Somewhere not more than a few hours flight from Jeddah with cool summer weather: that was what I wanted. Several places were discussed and then I thought of the hills of northern India. During the Raj, the British fled the heat every year by climbing some 7,000 feet up to Simla. Or, as it is today, Shimla. No matter; the rose by any name smells as sweet and whether Simla or Shimla, the weather is delightful and perhaps as much as 15 or 20 degrees cooler than the plains. Shimla, by the way, is not the only one of these so-called “hill-stations” in India. There are others in the north and even in the mountains of the south.
Not having been to India for over 15 years and never having traveled on an Indian train, I decided to combine two nights in Delhi with some train journeys. In Delhi, I stayed at the Maidens Oberoi which is in the Old City and was originally built as accommodation for British officers. The hotel is literally an oasis in an unexciting part of Delhi; it is set in gardens with green lawns, large trees and a swimming pool. Airconditioned of course and I think all the rooms are suites with enormous marble baths. And it was only $115 for two nights with taxes and an all-inclusive buffet breakfast.
To travel from Delhi to Shimla by train, one can go by day or by night. Whatever one’s choice, one goes first to a small town named Kalka. There one changes to a narrow gauge train for the ascent to Shimla. I decided to go by day since I wanted to see the country; the train was called the Himalayan Queen and left Delhi at 0600, arriving in Kalka at 1130. The narrow gauge train was scheduled to leave Kalka at 1130 and arrive in Shimla at 1700 — just in time for tea. Though the distance is less than 100 kilometers, the ascent is steep and the train moves slowly, through constant breathtaking panoramas of emerald green valleys and houses perched on the sides of mountains. Now the only hitch in the whole trip occurred on this Kalka-Shimla leg. Our train seemed to be constantly shunted to sidings to allow descending trains to pass. For obvious reasons, descending trains take priority and why there were so many that day, I cannot say but we did not arrive in Shimla until 1900. Tea was long over by then and dinner had not yet begun. When it did, I was not disappointed to find a delicious buffet of both eastern and western food in the dining room of the Cecil.
A word about the trains. From Delhi to Kalka I was in an airconditioned compartment. For most of that journey, a young man about to begin his MBA who was traveling with his parents and sisters was in the compartment. I plied him with questions which he answered most politely but at intervals he joined his family in the neighboring compartment and when he returned, always offered me some tasty item prepared at, and brought from, home. The landscape through which the train passed was agricultural and the farmers were hard at work. There seemed to be all kinds of vegetables growing as well as rice and I was particularly surprised to see what looked like haystacks which turned out to be animal fodder. From Kalka to Shimla, I had what is called in India a “chair car” which means exactly what it says: seats in a car. The windows opened so there was plenty of fresh air — at first rather warm fresh air but then as we climbed, much cooler. The car was crowded with Indian families for whom the holiday had obviously begun the moment they got on the train. And why not? They had all brought feasts from home and I was offered delicious things I may never encounter again since I haven’t a clue as to their names. The whole experience was pleasantly chaotic and by the time we reached Shimla, everybody seemed to be on the friendliest terms with everybody else. In fact, the next day as I was window-shopping, someone from the car came up to me and asked if all were well and if I were enjoying the cool weather.
The first thing I saw when I got into my hotel room was a notice which warned guests against feeding the monkeys. Guests were further cautioned to close all windows and doors which opened onto balconies if they were not in the room. I had certainly seen a good number of monkeys from the train but I hadn’t realized they could be a problem. I opened my window and looked out and, sure enough — across the road on a parapet sat a large monkey and three small ones. I also noted large cedar trees with monkeys in them. Point taken. My windows will be closed if I am not in the room.
The next morning there was a wonderful fog, mist and intermittent rain. Beautiful weather and such a change from the clear heat and humidity of Jeddah. After breakfast I decided to walk along what is still called the Mall — Shimla’s main shopping area. I borrowed an umbrella from the hotel but soon returned to the hotel for a light sweater and more substantial footwear. There was a real fog such as one sees in old movies about London; at times, I could see only a few feet in front of me. This is not as dangerous as it sounds since the Mall is closed to all motor traffic except, as one man told me, ambulances.
