SHIMLA, Himachal Pradesh

Main Attraction: An ode to the queen of hills

Shimla, Simla of the Raj, has an interesting past. This Shimmering jewel developed from small hill village named ‘ Shumlah or Shymla’. Captain Aledander Gerard wrote in 1817, “Simla” middling. Sized village where a fakir is stationed to give water to travellers. “This is said to be the first definite mention of Simla.The land where Shimla now stands was acquired form Maharaja of Patiala and Rana of Keonthal for the British government. “It is impossible that Shimla and its sublimity can ever be effaced from our minds”, wrote Sir William Loyd. 

Gradually the town rose in importance and by 1876 it had hundreds of houses built of wood and stone. These were “dispersed amongst the forests of oaks and firs along the crests of different mountain regions”.With the struggle for independence gaining momentum Shimla saw hectic political activity. All prominent national leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, JawaharLal Nehru, LalaLajpatRai, Sardar Patel and PanditMadan Mohan Malviya visited Shimla during this time.

Today Shimla is a popular tourist destination. It has a unique appeal which sets Shimla apart. The Summer Festival of Shimla has over the years acquired a distinct character of its own. Just like the balls and fete at Annadale ground during the Raj. Shimla summer Festival celebrates the spirit of this lively city. The famous artists of music industry like legendary Mohammad Rafi, Kishor Kumar, Manna Dey, Mukesh have entertained audience at the Ridge. It is a heartfelt desire of all the artists associated with music industry to perform at the Ridge, Shimla

Brief History

The present Shimla district comprises of the 19 small erstwhile Shimla Hill States which were merged with Himachal Pradesh in 1948 and constituted part of theMahasu district. Apart from these states, the hilly areas of erstwhile Patiala State and areas ofKotkhai, Kotgarh, Shimla town and Jutogh Cantonment of the provincial government were also included in the district after independence at different stages. 

Almost all the erstwhile princely states of Shimla district were subjected to the Gorkha invasions during the beginning of the 19th Century and thery were free in the year 1815 when the Gorkha were defeated by the Britishers and driven out to Nepal. Consequently the areas belonging to the respective rulers were restored to them under specific terms. As all the states were of small size both in terms of area and population, these remained under the direct control of the then Superintendent of Punjab Hills States. These rulers were free in the internal affairs of their states. Almost all the states were founded by the adventurists from plains after the 8th century A.D.

Shimla district derives its name from Shimla Town which was once a very small village inhabited by the Charcoal manufactures. The panoramic view commanded by the place attracted the attention of theBritishers who had set their hold on the country and gradually the village was developed considerably. The surroundings were equally developed from military point of view. The climatic conditions which resembled with those prevailing in the native country of the Britishers aroused their ambition to make it summer capital. 

It became the formal seat of the summer capital of the Government of India in 1864 when Lord Lawrance came to the town along with the members of Supreme Council and all the public offices. The Punjab Government first went to Shimla in 1871 but from 1876 onwards it remained their summer capital till 1947 and after the partition of Punjab it served the headquarters of Punjab Govt. till its offices moved to Chandigarh. In the 19th century the place became very famous due to the summer capital of the Government of India.

In other version as mentioned in the Book namely “Simla Past and Present” by Mr. Long Whom and “Shimla Guide of 1870” by Mr. W.H. Garey, Shimla derives its name from “Shyeamalay” the house built of blue slate erected by a Fakir on Jakkhoo, the first nucleus of the settlement. But this derivation is regarded by many people as fanciful and far- fetched and probably Shimlah or ‘Shumlah’ as pronounced by the hill people, is the actual word from which the station takes its present name, Shimla, a middle sized village where a Fakir used to give water to travellers. 

The original village of Shimla was situated on the ground lying to the east of the then Secretariat building above the road leading to the Ripon Hospital and immediately below the Roman Catholic Chapel, S.Michael’s school and the cantt. House and the detached portion inhabited entirely by Charcoal burners just over the spur still further east, immediately below the spot where the Muhammadan Masque now stands.

