The building was constructed as a resident place for Lord Dufferin, the then Viceroy of India (1884-1888). The architecture was designed in the famous Jacobethan style depicting the English Renaissance revival and resembles the fictional Hogwarts School of Harry Potter.
There is a museum located inside the institution that houses the photographs and the texts from the era of the British colonial rule.
There is a museum located inside the institution that houses the photographs and the texts from the era of the British colonial rule.
The insomnia of one viceroy and the fastidiousness of another, gave Simla its Viceregal Lodge. It was the fashionable Lord Lytton (Viceroy of India, 1876-1880), who started it all. Simla bored him to tears.
"My life is at present one incessant official grind from morning to night," he moaned, stuck at his desk till the early hours of each morning.
The proposal for a viceregal residence in Simla had been mooted much earlier. But it was the Lyttons, with their visions of magnificent balls and fawning ADC's and moonlight picnics who pushed through the plan. The Observatory Hill was selected for the new construction. Captain H.H. Cole of the Royal Engineers prepared the plan for the Lodge.
"My life is at present one incessant official grind from morning to night," he moaned, stuck at his desk till the early hours of each morning.
The proposal for a viceregal residence in Simla had been mooted much earlier. But it was the Lyttons, with their visions of magnificent balls and fawning ADC's and moonlight picnics who pushed through the plan. The Observatory Hill was selected for the new construction. Captain H.H. Cole of the Royal Engineers prepared the plan for the Lodge.
The building was designed by Henry Irwin, an architect in the Public Works Department. The Viceregal Lodge had electricity as early as 1888, much before the rest of the town of Shimla.
The sprawling lush green lawns in the periphery of the Viceregal Lodge.
The official summer residence of the British viceroys was completed in 1888 and the entire Indian subcontinent was ruled from here for just over half of every year (usually early April to late October) from then till WWII. Henry Irwin's grand, grey sandstone creation resembles a cross between Harry Potter's Hogwarts and a Scottish baronial castle. Half-hour building tours visit three rooms with interesting photo exhibits (one was the billiards room) and the three-storey entrance hall lined in Burmese teak.
It is located on the Observatory hill, one of the seven hills of Shimla. One can walk through the lane to the left of the State Museum entrance that leads there in five minutes via Hotel Peterhoff.
It is located on the Observatory hill, one of the seven hills of Shimla. One can walk through the lane to the left of the State Museum entrance that leads there in five minutes via Hotel Peterhoff.
The research centre IIAS (Institute of Advanced Studies) moved into the lodge in 1965.
The Indian Institute of Advanced Study was first created as a society on 6 October 1964. The institute was formally inaugurated by Prof. S. Radhakrishnan on 20 October 1965.
The research subject comprises Indian culture, religion, humanities and social and natural sciences. The drawing room, ballroom and dining room was converted into a library, the Viceroy’s office became IIAS Director’s office and the conference hall became the seminar room for research scholars.
The Indian Institute of Advanced Study was first created as a society on 6 October 1964. The institute was formally inaugurated by Prof. S. Radhakrishnan on 20 October 1965.
The research subject comprises Indian culture, religion, humanities and social and natural sciences. The drawing room, ballroom and dining room was converted into a library, the Viceroy’s office became IIAS Director’s office and the conference hall became the seminar room for research scholars.
Hidden amongst crowded lanes and old buildings, Lower Bazar, also known as Subzi Mandi, is extremely chaotic yet full of life. As the name suggests, the market is located just bellow the Mall Road, and starts from the bus stand in Shimla. It comprises of endless streets merging into one another, with shops selling everything from wooden items, walking sticks, winter clothes to mobile phones and vegetables. Although less opulent than its upper counterpart, the Lower Bazar retains an old world charm and is an excellent place to get your hands on some inexpensive daily products. The craftsmen here are skilled in carving beautiful wooden sticks that come in various shades and designs. As you walk up the winding streets, you'll come across quaint bookshops selling everything from school books and comics to magazines and guides.
The Railway Board Building is an interesting and historical structure made of cast iron and steel. The building is a strong and fire resistant magnificent piece of architecture. Currently a number of Central Government offices are located in the building.
It was built in the year 1896-1897 by a Bombay based firm, Richardson and Cruddas. The construction cost that was done on Railway Board Building at that time was about Rs. 4,08, 476 which was a very big sum 105 years back. Earlier this site served as the residences known as ‘Herbert House and Low Ville’.
One can easily see this beautiful building, as it is very near to Mall Road and Summerhill too.
Looking into the fantastic construction scheme employed in the Railway Board Building in Shimla by the Britishers at that time, the present day Secretariat of the Govt. of H.P. at Ellerslie and Office of the Army Training Command also have employed the same construction scheme so as to make the buildings long lasting and fire resistant.
One can easily see this beautiful building, as it is very near to Mall Road and Summerhill too.
Looking into the fantastic construction scheme employed in the Railway Board Building in Shimla by the Britishers at that time, the present day Secretariat of the Govt. of H.P. at Ellerslie and Office of the Army Training Command also have employed the same construction scheme so as to make the buildings long lasting and fire resistant.
Shimla railway station is a small railway station in Shimla district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
The station lies on UNESCO World Heritage Site Kalka–Shimla Railway. Shimla railway station is located at an altitude of 2,086 metres (6,844 ft) above mean sea level.
It was allotted the railway code of SML under the jurisdiction of Ambala railway division. The 610 mm (2 ft) wide narrow gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway was constructed by Delhi-Ambala-Kalka Railway Company and opened for traffic in 1903. In 1905 the line was regauged to 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) wide narrow gauge.
The station lies on UNESCO World Heritage Site Kalka–Shimla Railway. Shimla railway station is located at an altitude of 2,086 metres (6,844 ft) above mean sea level.
It was allotted the railway code of SML under the jurisdiction of Ambala railway division. The 610 mm (2 ft) wide narrow gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway was constructed by Delhi-Ambala-Kalka Railway Company and opened for traffic in 1903. In 1905 the line was regauged to 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) wide narrow gauge.
Shimla is located in the north of India in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. Though it is surrounded by lofty mountain ranges, the place is well connected to the rest of the country by all means of transport.
The biggest station with which Shimla is connected is the Kalka station in Panchkula of Haryana. The railway route of Kalka-Shimla is 96KM long. Tourists prefer to travel this route on slowly running toy train for a better panoramic view of the hills and valleys of Himachal Pradesh.
The Kalka to Shimla Toy train passes through 806 bridges and 103 tunnels.
The Kalka-Shimla Railway is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The Kalka-Shimla Railway is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The narrow gauge rail network of Shimla station was built in 1898 after the construction of Delhi-Kalka broad gauge railway line was completed, to connect Shimla with the main Indian rail network as Shimla was the summer capital for British India. There are many trains that originate from Shimla and terminate at the Kalka station.