Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11

Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. 

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. 





I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother once told me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”.  

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”.  He said, “My grandmother told me that during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”.  

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940.  

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room and the dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the guests. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraits and photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.

Private dwelling to heritage hotel - Woodville story by Vandana Bhagra in TOI, 14.5.11 : Residence of four successive Commanders-in-chief of the Indian Army with its first occupant being General Sir William Rose Mansfield in 1865, this heritage property, Woodville Palace, has become an institution of history itself, which can be traced to the ruler of former state of Gondal in Western India when Maharaja Sir Bhagvat Singh brought this property in 1926 for his daughter, Princess Leila Ba. Today, Raj Kumar Uday Singh of Jubbal, is the proud owner of this heritage hotel and reminisces how it came into his possession, “My great grandfather told me that in 1881, Sir James Louis Walker was the last Imperial owners and then it passed into the hands of the Alliance Bank of Simla. But as the Bank collapsed in 1923 it took almost three years for them to decide to sell the property to our family. I still have an old document of the Old Building, dating 1859 showing who all possessed this Palace before my family, but no other previous ownership records have been found. And to my amazement my grandmother oncold me that a report was submitted to the then Superintendent of Shimla whether Maharaja of Gondal should be sold this magnificent property as it was in a very desirable location, to which a reply was received that there was ‘no serious objection’ and then it was finally bought for almost 1.5 lakh in 1926”. Shimla was mainly developed for the English, as Viceroys used to come here, the Superintend of Shimla being here as before 1947 most of these properties were either owned by the British or the royal families, he stated. Raj Kumar said that parts of India was under British India and parts under the States. British did not interfere with the working of the states unless there was a murder or misrule, but then wished to be acknowledged as the Paramount Power. Since British expected assistance during the First World War, I remember “My grandfather too sent troop from the Jubbal Army. There was peace as long as we were not invading Bhushar and Bhushar was not invading us”. He said, “My grandmother told me tht during Independence the fight was against the Britishers and not against royalty and we thought that once the war was over we would gain royal status again. But this did not happen and as the states merged we too had to give in”. After buying the property in 1926, the royal family did not move into it as there was no immediate hurry to do so, and lived in Hainault. It was only 12 years later, in 1938 that Raja Rana Sir Bhagat Chand decided that time had come as his sister was to be married, hence the original structure was completely brought down and what now stands is the Woodville Palace with its pristine lawns, immaculate artwork and décor and strewn with antiques, lined with Persian carpets and lithographs which are over a century old, which was completed in 1940. Raj Kumar adds “When I married in 1976, I did have an idea of opening this place to guests and the fact that a German family stayed with us for a month and paid Rs 4,000 as rent, only strengthened my resolve to do so. We opened one room andthe dining area for them which included meals. We were quite amazed at the family’s response as they were quite happy when they left. Soon that room was rented to a French family who also paid Rs 4,000 as room rent for a month”. After this few renovations were done and nine rooms were opened to guests on 1st April, 1977. “For the promotion of the Hotel I got few photographs clicked, only one was coloured of the building and rest were black and white, prepared a brochure and personally went to Delhi to submit those in various Embassies. The response was quite good as we had full occupancy during the initial days. The room rent was Rs 215, which included all three meals”.The decision to open the property as a hotel was also influenced from the fact that Rambhag Palace (1957) and Udaipur Palace (1962) were opened to guest and since ours too was a huge property, up keep of such a building was difficult. “Now we occupy the first floor of Palace, and the ground floor and the second floor has been opened for the gusts. The private cottages too were renovated and opened especially for honeymooners”. In 2004, a section of the building was modified to build a conference room, upgraded with latest amenities. The Royal Suite would make you feel like royalty as the beds date back to 1926 and the vintage ambience will fill your senses. The Tiger Lounge, the Hollywood Bar, the Imperial Banquet Hall or perhaps the House of the Rising Sun are other areas that can be explored and tingle your senses as these are equally enriched with history.“After that the Palace was further developed as a Hotel and with film units coming in, first one being Khudrat (1981), the heritage concept gained momentum”, Raj Kumar said. Since then the Palace has been a host to number a film units and well known Bollywood stars such as Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Raj Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Amitabh Bachchan to name a few.A walk in this glorious Palace is like walking past history. Each room, each lobby as well as the stairways ooze history with huge portraitsand photographs being hung from the walls capturing time. One can easily spend a day marveling at its glory and antiques collected over a period of time. The private dining area is only for few close friends of Raj Kumar and one can easily be amazed at his collection. From miniature collections of vintage cars to intricate pieces of art, a nice compilation of books and crystal ware are a thing to marvel.On a personal note, Raj Kumar Uday Singh says, “People in the city are more impersonal than in Jubbal, as had I to travel in a rikshaw or perhaps drive a fancy car, people would treat me as royalty, but now things have changed. Not much regard is given to ones status unless you are a politician. Though people are respectful and polite at present I have no inclination to join politics. The scenario is such that even those who are in power are trying hard to protect their own seat that very little is being done to serve the people”.Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lwns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.