According to the gazettierof 1904, the land forming the Pargana and the present station of Shimla originally belongedcojointly to the Maharaja of Patiala and Rana of Keonthal. As early as 1824 European gentleman, Chiefely arrived from the plains, had, with permission of these Chiefs established themselves in this locality, building houses on sites granted to them rent free and with no other stipulation except that they should refrain from the slaughter of Kite, and from the felling of trees unless with previous permission of the proprietors of the land. Gradually the place became favourably known as aSanitorium and in 1830 the Government directed that negotiations should be entered into with the Chiefs of Patiala and Keonthalfor the acquisition of land; sufficient to form a station. Accordingly Major Kennedy, the political Agent, negotiated an exchange with the Rana of Keonthal for this portion of the Shimla hills, comprising the 12 villages noted as below and yielding an estimated annual Revenue of Rupees 987 making over to the Rana of the Pargana: 1. Panjar, 2. Phagli, 3. Bammoloi, 4. Kanhlog, 5. Sabarrbar, 6. Dalhi, 7. Pagaway, 8. Kalhian, 9. Dabaria, 10. Kiar, 11. Dhar, 12. Khilini.

The ParganaRawin yielding annual revenue of Rs. 1289 which on the first conquest of these hills had been retained by Britishers as a good military position. A portion of the retained Pargana of Bharauli, consisting of the three villages named Dhanoti, Kalwan and Dharoi was at the same time made over to the Maharaja of Patiala in exchange for the portion of Shimla included in the territory which consisted of four villages named Kaithu, Baghog, Chuog and Aindari yielding estimated Revenue of

Rs. 245 per annum.

Shimla became the part of Himachal Pradesh on 1st November, 1966 due to reorganisation of Punjab state. 

People

The population of the district mainly consists of Hindus followed by Sikhs, Mohammedans while other religions like Christians, Jains and Buddhists constitute microscopic minority. The Hindus population is chiefly composed of Brahmins, Rajputs and Kanets. The other section of the people consists of Kolis, Lohars, Chamars, Badhis, Chanals, Julaha, Dumne and Rehars which are Scheduled Castes. Apart from these people, Gujjars’s community is also found in this district and they resides in high ridges/hills alongwith their animals like buffaloes, cows w.e.f. April to August. In winter season they start to come down from high hills and migrate to lower areas of Uttaranchal and stay there up to middle of March every year. This is also called a nomadic Scheduled Tribes community.

The Brahmins are of two classes Sasani and Dharebar. The Sasanis are generally muafidars and are of distinctly higher class than the Dharebar. They would marry Dharebar women but will not give their own daughter in marriage to them. The other group of Brahmins are Bhat, Panda, Acharaj and Mahacharaj or Bedwa.

The Rajputs form rather a ruling class than a caste and comprises of the families of the erstwhile hill chiefs. One category of the Rajputs who were the rulers of the yester years do not give their daughters in marriage to the Khash, Mian or Other Rajputs. The other categories of Thakur and MianRajputs hesitate to give their daughters to the Khash or Kanet. The Khash or Kanets are mainly agriculturists.

In Scheduled Castes Community, people of Koli caste are in majority among others. In general reality people of all communities in the district are god fearing and they mostly believe on its local ‘Devta’. In other side with the passage of time, spread of education and changed economic condition, the rigid customs of the past are fading away gradually. The different class of the Scheduled Castes do not enter into matrimonial alliances with each other. The Christians are of both the type of Protestants and Roman Catholics

Language

Language of district people is mainly Pahari consisting of various dialects which is spoken by the villagers except in urban areas. With the spread of communication, education and increase in the literacy rate among the masses of district, a major portion of the people in rural and urban areas are turning to Hindi instead of Pahari. However people of district can speak in Hindi or Pahari frequently.

Food

The staple food of the villagers generally consists of maize, rice and wheat is taken mostly in summer and there after occasionally. In addition, pulses like Urd, Lobia, Moong, Gram and Kolth are used almost daily. Maize which is the main cereals crop grown is favourite and is taken round the year. The people in the villages have four meals a day. Morning meal (Nawari) consists of wheat or maize bread taken either with lassi or tea. The mid-day meal (Chaili or Dopari) consists of maize or wheat chappaties taken with vegetable or dal or curry. In the evening, the morning menu is repeated. 

