Shimla, was the Summer capital of India under British rule

 Height: Most of the town lies between 2,100 m and 2,300 m

Languages spoken: Hindi. Also English, Punjabi and Pahari.

Religion: Mostly Hindu. Also Sikh, Muslim and Christian

Medical Facilities: Good

With all its intricacies, history seems to have been the mortar for every brick and stone that has built Shimla. As the summer capital of British India for well over a century it was the seat of one of the most powerful governments in the world. From its cedar-shaded heights, one fifth of the human race was ruled and the decisions made those decades ago affect our lives to the present day.

The town of Shimla rose in the nineteenth century when the Gurkha Wars came to an end in 1815-16 and the victorious British decided to retain certain pockets as military outposts and sanitaria. In 1822 the most rigorous of dandies and the greatest of sticklers for form Captain Charles Pratt Kennedy, Political Agent to the Hill States directed that a house be built for him at the village whose name is variously reported as Sheyamalaya Shumlah, Shimlu and Shemlah. Kennedy House led the vanguard of the hundred-odd houses that were to scatter themselves by 1841 over every level or gently inclining space. Lured by the climate and terrain scores of European invalids began moving to the station and the only stipulation of the local chief who owned the land was that no tree be cut or cattle slaughtered.

In 1864 the Viceroy, John Lawrence anointed Shimla – then spelt Simla, as the summer capital of British India. With Lawrence came the Viceroy Council, the Imperial Secretariat, representatives of the Indian princes and foreign envoys. As the town grew to become the workshop of the Empire, an awed visitor observed, every pigeonhole cradled an embryo of a war or death. Despite the fact that up to the time of Indian independence in 1947, Shimla officially remained only the summer capital, yet the Government spent more time in these hills than at the actual capital Calcutta and later New Delhi. As the bearer of the Viceregal sceptre this tiny pocket became the cynosure of British Empire. Imperial grandeur, and all the panoply and trappings of power came along for the ride. And there was a popular local saying that went, “You cannot sleep the nights in Simla for the sound of grinding axes”. A social whirl of parties, gymkhanas, balls, fancy fairs and affaires du Coeur ensured that a heady mixture of scandal and intrigue constantly wafted through the town.

Quite inevitably the freedom movement had a close connection with Shimla. Ornithologist and former Civil Servant, Allan Octavian Hume created the Indian National Congress which spearheaded the struggle while living in the town. Stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Maulana Azad regularly visited Shimla. Major events that took place in the town were the Simla Conference in 1942, the deliberations of the Cabinet on and finally the decision to partition India.

And while the British Empire may have ceased to exist, its echoes linger on in the architecture and ambience of this hill resort. The elements of nostalgia may be strong but Shimla also has a youthful vigour in its pace. Its easy accessibility and several other attractions have made it one of India’s most popular hill resorts. There are many unforgettable walks, day-excursions by the dozen, a variety of convenient shopping and entertainment museums, and ice-skating in winter. Shimla is the base or the unwinding point for numerous exhilarating routes to the state interior.
Today the town is distinctive for its variety of architecture. It has one of the rare surviving urban forests, made all the more unique, for its species are temperate to alpine ones in what is otherwise a tropical zone. And then Shimla’s famous Mall offers one of the longest stretches of pedestrian shopping in the world.

Within and around Shimla, the public and private sector offer an enormous range of accommodation that range from modern to heritage hotels. Like satellites placed around the centre, there are many resorts in Shimla’s periphery that are full-fledged destinations in their own right. These are located at Mashobra, Naldehra, Kufri, Shilon Bagh and Chail. En route by road from Kalka there are Parwanoo, Dharampur and Kasauli.
 
Plan Your Sightseeing

If you are fond of walking, Shimla will unfold parts that remain hidden to vehicles. Combinations by car and then on foot are possible in several areas. It is suggested that you take a direction for the day and cover the places of interest.

The area around the Institute of Advanced Study has several walks. Combine these with visit to the State Museum and expand if you will towards Kamna Devi.

Tara Devi and Sankat Mochan can be linked with a short train ride to Tara Devi station. The Himalayan Queen that leaves Shimla at 10.15 am is recommended.

