Shimla, Summer Capital of India, a place that holds soo many memories for me and my family, the place that we chose as our home! Let me rewind a little and give you a little history. So we are Kashmiri Pandits hailing from Srinagar, Kashmir. During the Exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir valley on 19th January 1990, my family packed their bags and found their home in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.
But that is not the only reason why Shimla holds such a beautiful place in our hearts and minds. It is (also) because of my GRANDFATHER, Mr. Pushkar Nath Kher. Just mentioning him puts a smile on our faces. A man who taught us to smile through every problem, who made us believe that failure is a part and parcel of life and not to get beaten down by it but to stand tall and push forward. A selfless man who lived on his own terms and was kind to everyone! Shimla was everything to him! He just could not let go of Shimla. After everyone from my family moved out of Shimla, we tried to get him to come live with us in Mumbai or Delhi but he just said to us “Ask me for anything but don’t ask me to leave this place”. I kid you not, if you go around asking locals about him, I am sure every single one of them will have stories to tell about him. That says a lot!
So this blog is a Homage to him and my family!
To pay tribute to my grandfather, to keep Shimla close to our hearts and to make my grandmother’s dream turn to reality, a year back my father and my uncle decided on buying a family home in Shimla and what an amazing decision that was!
On 17th February, all of the Kher family and close friends decided to head to our new home- KHERWADI in Tutu, Shimla. Right in the middle of the bustling market of Tutu and just about 100 meters away from the Jutogh Station (one of the smallest stations I have ever seen!), and opening up to a breathtaking view of the valley, the house is at the perfect spot! This was a beautiful old home and we had given the place an overhaul and decided on having a pooja there with the entire family. Stepping foot into our new home was a feeling that cannot be described. We were amazed, happy, excited, nostalgic all at the same time. My Daadi just could not fathom that her dream had turned to reality. With a total of 20 people living under that one roof, you can only imagine how crazy the house must have been. And we Kher’s are known to be on the CRAZY side. Crazy is our normal. Just one hour into the house and we had already started making new memories. From sleeping together in one huge room to being woken up by monkeys running on the roof at 7 in the morning, tea being made for 20 people, 10 times a day, to lazying in the sun, to sharing old stories and laughing till our stomachs hurt. From singing and dancing to ofcouse taking loads of pictures!
Let me tell you a few things about Shimla that I have heard as stories from family. Stories about my grandparents and my uncle and father. This trip for me was about going down Their Memory lane. One story that I have herd a number of times is about how my dad and uncle used to get beaten up by a PLANT. Yes, a plant. It is called a BICCHOO BOOTI.
Let me tell you, this is no ordinary plant. It has pins and needles all over and if you come in contact with it, it is said to cause blinding pain. So this time around, while walking over to the Mall road on a steep, winding uneven path, I stumbled upon this devious looking plant and believe me when I say this, you would not even want to get close to it let alone be beaten by it! My uncle and dad must have really troubled my grandparents to get beaten up by this because I cannot imagine why one would use such a thing!
So most tourists who visit Shimla would know of the famous Mall Road and the Ridge.
For those who have not been to Shimla yet, you may have seen it in films like Jab We Met and 3 Idiots. The Mall road is famous for the high end showrooms, cafes and restaurants. On one side of the mall is the Lakkad Bazaar where you can find some great wooden artefacts and on the other is the Lower Bazaar and of course the Scandal point. On the Mall road there is a very famous restaurant called Alfa restaurant- famous for its Mutton Samosa and filter coffee. Back in the day it was considered to be a very fancy place. My family would visit the place only to celebrate some big occasion. So one day, as the tale goes, my grandfather decided to take my uncle to the restaurant and the usual mutton samosa and coffee was ordered. Not knowing what the reason was my uncle went ahead asked my grandfather to which he replied that they were there to celebrate FAILURE. Turns out, my uncle had failed in his exams but my grandfather wanted to celebrate it because he did not want my uncle to feel like he had been left behind but to stand up and let it be a learning experience and to push forward and work harder. Since the entire clan was together, we raided the place, relishing the Mutton Samosa and coffee and of course remembering my Grandfather!
