Come summer, holiday-makers flock to the hilltops, ridges and valleys of Himachal Pradesh. Nestled in the lower ranges of the Himalayas, few destinations offer such geographical diversity as Himachal. Ice-capped peaks, rolling hills, white water rapids, serene lakes, meadows and forests. Most north Indians, particularly from Delhi, flood Himachal in April and May to escape the scorching heat. Himachal Tourism officials say few South Indians visit the state. But last week hordes of Tamilians -- on bus trips to the north -- checked into Shimla's hotels provoking some angry Punjabis to say that, "the Mall Road is not meant for Madrasis." More than honeymoon couples, it is older people who frequent Himachal cool spots like Chail, Kullu, Manali and Shimla. A recent tourism study said in April and May nearly 40 per cent of travelers to the state are aged between 40 and 60. Vinod and Jayanti Joshi, both retired Supreme Court officers, say they have been holidaying in Chail and Shimla for the past 10 years. "Age does not matter. We find peace in the Himachal hills," says 65-year- old Joshi. The Joshis believe there is always something to do in Himachal, whatever the season. If winter is the season for ice-skating and skiing, spring and summer bring with them angling, camping, golf, trekking, rock climbing, safaris, and much more. "All you need is a sense of adventure in one's old age," says Joshi. Shimla, not surprisingly, is the most-crowded spot in the state. Summer capital during the Raj, the city has just over 100, 000 inhabitants, but during April-May thousands of tourists land in the picturesque city, bringing with them traffic jams and water scarcity. Built on green slopes, Shimla is constructed like Bolivia's capital La Paz, the highest city in the world. While La Paz is 4,000 metres above sea level, Shimla is 2,205 metres above. Oxygen is at a premium in La Paz, but in Shimla you can breathe truckloads of bracing mountain air. Shimla still preserves the regal splendour of the Raj, and tourists come to experience a glimpse of its glorious past when Viceroys stayed here for the summer. Jakhoo Temple is Shimla's highest peak and offers a panoramic view of the crescent-shaped ridge where the city’s suburbs are located. Shimla is believed to have derived its name from Shyamla, another name for the goddess Kali whose temple was found in a thickly wooded spot on the Jakhu hill side in the 19th century. On top of Shimla town is the former Viceregal Lodge, which now houses the Institute of Indian Advanced Studies. The lawns and woodland of this magnificent English renaissance structure are compelling attractions. But the forest surrounding the Lodge is on fire in April. So as you walk up to the Lodge, a burnt forest ground welcomes you. Locals say Gandhi made the city famous. The Mahatma visited Shimla many times, especially during the summer. It was the Summer Hill, some seven kilometres away from Shimla, that enchanted him most. The Hill is a picturesque station on the Shimla-Kalka narrow-gauge railway line. During his visits to Shimla, the Mahatma lived in an elegant Georgian house, owned by Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, the first lady Cabinet minister in independent India. Sixtythree kilometres away from Shimla is Chail, a little mountainous heaven in the Shivalik belt where the world's highest cricket ground is situated. Chail residents say Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Mohammad Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar among other cricket stars have visited the beautiful ground surrounded by dense forest. Twentytwo kilometres from Shimla is the enchanting Naldehra hill station with its singular most attraction -- a golf course. A nine-hole, par 68 course, with natural topography, Naldehra is considered one of the most challenging golf events in the country. Perched amidst green slopes, firs, oaks and pines, the course was designed by Lord Curzon. The British Viceroy was so impressed by the location that he gave his daughter Alexandra Naldehra as her middle name. If you want to indulge your senses, it is not Shimla you should stick to. Drive to Chail, which apart from the highest cricket ground in the world, has the Asni river flowing beneath. On the mountainous road to Chail is Kufri, the famous ski-spot, famous for its Yak rides. Winter sports are held here during February and March every year. Chail was the summer capital of the Maharaja of Patiala before Independence. Built in 1891, the Maharaja Palace is now a heritage hotel operated by Himachal Tourism. Indira Gandhi often visited Chail to relax. Monkeys are the only scary thing about Chail. The thickly populated pine trees in Chail are so infested with our simian cousins that travelers are advised not to carry packets of food in their hands. Indira Gandhi, one hears, was so intimidated by monkeys that she screamed and fled for cover when some monkeys cornered her during tea on the Maharaja Palace lawns. Associate Editor George Iype usually prefers Latin American locations for his vacations.
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