Even if it is only a concept of royalty but feeling like one when you walk the lawns or the corridors, Woodville Palace is and stands for everything is ever written or said about it. Its historical significance is just enough for making a stop at this place.



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Perched atop Observatory Hill and surrounded by dense deodar forests, the Indian Institute of Advanced Study is one of the most fascinating landmarks in the Himalayas. At first glance, it feels like a European castle lost in the hills—but step closer, and it unfolds as a layered narrative of empire, transition, and intellectual pursuit.

Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla: Where Power, Philosophy, and Pines Converge


It's impossible that I don't visit Viceregal Lodge, while in Shimla. I visited Shimla in Oct, 2011 and had a very quick visit to Indian Institute of Advanced Studies as well. Let's check out a quick PHOTO JOURNEY to Viceregal Lodge, Shimla !!!There is a huge lawn in front of this building and initially people were allowed to relax here, but due to some reasons now tourists are not allowed to walk over this lawn. There are dedicated paths around this lawn to enjoy the beauty of this place.Viceregal Lodge in Shimla was designed by Henry Irwin who was an architect in the Public Works Department at that timeViceregal Lodge or IIAS, Shimla is situated on a hill top near Summerhill (Shimla-05). Like other forts in India, this is place was chosen because of security reasons as most of the surrounding places were visible from boundaries of this building. There are some wonderful views of surrounding hills from this building. Now mainly Tutoo region is clearly visible and others are hidden by dense forest !!Thereare two wonderful gardens around Viceregal Lodge. One is near this lawn and other is in the backyard. The one in backward is famous one among couples of Himachal Pradesh University :) ... But now, it's not that popular as other options are available..The Viceregal Lodge had electricity as far back as 1888 which is much before the rest of the town of ShimlaThere is no ticket for getting access to Viceregal campus but one needs to buy a ticket to see it inside. various areas of Viceregal Lodge are well preserved. The room where Gandhi met other officials on Pakistan matter is well preserved along with various things used that time. A Bell made of eight metals which was presented by the king of Nepal was available to be admired by tourists.Here is top view of Viceregal Lodge in Shimla. Some text is carved on top of it, which probably explain about it's construction year and relevant details. You can notice Indian Flag on top of Viceregal Lodge !!This is first view if we reach Indian Institute of Advanced Studiesthrough a steep climb from Boileuganj. This is place is main market near Himachal Pradesh University... This is the main place to get buses for different parts of shimla. Tutoo is on one side, Chakkar is on other and Shimla Bus stand of forth angle.Viceregal Lodge which is also known as Indian Institute of Advanced Studies now, was equipped with an sophisticated fire fighting mechanism through wax tipped water ducts. Many historic decisions have been taken in Viceregal Lodge during the Indian independence movement.The Simla Conference was held here in 1945.And the decision to carve out Pakistan and East Pakistan from India was also taken here in 1947.After India gained independence, the building was renamed Rashtrapati Niwas and was used as a summer retreat for the President of India.However, due to its neglect, Dr. S Radhakrishnan decided to turn it into a center of higher learning, which was quite a good decision. The summer retreat of President was shifted from here to a building known as


