Shimla (English: /ˈʃɪmlə/; Hindi: [ˈʃɪmla] ⓘ; also known as Simla, the official name until 1972)[11] is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

Shimla is home to several buildings that are styled in the Tudorbethan and neo-Gothic architectures dating from the colonial era, as well as multiple temples and churches.

Owing to its steep terrain, Shimla hosts the mountain biking race MTB Himalaya, which started in 2005 and is regarded as the biggest event of its kind in South Asia.

In a diary entry dated 30 August 1817, the Gerard brothers, who surveyed the area, describe Shimla as "a middling-sized village where a fakir is situated to give water to the travellers".

After this, the town was under Nawab (King) Kumar Ghosal of Bally, West Bengal, and saw regular visits from the Governors-General and Commanders-in-Chief of British India.

Several young British officers started visiting the area to socialise with the higher-ups; they were followed by ladies looking for marriage alliances for their relatives.

The Indian businessmen, mainly from Sood and Parsi communities, arrived in the area to cater to the needs of the growing European population.

The Upper Bazaar was cleared for a town hall, with many facilities such as a library and theatre, as well as offices for police and military volunteers as well as municipal administration.

British soldiers, merchants, and civil servants moved here each year to escape from the heat during summer in the Indo-Gangetic plain.

This was also the site of a series of talks held by Viceroy Wavell to discuss a plan for the independence of India with the Indian political leaders of the time.

The railway route from Kalka to Shimla, with more than 806 bridges and 103 tunnels, was touted as an engineering feat and came to be known as the "British Jewel of the Orient".

[29] The Simla Agreement treaty was signed in Shimla by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the President of Pakistan, and Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India.

[37] Environmental degradation due to the increasing number of tourists every year without the infrastructure to support them has resulted in Shimla losing its popular appeal as an ecotourism spot.

[43] The accompanying notes record that "During a considerable part of the year, the Choor is hoary with snow; and when moonlight falls upon the scene, an effect is produced as if floods of molten silver were poured over the surface.

[46] On the weekend of 12–13 August 2023, torrential rains attributed to climate change caused major landslides in Shimla, killing at least 57 people.

Established in 1851, the Shimla Municipal Corporation is an elected body comprising 41 councillors, three of whom are nominated by the government of Himachal Pradesh.

[61] Law and order in the city is collectively maintained by the Police Force, Vigilance Department, enforcement directorate, forensics, fire brigade, prisons service and Home Guard.

The low sex ratio – 930 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2001[67] – is cause for concern, and much lower than the 974 versus 1,000 for Himachal Pradesh state as a whole.

[citation needed] According to 2011 census, the majority religion of the city is Hinduism practised by 93.5% of the population, followed by Islam (2.29%), Sikhism (1.95%), Buddhism (1.33%), Christianity (0.62%), and Jainism (0.10%).

Since 2015, 95.0 BIG FM[71] and Himachal Tourism have been jointly organising a week-long winter carnival on the Ridge from Christmas to New Year's.

The former Viceregal Lodge, which now houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, and Wildflower Hall, now a luxury hotel, are some of the famous ones.

Tatta Pani, 55 kilometres (34.2 mi) from the main city, is the name of hot sulphur springs that are believed to have medicinal value located on the banks of the River Satluj.

Due to the effects of global warming and increasing urban development in and around Shimla, the number of sessions on the ice every winter has been decreasing in the past few years.

The various kinds of crafts of Shimla made out of wood include small boxes, utensils, image carvings, and souvenirs.

The culture of Shimla throwbacks religious, agnostic Kumauni people with a simple lifestyle living away from the hustle and bustle of metro cities.

The one at Gandhi Bhavan in the university has over 40,000 books and the other also a heritage building on the ridge has 7,000, another is Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar State Library located near Vidhan Sabha and another is in Evening College on Bantony Hill.

Dhami, near Shimla, now hosts the Himalayan Institute for Cultural and Heritage Studies (HICHS), which was earlier based in the Kullu district.

Due to narrow roads and steep slopes, the auto rickshaws which are common in other Indian cities are largely absent.

The scenic Kalka Shimla Railway, a narrow gauge track, is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for the steepest rise in altitude in a distance of 96 km.

[87] For about a week starting on 11 September 2007, an expert team from UNESCO visited the railway to review and inspect it for possible selection as a World Heritage Site.