall except instead of stairs there might be some well-built stairs but mostly there are stones firmly attached to the ground building a staircase, which is fascinating and something new. It is better to visit Mall Road in the evening since they light up the whole road with beautiful colorful lights. But if you are willing to take lots of photographs for posting it on social media you might prefer to go in the afternoon.

 What to Buy

Of course, there are many beautiful yet magnificent stuff to buy from Shimla but the most important ones are-

Poncho

It is a conical- triangular-shaped wear that can be worn in place of a sweater. Poncho is a better alternative to a sweater because it frees your hands. It is certainly not cheap now if you want a higher quality.

It is one of the traditional wears of Himachal Pradesh. There are other cities in Himachal Pradesh to buy Poncho from. But none of them will have varieties of them as Shimla does. There are specific shops especially made for women who hand-woven ponchos of different qualities all furred up or light as a feather. Ponchos are available in various colors but my suggestion the pastel-colored ones look better and suit all types of clothes.

 

A myth

Some locals to keep their children entertained say that sweaters took a lot of knitting so people started making conical-triangular shaped sweaters which took less time and looked fancy even when improper and started calling it a poncho, but of course, that is not the real reason it’s just what the locals say to their children to keep them entertained.

 Shawls

Shawl is a thick cloth mostly hand woven with beautiful designs, which you can wrap yourself in to protect yourself from the cold.

Shimla is a place where it is 15 degrees even during summer, so shawl shops are found there on every step you take. But the fun part is that the quality is much better and unique. If you visit Shimla, buying at least one of their shawls is a must. Many shawl factories are built which give women jobs hence not leaving them jobless. So it is also one kind of charity you can do by buying a shawl.

Stole

There is not much difference between a stole and a shawl. A stole is a shawl but much lighter, thinner, narrower, and more fashionable.

A stole can be found anywhere even in the USA. But if you are interested in buying some ‘DESI STYLED’ stoles then Shimla is your stop. As every capital of every city in India has a much better reputation and quality of common products found all over the city, Shimla also has the best Stoles in the city of Himachal Pradesh.

One can wear a stole no matter what occasion or season it is. So there is another reason why tourists from the equatorial side of the country India prefer stoles over shawls.

What to eat

FunFact-

Shimla is an extremely cold city. So the people there prefer something hot yet cheap to eat to keep themselves warm. And the cheapest thing available is instant noodles ‘MAGGI’, you can find many stalls on the road selling Maggi cooked with fresh vegetables, giving you two options: soup or just normal. But I prefer the soup one since it unblocks your nose.

 

Sidu

It is a local food found all over Himachal Pradesh. It is made up of refined flour stuffed with crushed chutney of Walnut, green peas, and roasted peanuts and is shaped like a half-moon. The moment it touches your mouth you can feel it melting, it is so soft that even a child with no teeth can chew it. And as soon as you reach the stuffed part, varieties of flavors burst in your mouth, crunchy yet soft better to eat when hot what else would one want to eat during a perfectly cool morning? With each bite you take, your desire to eat sidu will increase.

 

This dish is one of the best dishes I had tasted in Shimla. It is also Himachal Pradesh’s traditional food.