In the night (Bayali), the rice is taken with dal, with passage of time, now the people of district are taking their meals three times instead of four times. In the morning meal (Nawari) they took Prantha with tea and midday meal (Dopari) consists of Maize or wheat chappaties taken with vegetables or dal or curry (Khairu) etc. At night in the dinner the rice is generally taken with dal (Rajmah, Rongi) People are also very fond of meat with rice and those who can afford they like it in the dinner.

Dress

Cotton as well as woollen clothes are worn by the people. In winter season mostly woollen clothes are used by the people to keep up the body warm because the most of the area of the district falls in cold zone. Ordinary clothes for men consist of cotton Khadior mill made shirt. ‘Pyjama’, cap and jacket. The dress of the women is ‘salwar’, ‘kameej’ and coloured head geer called as Dhattu is commonly used. Jacket is also worn by them in the upper part of the district. 

The traditional dress of men for attending some function consist of black woollen ‘pyjama’, coat, and

‘bushehari’ cap with a coloured band. ‘Loia’ is also put on by most of the people. The women, however, wear ‘Pakhati’, ‘Rezta’, ‘Kameej’, ‘Suttan’ and ‘Dhattu’. Women of the higher altitudes of Rampur tehsil put on woollen cap and ‘Giddi’. The typical dress of the women of Theog, Kotkhai, Jubbal, Rohru and Chaupal tehsil is ‘Salwar’, ‘Kameej’, ‘Sadri’ with yellow or red coloured ‘Dhattu’ as the head gear

Housing and Furniture

Now the district has been made considerable high economic development in last decade w.e.f. 1991-2000 and most of the people have changed their mud houses to pucca houses by adopting new system of construction i.e. concrete pillars, G.I. Sheets for roofing with separate kitchen, cow sheds, bathroom and flush latrine etc. At present people of district are very much aware of sanitation which is necessary for good health. Only in remote areas of the district is have the old system of housing pattern like the ground floor is mainly used for tending cattles and the first floor is used for dwelling & kitchen purposes. The household furniture generally consists of cots and domestically woven mates (mandri/bina) of rice stalks. 

Wooden boxes are being used for keeping valuables and clothes, chairs, tables and modern items of furniture. The olden items are also rarely seen in the villages. However with the spread of education and increase in the standard of living, people have started by keeping modern furniture in their houses like chairs, sofa sets, dressing tables, steel almirahs, bed boxes, deck (music system) coloured television with dish antenna etc. Utensils generally in use are made of brass, bronze, steel and aluminium. Earthen wares of the past have almost been completely replaced by pressure cooker, ‘patila’, glass, ‘lota’, ‘thali’ (plate). In the district 100 per cent of the inhabited villages have the facility of electricity and power. So the people are availing this facility by using table lamp, heater, press, fan, fridge, washing machines. Now the people of district also have the facilities of LPG connection, which is decreasing the pressure on fire wood.

Religion

The religion of the district according to the intelligent hillman is considered as a Hindu of approximate orthodoxy. The popular religion of this district is a primitive form of animism or demon worship which has been overlaid with a thin veneer of Hinduism. Every village has a diety of its own and many have more than one. The district is having number of shrines and temples. Durga Kali temple at Sarahan, Hat Koti, Tara Devi, Shali andSeoni are quite famous. The famous temple of Mahasu at Gijari in tehsil Theog is also unique in architecture. There are many temples where the idols of Shiva, Rama, Krishna and Durga are worshipped simultaneously. 

The temple priests are generally Brahmins. All the ceremonies, rites and rituals are performed according to religion. The religious assignmentsin several respects are most interesting because of their variety and throw the light on the influence of the Brahmins on these rites and rituals. The endowment of the village gods presents the features commonly found in the hills. The temple image almost invariably consist of pind or linga of stone, this probably represents the primitive image. Now a day, the most important outward and visible symbol of the god is his Rath, a term which may be translated as ark, palanquin or litter