Shimla on Foot

Title: Shimla on Foot

Author: Raaja Bhasin

Publisher: Rupa Publications, 2007 (First)

ISBN: 9788129112156

Pages: 145

This book is quite unusual in the genre followed in this blog. This is actually a travel guide which serves the tourist well on the spot. It narrates in detail ten walks a traveler can do in Shimla. Raaja Bhasin is a lecturer, journalist and a historian of Shimla.

When the British established footholds on the coasts of India, its heat and dust proved to be quite a challenge which claimed the lives of many early officials. It was only after annexing the interior kingdoms could they gain entry to hill stations which offered a salubrious climate somewhat similar to what they were accustomed to back home. If India was the jewel in the crown, Shimla was the adhesive with which the jewel was affixed on the diadem. There were several such asylums against heat in the Indian heartland, such as Ooty and Kodaikanal in the south and Nainital and Dehra Dun in the north. But Shimla was undoubtedly the queen among them all, which was also the seat of the government during the summer months. The administration transferred its seat, along with paperwork and employees in the month of April every year to Shimla and returned to the plains in October. The viceroys contemplated the decisions which affected a fifth of humanity in the cool and elaborately built mansions in Shimla while the plains sweltered in the scorching heat and drenched in immense sheets of monsoon rain.

Many parts of Shimla is recognized as heritage zones and closed to vehicular traffic. A leisurely walk through these areas provides a memoable experience to visitors. Almost all of the walks described in the book originate at Scandal Point near the Mall, which is the most famous landmark of Shimla. The walks are a few kilometers long through undulating terrain alongside great vistas through wooded forests of oak, cedar and spruce trees. The walks are designed in such a way that travelers can interrupt one and continue with another one, according to choice and circumstances. A route map is provided along with each suggested itinerary. Major attractions, mostly architectural, along the route are described and photographs included. Anecdotes related to the locations on the way are also described in a pleasant manner. Bhasin’s narration is authoritative and full of confidence arising out of a long experience gained through living in this hill station, which is also the capital city of the state of Himachal Pradesh. What is noticeable in the post-independence period of the city is that whatever was in the hands of the colonial administration changed hands to the union government at Delhi and that of the British armed forces to that of Indian. An exception to the rule is the Viceregal Lodge, which was the abode of viceroys. Naturally, it fell to the office of the President of India. In 1964, Dr. S Radhakrishnan, the philosopher-statesman handed over this building to house the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, an institution set up to research in areas which have deep human significance through an inter-disciplinary approach.

The included route map with each walk is rather simplistic and not to scale. Only a few landmarks are indicated along the way and there seem to be a little difficulty for a novice in finding his way, especially if one compares the route map with that of Google Maps which is complicated. I would like to stress here that this opinion is from a person who has never been to Shimla. The route map does not follow the conventional directions either, with the East shown on top in some maps and towards the bottom in many others. This is a great source of confusion, as the walkers may find placing landmarks on the correct side of the road. Many of the photographs are not given captions, making it again difficult to identify them. A good index and collection of tips for visitors add value to the book. Printing and layout of the book is superb, especially the good quality colour plates.

The book is highly recommended for the traveler to Shimla.

Rating: 3 Star