Shimla- also known as the ‘Queen of the Hills’ has recently been touted as the most populated Hill Station in India. A number of houses have been cropping up every month. The charm of old Shimla seems to have been lost. But there a some places around Shimla that are pretty much untouched. If you go a little higher than Shimla you will come across this beautiful place called Kufri- known for its Scenic beauty and the Himalayan National Park. There are other places around that are accessible to tourists but let me tell you about a place that not a lot of people would know of, and I think that is why the place has retained its charm. This place that I am talking about is Giri Ganga in Samti near Shimla.
Giri Ganga is a tributary of Yamuna and flows through a place called Khara Patthar. I am not kidding when I say that this was one of the most beautiful places I have been to. Now getting to this place is no easy task. For more than 5-6 Kms you will have to travel on a rocky, winding and desolate road and after travelling for 2-3 hours from Shimla on this wobbly road you end up at a place that you only dream of. A beautiful river flowing over pebbles with hills all around us and absolute peace. I realised, when sitting on a small little bridge by the river that I felt so calm. Not a single though, not a single worry. You can help but just absorb the beauty that is surrounding you. This place is a must visit. You could also go there for RAFTING during season time.
Shimla is of course filled with hotels what with the number of tourist flooding the city throughout the year. But one hotel worth staying in is The Cecil by the Oberoi Group at Chauda Maidan.
This Heritage Hotel was established in 1884 by the British and was bought by the famous MOHAN SINGH OBEROI in the year 1944. Mohan Singh Oberoi used to work as a clerk in the hotel but soon climbed the steps and ended up buying the place. This was where the legacy started. The Oberoi chain of hotels started from him buying The CECIL.
The Cecil is by far one of the most beautiful hotels that I have stayed in. The place did go under massive renovation some years back but it has retained its beautiful old world charm. Not to forget the most amazing staff thats extremely hospitable and forever smiling. Other than The Cecil, Wildflower Hall and The Clarks Hotel. True story, my father used to work at the Clarks hotel as a Front Office assistant before doing 10 other odd jobs.
Now I could go on and on about Shimla but let me just put together a list of places that are a must visit if you plan a trip to Shimla.
Shimla is known to have a number of Temples that are a must visit. There is the SANKAT MOCHAN TEMPLE, TARA DEVI, KALI BARI- Temple dedicated to Goddess Kali who is also called Goddess Shyamala. The city derived its name from this Temple. You also have JAKHOO TEMPLE which is believed to hold the footprints of HANUMAN and has a 108 feet tall statue of Lord Hanuman. It is also on the highest peak in Shimla and you can see the Shivalik Range from there!
For all the Theatre lovers, definitely do not miss the famous Gaiety Theatre at the Mall Road. Established in 1887, the Theatre’s facade is a Gothic style structure, designed by Henry Irwin and is known as the Mecca of Theatre with the likes of Rudyard Kipling, K L Sehgal, Naseeruddin Shah, Prithviraj Kapoor, Anupam Kher and countless other eminent theatre personalities performing here.
You could also visit some beautiful places around Shimla. Kufri- must visit place during winters. You will wake up to sheets of snow covered mountains. Another place is Tatta Paani which is 51 kilometres away from Shimla and is known for its hot water Springs. You can also find a Shiv Goofa(Shiva Cave) just 4 kilometres from Tatta Paani. You could also see some beautiful Waterfalls around Shimla like the Chadwick Falls and The Glen. You could also visit Summer Hill, Prospect hill and Craignano to soak in the picturesque beauty around you and the majesty of the hills.
You can get to Shimla by Road but one of the best ways to get there is by the famous Toy Train. You can catch the Train from Kalka and ride comfortably all the way to the top. It is a long journey ( 5-6 Hours) but its absolutely worth it. With breathtaking views of the Valley and passing through 102 tunnels and over 864 bridges, its a lovely experience. The train started in 1898 and is now considered to be a World Heritage site of the Mountains of India by UNESCO. There is a story that goes around that you could encounter a ghost in tunnel number but they closed that tunnel now!
For a girl who is grown up and used to the fast paced life, the mountains are an escape like no other. Leaving Shimla, I could help but think about how caught up we are with our lives that we forget to appreciate the beauty around us. It could be the people you are surrounded by, the environment, or just your morning cup of chai or coffee that gives you soo much satisfaction, but something that we fail to really enjoy! The best part about this trip was that I got to spend quality time with FAMILY! This trip was everything I hoped for and sooo much more! I cannot wait to explore new places and have new experiences to share with you. Until then a piece of advice, Go on a journey, even if its alone!
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