Comments on: Boulevards of Shimla Hills

By: VIVEK MOHAN

VIVEK MOHAN — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:25:37 +0000

Yes, there’s a book by Raja Bhasin…

By: lalit bhushan

lalit bhushan — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:32:51 +0000

i am an engineer in mc shimla.i want details of old pathways that were in use in early british days.i want tne restoration of these.are there any details for this available in any books.do inform.
lalit bhushan
er.lalit.bhushan@gmail.com

By: Geetali

Geetali — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:46:36 +0000

My favourite walk goes down from Cecil to Annadale via Glen Urquhart (the lovely old home turned hotel), past St. Ninian’s, down to the Raakhi Devtaa’s temple & into the Army Heritage museum.
Ages ago, one would walk down to the little brook that flowed through Glen. The walk’s still fascinating, but the brook has reduced to a mere trickle.
Another lovely walk is along the old carriage track from Viceregal Lodge to Glen.
I’d love to walk down from 103 to the Dhanu Devtaa ka mandir, but the thought of the steep slope is daunting!
Those of us who live in Shimla should count our blessings!

By: Neha

Neha — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:08:03 +0000

Good one Eesha!

People especially tourists seem to know only about Mall Road and Jakhu temple.

A walk to Tara Devi is as fascinating as a walk to Chotta Shimla through CM’s residence…

By: Hema D

Hema D — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:02:46 +0000

It is very interesting to note that Shimla Municipal Corporation has undertaken a project to restore old walkways in forest areas of Jakhu and Annadale. One path old from Viceregal Lodge that leads towards Glen, which during the british rule was used only by the Viceroy to drive down in his ‘buggy’to Annadle has been revived. The cobbled path was dug out after nearly 50 years from under heaps of rubble. Now the path is popular among the nature lovers, especially I have seen foreign tourits putting up at Hotel Cecil walking down this road, which was the only one that saw most of the rhododendrons this summer.

By: NITYIN

NITYIN — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:53:32 +0000

Even the walk to Annadale through the longer route via Vidhan Sabha and Kumar House. Used to play cricket matches at the Annadale ground and I would take this route instead of going through Kaithu. Those were the days when no buses plied on this road and there were no marutis around. Mom used to pack lunch for the day, as you got nothing to eat at the ground. I would finish my lunch sitting below one of the trees even before reaching the cricket ground. Not to mention, with a full belly, yours faithfully must have scored the maximum ducks but the charm of the woods won everytime.

By: विविधादित्य

विविधादित्य — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:41:24 +0000

Nice update and reminder.

I wish you’d added the walk from Jakhu or Sanjauli to Five Benches. The path which has a lot of Red Rhododendron trees - your last article. Why this name Five Benches? Actually, during the British era there were Five Benches there and till the early 80s as well. Soon they started vanishing, and there’s only rubble.

The Himachal government hasn’t done anything to revive the place. The place gives a nice view of Shimla, and during my school days, this used to be a place where I used to come to study along with my father, before the exams or on Sundays. I could find many students from college, schools, and IAS/HAS aspirants visiting this place and making themselves cosy under a tree, with a chadru or shawl to wrap around and a bori/sack to sit on and heaps of books.

There’s even a nice view of Shimla from the place. Even the walk - from wherever you come from - Titla Hotel side or from Sanjauli, the path is mesmerising. I wish they discontinued with the traffic on this road. Even now, whenever I come to Shimla, I take out time and take a walk on this road, and sometimes just lie down besides the road, and hear the birds and the insects. The bells of Jakhu Temple that at times disturb the nature’s song - just take you to an ethereal world.

Keep it up Eesha!