Walking Wanderer

Shimla is among the most beautiful places in Himachal Pradesh. Snow capped peaks, tall Deodar trees, walk on a Mall road and what more a person can ask for. When I was in Shimla this year I was amazed to see how people were desperate about their visit to Kufri, just to feel the chills of snow in their spine.

Just Imagine yourself during the month of May – June stuck somewhere in central India where the average temperature ranges from 35-45 degree celcious and at same time here in Shimla you can feel the coldness of Snow at Kufri. Such is the beauty of this place. So in this article I will tell you some must visit places in and around Shimla

ROHRU

About 115 kilometers away from Shimla city, Rohru is a town located at the banks of Pabbar River. Situated at an altitude of about 1525 m above sea level, Rohru is popular for its apple farms. The Rohru-Hatkoti-Jubbal-Kothkhai belt is popularly known as ‘Apple Valley’ or ‘Golden Belt’ in Himachal.

Among the apples, the ‘rich red’ and ‘royal delicious’ are the most popular ones. Rohru is also a prominent spot for trout fishing. The city was developed by Raja Bajrang Bhadur Singh, who was fond of this place and turned it into an ideal Fishing zone. A perfect summer retreat, one can spend time camping, gliding and trekking in this region. During the winters, Rohru is surely one of the best place to visit around Shimla

VILLAGE BARAGAON

Baragaon is a small village on Kingal – Basantpur state highway, which is situated on the alternate route to Kinnaur during winters which is used when NH22 is blocked.

 Many people miss to visit this village en route, but this village was before independence, the capital of the princely state of Sangri. From Baragaon, you can have a beautiful view of the Satluj river valley and also snow covered mountains of Kullu which is an ideal place for photography too. This village also has hundreds of years of old temple of Brahmeshwar Mahadev, which is definitely worth a visit.

 Some 6-7 km from Baragaon is Sangri Fort which is again a very very old fort. There you can see the different building style of old times in Shimla hills. This fort being on top, gives a commanding 360 degree view of Sangri on one side, Kullu, Mandi , Satluj valley and Kotgarh on the other side. Enroute this fort you can see many apple orchards on both sides of the road. Also, this village is quite famous for the  annual Shancha festival which occurs on 30-31 July every year. 

So next time, you pass by that area, make sure to visit this must visit place around Shimla.

THANEDAR, Kotgarh

KOTGARH, the APPLE BOWL of India, is situated 82 km from Shimla, on the old Hindustan-Tibet road. Located about 6,500 feet above sea level, it is famous for its apples and acres of apple orchards.

 Kotgarh is famous for its apple orchards, but very few know about the inspiring feature that makes it an excellent spring-summer destination.

Close to Narkanda, the hill range known as Kotgarh is just 16 kilometers from National highway that heads into the valley through Kumarsain, Rampur and Kinnaur and towards the Indo-Tibetan border. A branching spur breaking out from the Hatu peak Range that is split by the fault line carved by the Satluj river, deep in the valley, makes up for what is known as the Kotgarh region.

Earlier this region was overrun by Gurkhas and in 1815, British defeated Gurkhas and thus Kotgarh became a British territory. The British government encouraged missionary work in Kotgarh and became a mission station along with Simla, Kangra and Dharamsala. An ideal holiday resort, Kotgarh is famous for not only its scenic beauty but also for its apple cultivation in Shimla hills that began in the early 1900. An interesting story behind the apple revolution in Kotgarh is that, once a poor and unproductive area Kotgarh, is now considered as one of the wealthiest regions in Himachal Pradesh. In 1916, Samuel Stokes, a social worker from Philadelphia, USA came to Kotgarh as a missionary worker. Even though he was involved with the spreading of Christianity, Stokes got attracted by the beauty and the culture of Kotgarh and eventually settled down there. He married Agnes Benjamin, a local Rajput Christian teenager. Even though he came to Kotgarh as a missionary worker, he converted from Christian to Hindu and changed his name to Satyanand Stokes. In Kotgarh, he cultivated delicious variety of apples in his farm, which he imported from the famous nursery Growers- Stark Brothers of Louisiana. He encouraged the local farmers to plant apples in their fields, thereby bringing prosperity to the people. The apple trees which he planted have continued to reap a rich harvest even 100 years later. One can still see the ‘Starching Delicious’ apple orchard that he planted here.

Kotgarh is a quaint scenic place. It offers marvelous walks through pine forests and apple orchards. The picturesque terraced fields dotted with apple trees and bungalows are like an artist’s painted canvas.

The beauty of HIMACHAL,Kotgarh.

Surrounded by picturesque villages, enticing apple orchards and dense forest cover, the quaint towns of Thanedar-Kotgarh are endowed with a unique old-world charm, pristine beauty, and crisp, clean air to tranquilize the soul.        

Some must places to visit around Shimla                       

HILL Station KUFRI !!          

The Hill Station Kufri is just 16 kms from Shimla, at the height of 2,633 mts, famous for its trekking and hiking trails. It is also known for its nature parks and picnic spots.

 It also has a Potato Research Station. It is famous for winter sports too. This place is full of lush green hills.

Jakhu Temple

With a giant statue of Hindu God Hanuman, the aide and devotee of Lord Rama, this temple is symbolic of brotherly love and devotion.

Gaiety Heritage Cultural Complex

The place is a treasure-holder of precious history. Housing attractions like State Museum showcasing rich arts and crafts in ancient artifacts, sculpture and paintings, this place has it all and a visit to the Henry Irwin designed complex is a must.

Indian Institute of Advanced Studies

Located on Observatory Hill, this is another footprint of the British in Shimla, known for historical events like Shimla Conference and Shimla Agreement. Most of the parts are now closed for public viewing except for the entrance hall and gardens.

So I hope you liked the article and surely going to visit the places mentioned above.