Shimla (pop. 169,578) is the capital of the mountainous Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, in the far north of the country. No other city in Himachal Pradesh has more inhabitants. The British built Shimla (also spelled Simla) early in the 1800’s. It was one of the hill stations in India during the time of colonial rule. A hill station is a post in the hills or foothills where troops, government officials, or others went to escape from summer heat. It became one of the most popular summer hill resorts in India. From 1865 to 1939, Shimla was the summer capital of India during the later years of British rule. The colonial government went to Shimla to avoid the heat of the Ganges plain, where the winter capital, Delhi, lay.
After India became independent in 1947, Shimla became the capital of Punjab state. When the new city of Chandigarh was completed in the early 1960’s, it replaced Shimla as the capital of Punjab. In 1966, Punjab state was divided, and Shimla became the capital of the newly formed state of Himachal Pradesh.
Shimla lies high in the foothills of the Himalaya. It can be reached by a vintage railcar. In addition to its thriving tourist industry, Shimla has many small weaving and manufacturing industries.