Something else which delighted me as much as the coolness, the fog and the misty weather were the flowers. All sorts of flowers which are all too rare in the plains were present. There were several varieties of Himalayan lilies which the Indians called “lilium”; these seemed to grow everywhere, and in gardens I could see hydrangeas of every color, every kind of rose, wonderfully blue agapanthus, carnations, all kinds of daisies and several times I saw what looked from a distance like amaryllis. I soon arranged to have some flowers in my hotel room. What nicer treat for less than SR20 than a bouquet that is not only beautiful but also fragrant?
What makes Shimla so pleasant is that one can do as little or as much as one likes. If, however, you are looking for discos, cinemas, a variety of restaurants and a fast-paced night life, stay in Delhi or Bombay. On the other hand, if you want cool weather, a relaxing atmosphere and friendly people, Shimla may be right for you. Don’t misunderstand; you can go on various day trips or excursions — either alone, with a driver or in a small group. I went on several and the journey was as delightful as the arrival at the destination. If asked, hotels will happily pack lunches or teas for guests — and usually as much food is brought back as was consumed on the outing!
Something that all tourists should see in Shimla is what was once Viceregal Lodge, now the Indian Institute of Advanced Study.
Viceregal Lodge was the official Shimla residence of the British viceroy in India. The viceroy was of course the monarch’s personal representative in India and was thus the highest British official in the country. He was bowed to and curtsied to exactly as if he were the monarch and was surrounded with all the colorful pomp and circumstance that the British are famous for and do so well. Built in the 1880s on the top of a hill with — need it be said? — absolutely magnificent views, Viceregal Lodge is an enormous gray stone building which certainly impresses. What is even more impressive is the setting and the gardens. One could loiter there in absolute peace for quite a long time.
Many other places are also as beautifully situated in and around Shimla. The fact is that from almost anywhere there are views and, as Jane Austen would have said, “pleasant prospects”. I made several trips to former maharajah’s palaces which are now hotels and simple drives which took me nowhere but which were pleasant and relaxing. All this talk of driving, by the way, is not meant to suggest that I took the wheel. Cars with experienced local drivers are available at low cost and I would certainly recommend them; after all, you are there to look and wonder not to concentrate on winding mountain roads and other vehicles.
At the end of the holiday, I decided not to take the narrow gauge train down to Kalka but to go by car to Chandigarh instead. From there, an express train makes the trip back to Delhi in just over three hours: leave Chandigarh at 1215 and arrive Delhi at 1530. This time I was in an “Executive Airconditioned Chair Car” which was very comfortable with two wide seats on each side of a center aisle. There was a pull-down tray on the seat in front — as in a plane — and lunch was served by two smartly-uniformed waiters. The choice was either vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Who could fault it? Beside me was a retired Indian engineer who said he was “past 77” but who was tall and seemed to be in excellent condition. He said he had eaten only fruit and vegetables for years though he allowed himself a bit of boiled chicken once a week. He was well-informed and well-traveled and was in fact on his way to Canada for a family wedding. He had been in the US in 1952 just before the presidential elections and had also been there in 2000 before the last one. His comments on the differences were interesting; he felt that in the earlier election, people had been more concerned with issues of some depth whereas in 2000, people were only interested in what scandals were forthcoming about the candidates’ private lives and who looked best on TV! I fear he was all too right.
What stands out to the casual tourist in India is the number of buses which claim to be “non-polluting”; at least words to that effect are written on the side. I use the word “claim” because of what a rickshaw driver told me. According to him, the words are simply painted on the side of buses to satisfy the authorities. An interesting theory but surely someone versed in the ways of motors and engines could tell after a minute’s inspection if a vehicle were non-polluting or not. In any case, the rickshaw driver also told me that as old rickshaws wore out and were replaced, they too must be non-polluting. Very commendable, a recognition of an international problem and an attempt to do something about it. I could not help thinking of the sorry example of George Bush and America’s refusal to honor the Kyoto Treaty. With all its problems, India is trying to do its bit. What on earth is wrong with America?
Upon my return to Delhi, I realized that in midsummer the city is hardly a tourist’s delight. Indeed, it is a furnace and tends to be a humid one as well. Fortunately I had been there several times before — and in winter — so I did not feel pressed to sightsee. After an errand or two, I retreated to Maidens once again and gave myself up to artificial cooling rather than the natural variety which had been so invigorating in Shimla. Shimla, by the way, is also connected to Delhi by air. There are several flights a week. And for those who enjoy snow, consider a trip in December, January or February. Many of the hotels have fireplaces and one can imagine dozing contentedly before an open fire. Or hiking up and down snow-covered hills. Or both in turn.