Jakhoo can be combined with a stroll and shopping on the Mall and in Lakkar Bazaar. The Lower Bazaar that runs parallel to the Mall at a lower level has the flavour of a typical Indian market place. Trinkets that can be purchased here include silver jewellery. You can also walk towards Chotta Shimla and Raj Bhavan the residence of the state Governor. The recently created rooms of Himachal Darshan offer a glimpse of the various district in the state. Jakhoo has several paths that criss-cross the hill a good walk is along the old Five Benches Road near the microwaves link tower. The Bharari spur also has many walks that can be done in a few hours or carried over the day

Special Interest

Nature

Some routes offer a greater variety of Shimla trees, shrubs, wildflowers and ferns. If you are lucky some bird species can also be sighted. Some suggested places are:

The Glen, and the narrow forest trail that runs above it and loops around Summer Hill. The Bharari spur. Towards the villages of Kamina and Pabo. Trek route down from Kamina to Tattapani.

Colonial Architecture

Most of Shimla has diverse colonial forms culled from all over Europe.

English Renaissance: With a castle-like appearance is the former Viceregal Lodge which is now the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. This is surrounded by assorted cottages.

English Home Counties Marketplace: The Mall

Neo-Gothic: Gorton Castle now the office of the Accountant General and formerly the Imperial Civil Secretariat; the Secretariat of the Himachal Government at Ellerslie; and the Gaiety Theatre on the Mall

Norman- Baronial: District Courts.

Swiss- Bavarian chalets: The Chalet Day School and Cedar Lodge (Punjab Government Rest House).

Tudor: The Library on the Ridge and Barnes Court

Churches: Christ Church, St. Andrew and the deconsecrated churches of St. Andrew’s (now, the Evening College) All Saints Chapel 9nearthe gates of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study).

Cemeteries: Adjoining Oakover, the residence of the Chief Minister of Himachal has the oldest one. The largest ‘old-one’ is below St. Edward’s school and is approached via the Potato Research Station. The one at Sanjauli also dates back to colonial times and is still in use.
Others: Yarrows, various schools and college and cottages all over town.

Commonwealth Games 2010

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Commonwealth Games is a sporting event that takes place after every 4 years. The participating countries are all Commonwealth Countries who were erstwhile British colonies. The games to be hosted by Delhi are 19th on the line with the first commonwealth games taking place in 1930 in Hamilton (Canada) as British Empire Games. The new Avatar of the game took shape in 1974.

The 12 Day sporting extravaganza, biggest in Delhi since 1982 Asiad Games, kickstarts on 3rd October 2010 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.8500 athletes from 85 Commonwealth nations would fight it out for top honours for 17 sporting events.

The official Mascot of the game is “Shera”, the Royal Bengal Tiger while the official Logo of 2010 Commonwealth Games is an upward spiraling wheel inspired by the Ashok Chakra. The motto of the game is "Come out and Play".

New Delhi is gearing up at a tremendous speed to ready its infrastructure, transport, communication facilities well in time to host the second biggest sporting event in the sporting history after Olympics.

Venues of Commonwealth Games

There are 10 venues across Delhi where the sporting events of xixth commonwealth games are to be held. Plans are afoot to cover all these venues with network of roads and metro.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is located opposite Lodhi comlplex and in close vicinity to the C.G.O. Complex. The Stadium would host Athletics, Lawn Bowls and Weightlifting events.

Hotels near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Thyagaraj Sports Complex: The Thyagaraj Sports complex near East Kidwai Nagar ,will be one of the venues for Commonwealth Games. It will host the Netball event. The complex will be 1 km from the proposed underground INA metro station, as a part of the Central Secretariat-Qutub Minar line.

Hotels near Thyagaraj Sports Complex

Indira Gandhi Sports Complex: Indira Gandhi Sports Complex located at IP Estate on the banks of river Yamuna off Ring Road will host cycling, archery, wrestling and gymnastics. The large complex is 1.5 km from the operational Indraprastha metro station.

Hotels near Indira Gandhi Sports Complex

Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium: Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium is the venue for field hockey events. The stadium is located near India Gate.

Hotels near Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium

RK Khanna Tennis Complex: RK Khanna Tennis Complex is located in Africa Avenue, Safdarjung Enclave near the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The stadium which hosted various Davis Cup Tournaments in the past will host the lawn tennis events of the games.

Hotels near RK Khanna Tennis Complex

Talkatora Indoor Stadium: Talkatora Indoor Stadium is located near Central Secretariat and will hold the Boxing events.

Hotels near Talkatora Indoor Stadium

Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium: Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium is also located in the Talkatora complex. It will host the swimming and diving competitions.

Hotels near Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium

Siri Fort Sports Complex: Siri Fort Sports Complex is located on the August Kranti Marg, Khelgaon just behind Siri Fort Auditorium. This multipurpose stadium in south Delhi will host Badminton and Squash events.