Shimla is one of the most popular tourist destinations in North India and that's why we also receive lot of queries through form on our blog. Most of the folks commonly ask - Shimla Weather, Shimla Hotels, How to reach Shimla from Delhi/Chandigarh, main places to visit in Shimla, Shimla mall road etc. In past, we have shared some of these details on our blog, but here is an attempt to write a comprehensive post which helps you with details about various ways to reach Shimla from Delhi, Chandigarh or Kalka.


Planning a trip to Shimla? This detailed travel guide covers everything you need—where to stay, top things to do, a practical 3-day itinerary, and complete cost breakdown—to help you plan a perfect mountain getaway. Whether you’re visiting for snowfall, colonial charm, or a quick escape from Delhi, this guide is designed to help you make smart travel decisions and avoid common mistakes.


Planning a trip to Shimla? This detailed travel guide covers everything you need—where to stay, top things to do, a practical 3-day itinerary, and complete cost breakdown—to help you plan a perfect mountain getaway. Whether you’re visiting for snowfall, colonial charm, or a quick escape from Delhi, this guide is designed to help you make smart travel decisions and avoid common mistakes.








Saturday Evenings and Mall Road in Shimla have a very strong connection. During my sabbatical, I was there in Shimla on Saturday and planned to have a round of Mall Road as well. This Photo Journey shares some moments spent around Mall Road on Saturday Evening and the associated memories.During my graduation from Himachal Pradesh University, we used to stay at Shangati, which is around 6 kilometers from Mall Road, Shimla. And every saturday we used to walk from Shangti or summerhill to Mall Road via Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Chaura Maidaan & Vidhan Sabha.It was part of our default routine to visit Mall Road to take 4-6 rounds of Mall Road & Ridge and have quick-snacks at Chachu's Tea shop on other end of the Mall Road. Friends who had girl-friends, they used to roam around other places like Top Breads, Barista or other fancy places to eat :).Why Saturday is so special. Basically most of the folks of shimla used to come to Mall Road during evening. All School & College Kids, Office working people etc. Don't know why but it has become a strong trend in Shimla to visit Mall Road on Saturday Evening. During the recent visit, we explored some of the new cafes and really loved the Wake & Bake Cafe, which is just in front of Shimla Town-Hall on Mall Road. Above photograph shows one of the art-work on walls of Wake & Bake Cafe.We met a gentleman who shared different stories about Shimla and some interesting observations on Mall Road which can't be shared on this blog. Aneesh encouraged him to have some detailed discussion about army and Indian politics. After all those conversations he also tried to tell Aneesh about his future and related stuff. It seems, this gentleman is found on Mall road every evening.Here is a photograph showingone portion of Gaiety Theatre building which is being used by Himachal police department. It's a beautiful building in front of Town-Hall Shimla.A beautiful night view of Mall Road Shimla - Town-Hall building on right. Most of the shooting on Kareeb movie has happened in this region. Town-Hall which is on right was shown as hospital and there is Fire-Station on left which was shown as laundry where Bobby Deol used to stay. Anyways, many other movies are shot around these beautiful buildings on Mall Road of Shimla. Most of the shops/buildings on Mall Road have old architecture and the ones which are new have been designed to match with overall feel on the town. Most of the old buildings are from British era. The beautiful architecture if the one of the reasons which make this city beautiful.Fruit vendor near Willow Bank building who welcomed us with plates full of fresh fruits - Cherries, Kiwi & Strawberries. Probably he chose best of the lot for us. Every piece was amazingly tasty. He is a big fan of Aneesh's bike stunts and an old friend when Aneesh used to live in Shimla.


