Shimla Walks: Walking, Cycling, Culture

By Sumit Raj Vashisht

When I walk through the lanes of this British Himalayas Town, I find nothing that does not fascinate me, except the rubbish thrown by the tourists and some locals as well. The buildings are marvels, architecture is superb, roads are tidy, slopes are green, towering cedars are the main attraction, monkey are notorious, 'Khans' - the porters are sturdy, people are gentle and tourists, they are keen to know more and more about Shimla.Shimla has already lost a number of old time houses which always added new feather to its growth. Some are still in use while some are crumbling and struggling to survive. Some others are there which, due to the gross neglect of their owners have lost a part, left to survive on their own. I stand next to them to listen to their sobs sound and they appear like the leftovers of some wild animal. If you want to know more about the rich history of Shimla, you need to walk. When you walk through it, it takes you down memory lane of a bygone era. Every lane leads one to history, every wall hides a story behind it, every house has a tale to tell and every tree here is a living witness to the town's growth. The trails are protected by nature. Most of the lanes have been carved through forests of lofty cedars, rattling oaks, blooming rhododendrons or whispering pines. Till a few years past, here, people used to walk from one corner to another. They walked from their house to office, children to schools, ladies to the bazaars. In the evening everyone liked to stroll on The Mall. And now, the people of 'gen-ex' want to crush each road of this town under the racing wheels of their cars and disturb the peace with the high pitch groan of their engines whereas oldies in their formals, still like to walk the Mall. Some scenic roads have been opened to vehicular traffic. A few have been re-designated from 'sealed roads' to 'restricted roads' on which only vehicles with prior permission are allowed. The roads on which once rickshaws and horse drawn carriages plied, now the new generation vehicles are running, providing "comforts".There is no doubt that Shimla is a Walker's Paradise. There are more Y-junctions than X-ings. As given in this book, most of the walks around the seven hills have been designed in such a way that you return from where you start."Shimla was the Summer Capital of the British during the Raj" says a guide.'Yes, it was', his clients nod.'It was entirely set up by the British'.'Yeah, it was'.'Most of the houses here were constructed by the British'.'Yeah, we know'.The above information is there in everyone's store of knowledge, but who knows beyond that? A number of people, locals, as well as tourists, pass through these roads arteries almost everyday, but there are only a handful of them who actually admire the ambience and the splendor of Shimla.With this book in your hand you can opt for a walk, all alone, just with your day pack that must contain some fruits, nuts, a water bottle, some chocolate and if you be interested in taking some notes, a diary and a pen. A guide is recommended only if you desire to delve deep into the history of some particular building, a person or a place.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1549853619
• ISBN13: 9781549853616
• Release Date: October 2017
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 140 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.3" x 6.0"