Hotels near Siri Fort Sports Complex

Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range: Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range named after the ace shooter will host the shooting and full bore events it is located at Surajkund Road, Tughlaqabad.

Hotels near Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range

Yamuna Sports Complex: The only competition venue across the YamunaRiver the Yamuna Sports Complex is located near Vivek Vihar and Anand Vihar ISBT in east Delhi. The complex would hold Table Tennis and Archery prelims.

Hotels near Yamuna Sports Complex

Commonwealth Games 2010 Schedules

The following table gives a calendar of the events slated to be held at different venues across Delhi.

Event Venue Dates

Opg.Ceremony JLN Stadium 3rd October

Archery India Gate/Yamuna Sports Complex 4-10 October

Athletics JLN Stadium/India Gate/Marathon course 6-14 October

Aquatics Dr. SPM Swimming Complex 4-13 October

Badminton Siri Fort Complex 4-14 October

Boxing Talkatora Indoor Stadium 5-11, 13 October

Cycling IG Sports Complex/India Gate/Noida Highway Express Rd 4-13 October

Gymastics IG Sports Complex 4-14 October

Hockey Maj. Dhyan Chand National Stadium 4-14 October

Lawn Bowls JLN Sports Complex 4-13 October

Netball Thyagaraj Sports Complex 4-14 October

Rugby 7s Delhi University 11-12 October

Shooting Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range/CRPF Campus, Kadarpur 5-13 October

Squash Siri Fort Complex 4-13 October

Tennis RK Khanna Tennis Stadium 4-10 October

Table Tennis Yamuna Sports Complex 4-14 October

Weightlifting JLN Sports Complex 4-12 October 2010

Wrestling IG Sports Complex 5-10 October 2010

Closing Cer. JLN Stadium 14 October 2010

Sporting Disciplines

The 19th edition of Commonwealth Games in 2010 Delhi will feature 17 sporting events. They are the following

Aquatics: Consisting of Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Diving and Synchronised Swimming

Archery: Consisting of Recurve and Compound,

Athletics: Consisting of Track, Throws, Jumps, Combined and Road.

Badminton: Consisting of Singles and Doubles matches for men and women, Mixed Doubles and Team Mixed

Boxing: Boxing events in 11 weight categories from Light flyweight to Super heavyweight.

Cycling: Cycling event will feature 12 track and 2 road events

Gymnastics: Gymnastics will feature 14 events

Hockey: Team competitions

Lawn Bowls: Lawn Bowls will feature 6 events

Netball: Team event only for women

Rugby-7s: Team event only for men

Shooting: Shooting would involve Clay Target, Pistol and Small Bore Rifle and Full Bore

Squash: Consisting of three events

Table Tennis: TT will feature seven events

Tennis: Consisting of 3 events

Weightlifting: Weightlifting will have 8 weight categories for Men and 7 weight categories for women

Wrestling: Will feature 14 events in freestyle and Greco Roman.

Information Courtesy: Commonwealth Games organizing committee

Commonwealth Games Village

Delhi Development Authority (DDA)is developing the most ambitious project, a state-of-the-art games village to accommodate approximately 8500 participating athletes and attending officials of Commonwealth games 2010. The games village is spread over an area of 63.5 hectares on the east bank of Yamuna River off National Highway 24 and near AkshardhamTemple and Noida Mode. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 100 crore. New flyovers and roads are being constructed for a speedy and smooth transfer of athletes and officials to various sporting venues. Though there were some initial hiccups regarding the venue as it is located on the ecologically sensitive River Bank but timely intervention by Supreme Court has meant a speedy construction of this project which is estimated to be ready by January 2010.

About Ladakh

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Area: 97,000 sq kms out of which nearly 38,000 sq. kms are under Chinese Occupation since 1962.

Population: Approx. 2.40 lakh in the 2 districts of Leh & Kargil.

Languages: Ladakhi including Balti / Purgi, Shina or Dardic, Urdu / Hindi.

Ethnic composition: Mongoloid/Tibetan, Dardic and assorted Indo-Aryan elements.

Altitude: Leh 3505 m, Kargil 2750 m

Geographical Introduction

Ladakh is a land abounding in awesome physical features, set in an enormous and spectacular environment. Bounded by two of the world's mightiest mountain ranges, the Karakoram in the north and the Great Himalaya in the south, it is traversed by two other parallel chains, the Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range.