Jakhu Temple is very popular Temple in Shimla and know for various reasons. People who have never visited Shimla, know Jakhu for hundreds of monkeys around it. Different Monkey stories are popular and Jakhu is one of the important keyword in those stories. Let's check out this Photo Journey by Amit Aggarwal to know more about Jakhu Temple and other specialties of the place..In 2010, a huge statue of Hanuman is built near Jakhu Temple in Shimla. This is considered as world's tallest statue at 108 feet at the highest altitude of over 8100 feet and constructed at a cost of Rs 1.5 crores, which surpasses the current tallest statue of 'Christ the Redeemer', which measures at 98 feet and stands at an altitude of 2296 feet in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Over the years Jakhu has become one of the important part of Shimla town and authorities have improved the conditions in past few years. Now this campus has enough space for families to have fun around the Temple. There are some special arrangements for kids.Basically this temple is located on a hill called Jakhu and that's why the temple is also known as Jkhu Temple.It's hardly 2 kilometers from the Ridge and is an uphill climb through the beautiful deodar trees. It's a trek of approximately 2 kilometers from Ridge ground near Mall Road. The Jakhu Temple of Simla is dedicated to the monkey God, Hanuman. The Jakhu temple is located at a height of 2455 meters and is situated on the highest peak in Shimla. The scenic view that surrounds this beautiful temple of India is absolutely breath taking and splendid.Here is a photograph of Jakhu Temple !Jakhu temple has an interesting legend behind it. It is said that a deadly arrow injured Lord Rama's brother Lakshmana when he was fighting the battle with the demon king Ravana. A priest diagnosed Lakshmana and said that he needed a particular Sanjeevani herb from the Himalayas to cure Lakshmana. Hanuman was sent to get that herb from he lofty mountains. Upon reaching the Himalayas, Hanuman couldn't make out as to which herb was the Sanjeevani. So he dug up the entire mountain and flew back to where Lakshmana was lying injured.After Lakshmana was cured, Hanuman went back to place the mountain in its original site. He rested on top of the Jakhu hill for sometime. It is said that the top of the hill got flattened due to Hanuman's weight! The temple has been built around the place that is supposed to have the footprints of Hanuman. It is a highly revered religious place of Shimla and devotees throng in huge numbers to prayJakhu is a hotspot for monkeys who flock here in great numbers and generously accept eatables that are given to them by devotees and touristsJakhu is derived from Hindi word Yakhsa. Yakshas are the mythological character in Hindu mythology, who are a link between human and gods. The original dates of temple is not known, but it is believed to be existing from the times of Ramayana, a pre-historic event as per ancient Hindu texts. The Jakhu hill is the highest peak around Shimla, and is famous for its trekking options. The Jakhu hill offers excellent views of sunrise, sunset, mountains and town. The hill is full of narrow paths and roads which are an enjoyable walks.There are lot of other stories associated with this temple, which can be seen at different web portals online.Overall it's a lovely hill around Shimla with some amazing views. Don't afraid of Monkeys and try to avoid the opportunities for them to follow you - Try not to carry anything in your hands, just follow the path and don't pay attention to the etc. Even someone comes to you and tries to check your pockets, let the things happen and you will be safe !


