SHIMLA town came into being in the first quarter of the nineteenth century and some four decades later, it became the "summer capital" of British India.

Today, the colonial order is no more, but its architectural legacy can still be seen in this hill station. The seven hills of Shimla showcase a variety of architectural styles.

In addition, the town has one of the longest stretches of pedestrian road with shops alongside — the Mall. Shimla also holds what may well be the earth’s only "urban forest".

The seven hills of Shimla are:

i) Prospect Hill in western Shimla, which has the Kamna Devi temple.

ii) Summer Hill in western Shimla, where the campus of Himachal Pradesh University is located.

iii) Observatory Hill in western Shimla, where the Indian Institute of Advanced Study is found.

iv) Inverarm in western Shimla, where the State Museum is located.

v) Bantony in central Shimla, which has the Grand Hotel.

vi) Jakhoo in central Shimla, which is crowned by the temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman.

vii) Elysium in north-western Shimla, which holds Auckland House and Longwood and reaches out towards the Bharari spur.

These hills offer a wide variety of trails to visitors to explore. So the next time
you are in Shimla, abandon your car and make it a point to go on a long walk, and don’t be surprised if it turns out to be a guided tour of history. Here are a few suggestions:

The western walks: Start from the Scandal Point on the Mall and walk towards the wooden-framed structure of the General Post Office. Below, the Mall presents an interesting sight. Near the Post Office is the YWCA. On the left are the upper sections of the Telegraph Office and beyond that is the Police Headquarters’ building called Bantony.

Bantony, once the residence of the rulers of the former princely state of Sirmaur, displays some remarkable woodwork. Higher on the hill is the Grand Hotel, it was once the residence of Governor-General William Bentick. Beyond it is the temple of Kali Bari, founded in 1845 by Ram Charan Brahmachari, a Bengali Brahmin.

Below the Telegraph Office is the District Collectorate building in Baronial style of architecture. Near it is the stone structure of St. Michael’s Cathedral. Built in 1886, it displays French Gothic style of architecture.

The original village of Shimla is said to have stood below this — in the present Ram Bazaar area. Below this is the Deen Dayal Upadhaya (earlier called Ripon) Hospital. The hospital was built almost entirely by donations and is perhaps the largest structure inIndia bearing the Alpine chalet style of construction. The large buildings that houses the offices of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) were once the offices of the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.

Returning to the level of the Mall, the walk continues down towards the State Bank of India — once the Bank of Upper India. A road cutting off to the right leads to Fingask Estate, the birthplace of Lord Chelmsford and once called the Chelmsford Club. Adjoining this, is the Catholic Club. Below lies Northbank, once the residence of famous writer Rudyard Kipling.

After the State Bank of India building comes the unusual cast-iron and steel structure of the what once held the offices of the RailBoard. A little ahead is the office of the Accountant General In Gorton Castle. One of the most unusual buildings built by the British, this neo-Gothic structure had the famous Sir Swinton Jacob as its architect. Completed in 1904, this was the Secretariat of the British Government in India. Further down are the chambers of the present-day Vidhan Sabha of Himachal Pradesh. On the same hill was located the Kennedy House, built in 1822, and regarded as the first "permanent" house built in the station. A fork on the right leads to the Glen and Annandale.

The Army Mess is housed in Knockdrin, once the residence of the Foreign Secretary. Beyond this is the sanitarium run by the Seventh Day Adventists and the exhaustively restored Cecil Hotel. A sharp (0.5 km) climb goes to the State Museum, where you can find a rich display of Himachal’s heritage.

The base of the climb has two roads that are like arms that encircle the hill. Both take you to the gates of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. If you face them, with your back towards the Cecil, the fork on the left will take you past the AIR station. Earlier, the Foreign Office was based here, and during World War II, the Government of Burma-in-exile was based here. Above, at Peterhof, is the state guest house. Till the time the Viceregal Lodge was constructed atop Observatory Hill, this served as the Viceroy’s residence in Shimla.

If you take the road on the right (you can always use this as the return route), the view of the northern hills is quite magnificent. Along the way, you cross Ava Lodge — now a hostel — on the hillside above. This was once the official residence of a member of the Viceroy’s Council. Below, is the Indian Academy of Audit and Accounts. Both roads meet in front of the gate of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study where you can get linked with the Viceregal trails, or return towards the Mall. From the telegraph office to this point, you will cover about 2.5 km along a fairly level walk. (to be continued)