In geological terms, this is a young land, formed a few million years ago. Its basic contours, uplifted by tectonic movements, have been modified over the millennia by the process of erosion due to wind and water, sculpted into the form that we see today.
Today a high-altitude desert, sheltered from the rain-bearing clouds of the Indian monsoon by the barrier of the Great Himalaya, Ladakh was once covered by an extensive lake system, the vestiges of which still exist on its south-east plateaux of Rupshu and Chushul, in the drainage basins or lakes of Tso-moriri, Tso-kar and Pangong-tso. But the main source of water is winter snowfall.

Dras, Zanskar and the Suru Valley on the Himalaya's northern flanks receive heavy snow in winter, this feeds the glaciers from which melt water, carried down by streams, irrigates the fields in summer. For the rest of the region, the snow on the peaks is virtually the only source of water. As the crops grow, the villagers pray not for rain, but for sun to melt the glaciers and liberate their water.

Ladakh lies at altitudes ranging from about 9,000 ft (2,750 m) at Kargil to 25,170 ft (7,672m) at Saser Kangri, in the Karakoram Range. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 27C in the shade, while in winter they may at times plummet to minus 20C even in Leh. Surprisingly though, the thin air makes the heat of the sun even more intense than at lower altitudes. It is said that only in Ladakh can a man sitting in the sun with his feet in the shade suffer from sunstroke and frostbite at the same time!

Historical Background

For nearly 900 years, from the middle of the 10th century, Ladakh was an independent kingdom, its ruling dynasties descending from the kings of old Tibet. The kingdom attained its greatest geographical extent and glory in the early 17th century under the famous king Singge Namgyal, whose domain extended across Spiti and western Tibet right up to the Mayum-la, beyond the sacred sites of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

radually, perhaps partly due to the fact that it was politically stable, Ladakh became recognized as the best trade route between the Punjab and Central Asia. For centuries it was traversed by caravans carrying textiles, spices, raw silk, carpets, dyestuffs, narcotics, etc. Heedless of the land’s rugged terrain and apparent remoteness, merchants entrusted their goods to relays of pony transporters who took about two months to carry them from Amritsar to the Central Asian towns of Yarkand and Khotan. On this long route, Leh was the midway stop, and developed into a bustling entrepot, its bazars thronged with merchants from distant countries.

he famous pashmina (better known as cashmere) also came down from the high-altitude plateaux of eastern Ladakh and western Tibet, through Leh, to Srinagar, where skilled artisans transformed it into shawls known the world over for their softness and warmth. Ironically, it was this lucrative trade that finally spelt the doom of the independent kingdom. It attracted the covetous attention of Gulab Singh, the ruler of Jammu in the early 19th century, who sent his general Zorawar Singh to invade Ladakh in 1834 AD. There followed a decade of war and turmoil, hich ended with the emergence of the British as the paramount power in north India. Ladakh, together with the neighbouring province of Baltistan, was incorporated into the newly created state of Jammu & Kashmir. Just over a century later, this union was disturbed by the partition of India, as a result of which Baltistan became part of Pakistan, while Ladakh remained in India as part of the State of Jammu & Kashmir.

Village Unchagaon near Delhi...

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Village Unchagaon enjoys a history as proud and colorful as the structure of The Fort Unchgaon itself. Its Jat rulers can trace back their family tree to one of the several prestigious Jat zamindaris, which came into prominence during the decline of the Mughal Empire. For years, the family held a seat of honor in western UP formerly known as the United Province during the British Raj. Along with the Sikhs, Marathas, Rohallas, Rajputs, French adventurers and the East India Company, it vied for generations to fill the vacuum left by the Mughals.
The Jat rulers of Unchagaon originally belonged to Pilana in Rajasthan. Their ancestor, Chowdhry Har Bans Singh, along with a group of followers migrated to Bahanpur in Bulandshahar district sometime during the 1740's. However, the fort came into the possession of the present family only in 1859 and that too, quite by chance. The owner, a Rajput zamindar, lost it when he went against the British during the mutiny of 1857.
The original fort was made of mud. Its walls were later replaced by brick and the old building inside the fort was totally renovated during the 1930's to give it a distinctly colonial look. But then, nothing can take away its aura of vibrant romance. Nothing can stop it from bewitching you.

