WalkWithMe #2 - A Walk through Shimla

Shimla is the state capital of my home state Himachal Pradesh and mere thought of visiting Shimla gives me fever. Reason being maddening traffic and my bitter experiences with the lethargic bureaucracy. During the course of last six months, I visited Shimla three times and every time I couldn't stay there for more than 6-8 hours. Because that's the minimum time one needs to figure out what exactly is going on in the State Secretariat.

However, this time I could find time to take a walk in Shimla. And if there's no traffic and no tourist rush, Shimla is indeed a beautiful place that is best explored on foot. Because there's no room for vehicular traffic anyway :D

This time I got my work done at the State Secretariat in less than 5 hours and that was an achievement in itself so I thought of rewarding myself with a leisurely walk around Shimla.

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The easiest way to move around the State Capital is on foot and if you're as lucky as I was, you will find the road free of people and monkeys. And if that happens, one surely gets to cherish the cultural heritage that Shimla once was. The magnificent church at the Mall Road and 160 year old State Library is where one can spend hours and days and never get bored. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the State Library though I couldn't borrow any book as I did not have any library membership.

The Christ Church, Shimla (1857)

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State Library, Shimla (1860)

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This is the silent part of Shimla and this area has been long barred from any constructional activity though that's not the case with other parts of Shimla. Being the State Capital, it is obvious that everybody would want to live here for different reasons but the haphazard construction that has taken place in recent years wasn't a pleasing sight at all. So much so that Shimla that once was a 'real jungle' now resembles a 'concrete jungle' which is akin to sitting on a time bomb ready to explode anytime.

Don't believe me? Have a look yourself!!!

A Concrete Jungle

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To shake off the negativity that befell upon us in the concrete jungle, we decided to walk away to a silent zone, away from the hustle bustle of city. The zone which reminded us of old Shimla- free from concrete structures and full of wildlife.

A silent lake overlooking the towering sentinels of Himalayas in the far off distance. And the dry period that infected our region since long as we arrived at our magical secret hideout in the evening. The lake has a small temple of a local deity and the lake is considered as a living entity in the whole region. That's really some innovative way of safeguarding our water resources. Isn't it?

'Tanu Jubbar' Lake

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Our Night Stay in a snowy house