The little village of Unchagaon in Uttar Pradesh is chiefly renowned for its wonderful fort, the seat of royalty for the present Raja Surendra Pal Singh. This Heritage Hotel is not only unique, but also surrounded by interesting experiences. One of these include a stroll through the colorful Saturday bazaar offering a range of exciting bric-a-brac, all the time exuding the true flavor of an Indian village in the meantime.
The private domicile of a prince, Fort Unchagaon is a marvel to watch. Its décor exudes hints of aristocracy in all its aspects. The imposing white façade of the Surya Mahal, circled with beautifully manicured lawns and flower beds, forms a lush green backdrop to the outdoors.
The ancient temple of Amantika Devi is another picturesque spot. Tucked away among the trees on the banks of river Ganges is an extremely scenic private picnic spot. The river Ganges also offers a wonderful opportunity for the sighting of Gangetic Dolphins.
This royalty is replete with natural bounty in the form of orchards and farms. Besides, one can also enjoy folk and cultural performances.
So spend your holidays so close to Delhi, sitting beneath the trees or walking idly by the Ganges- Unchagaon promises an ideal escape to 'Nature land'.

Location & Access
Location of The Fort Unchagaon makes it more special. Just 1 hrs drive from Garh Mukteshwar, it is also central point between Agra- Corbett and Agra- Haridwar. 3 Hrs drive from Delhi makes it ideal for weekend gateways.
AccessFort Unchagaon is close if you travel from Garh Mukteswar on Moradabad-New Delhi National Highway . You will need to turn left from the highway, about 10 kms before Brijghat.

Naukuchiatal District of Nainital

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Naukuchiatal or ‘lake of nine corners’ is known for its tranquillity and for the orchards and dense jungles that surround it. The lake is fed by an underground perennial spring. This lake boasts of a good walking track around the lake, apart from boating and angling. One could also take off on a trek in the neighbouring hillside.
Location - 4 kms from Bhimtal, the lake is 175 feet deep surrounded by lush green hills
Distance - 26 kms from Nainital, 320 kms from Delhi
Weather - Summer: 11 C-26 C Winter:2 C-14 C

GETTING THERE:
By Road: If you set out early from Delhi you can reach Naukuchiatal in 7 hours. Delhi – Kathgodam is 269 kms and Naukuchiatal is another 26 kms.
By Rail: Nearest rail station is Kathgodam (35 kms south). The Ranikhet Express departs from Delhi at 11 pm and arrives in Kathgodam at 6.10 am. It departs from Kathgodam at 10.45 pm and arrives in Delhi at 4.45 am.

Introducing Agra

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Agra’s magnificent white marble Taj Mahal stands like a bulbous beacon, drawing tourists like moths to a wondrous flame. Despite the hype, it’s every bit as good as you’ve heard. While Agra itself is a sprawling, bloated and polluted industrial city that few travellers seem to have a good word for, the Taj is not a stand-alone attraction. The legacy of the Mughal empire has left a magnificent fort and a sprinkling of fascinating tombs and mausoleums, while the Yamuna River provides a suitably sacred backdrop. The Mughal emperor Babur established his capital here in 1526, and for the next century Agra witnessed a remarkable spate of architectural activity as each emperor tried to outdo the grandiose monuments built by his predecessors.
The city has a lively but chaotic chowk (marketplace) and plenty of places to stay and eat, but the hordes of rickshaw-wallahs, touts, unofficial guides and souvenir vendors can be as persistent as the monsoon rain.
Many tourists choose to visit Agra on a whistle-stop day trip – made possible by the excellent train services from Delhi. However, Agra’s attractions are much more than can be seen in a day, and if you have the time you can enjoy several days’ sightseeing with side trips to Fatehpur Sikri and Mathura.
History
In 1501, Sultan Sikander Lodi established his capital here, but the city fell into Mughal hands in 1526, when Emperor Babur defeated the last Lodi sultan at Panipat, 80km north of Delhi. Agra reached the peak of its magnificence between the mid-16th and mid-17th centuries during the reigns of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. During this period the fort, the Taj Mahal and other major mausoleums were built. In 1638 Shah Jahan built a new city in Delhi, and his son Aurangzeb moved the capital there 10 years later.
In 1761 Agra fell to the Jats, a warrior class who looted its monuments, including the Taj Mahal. The Marathas took over in 1770, but were replaced by the British in 1803. Following the Uprising of 1857, the British shifted the administration of the province to Allahabad. Deprived of its administrative role, Agra developed as a centre for heavy industry, quickly becoming famous for its chemicals industry and atmospheric pollution, before the Taj and tourism became a major source of income.

Symbol Of Love......

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Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized.

Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Tajmahal of India, it will come up as just a beautiful building. But, the love behind this outstanding monument is what has given a life to this monument.