While coming back from Kinnaur, I spent two days in Shimla. While roaming on the Mall Road, we happen to visit a Cafe called 'Wake & Bake' and really loved being there during evening. This Photo Journey shares some of the moments I spent at Wake & Bake, Shimla. So here is the first view you get from the Cafe Windows. Wake & Bake Cafe is on 2nd floor of the building just in front of Shimla Town Hall on Mall Road, Shimla. It has decent place to sit on 2nd floor as well as open air terrace with a great view of the deep valley on other side.Here is the view we get from open air terrace of Wake & Bake Cafe. This view is something that you may get from other restaurants or cafes as well, but the one towards Mall road is special for me. Above view showsn two huge huge buildings - High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Holiday Home Hotel by HPTDC. Colorful view during evening was really amazing. Cafe has some vibrant colors with colorful lighting on Town Hall Building on the front & the blue sky in the background. Here is an amazing art-work on the walls of Wake & Bake Cafe. During daytime, this wall looks normal (but of-course, interesting artwork ) but in evenings all these colors pop-out to give a 3D view. It's really awesome and shiny colors make this art perfect. We also got to know the view of artist who created this wonderful piece of art on walls on Wake & Bake cafe on Mall Road, Shimla. Closer look at the wall. I loved this portion of the wall. This was looking awesome from distance. Because of good number of people at cafe, I couldn't click it from right place. Never mind, will try to get better shot next time :)I am sure that above photograph will give you a perspective about the place. This is clicked from main counter of the Cafe. As we enter into the cafe, this is first view we get. An open window facing Shimla Town Hall building and wonderful artwork on the right wall. I have nothing to share about eatable at Wake & Bake, as I don't remember what I had there. I was so busy in appreciating in beauty around that I didn't bother to focus on eatables or drinks there. But I am sure that it must be great as the place iAneesh keeping an eye on seating place around roof top of the Cafe..Here is the view of Shimla Town Hall on Mall Road.. This is shot from entry of the Wake & Bake Cafe.. There is a series of stairs that lead to the cafe on second floor.A view of street where Wake and Bake Cafe is located. The blue board on one of the building on left is exactly the place and yellow windows behind that belongs to Wake & Bake Cafe. On the right side is Shimla Town Hall on Mall Road in Shimla.Here is another view from windows of Wake & Bake Cafe. This Gaiety Theatre complex and this particular portion is used but Police. I love architecture of these buildings.If you are around Shimla and roaming around mall road, I highly recommend this place to spend some time. And if you happen to visit, please drop your comments with experiences. 
 

Sankat Mochan Temple is one of the popular Temples in Shimla Town. It's not exactly in Shimla, but quite near to it. Let's have a quick Photo Journey from Sankat Mochan Temple by Amit Agarwal.. Sankat Mochan Temple is actually located near to Tara-Devi which comes on the way to Kalka from Shimla Town. It's approximately 10 kilometers from Shimla Town. Place is surrounded by green mountains all around. Temple is adjacent to the National Highway - 22. The temple is a place where one can actually meditate and enjoy the calm and peaceful surroundings.The very first photograph above shows a temple on left, which is located just after main entry into the Sankat Mochan Temple. This temple is created in South Indian Style.Around 1950, a Baba came to this beautiful place and discovered the perfect spot for meditation and soulful introspection. After staying here for 10 days, he desired that a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman should be built here. Baba's faithful devotees included the governor of Himachal Pradesh, who along with Bhagvan Sahai took up the task of building the temple and fulfilling their Guru's wish.Sankat Mochan temple has many facilities for people and also includes a three-storey building that is used for many purposes. Every Sunday, the huge hall in the building is used for distributing Prasad, also known as Langar. Langar at Sankat Mochan is quite different and very well managed. One portion of the building is used to conduct marriage ceremonies and is rented out to people who want to conduct marriages. The temple charges a very nominal fee for this. Apart from marriages, there are many other sacred rituals and ceremonies that can be conducted over here. Priests and the maintenance staff, who work here day and night, use the rest of the building as a residential complex. The temple also has an Ayurvedic clinic...Here is a photograph showing interiors of main Sankat Mochan Temple.There are few small Temples in the campus which are dedicated to different godsSankat Mochan Temple is dedicated mainly to Lord Hanuman, though one finds idols of Lord Rama, Shiva and Ganesha in separate complexes. There is a specially made temple for Baba Neeb Karori Ji Maharaj also. The temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha has been built in the South Indian style of architecture and is worth the visitSankat Mochan Temple is popular temple in Shimla region, which attracts people from all ages and genders who come here to pay obeisance to Lord Hanuman. Sankat Mochan Temple is second most famous temple after Jakhu Temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. This temple located 5 km away from a beautiful hill station ShimlaOne can have easy transportation to Sankat Mochan Temple from Shimla Bus Stand and other places. From Shimla there are frequent buses till Taradevi and have a stoppage near Sankat Mochan Temple. If you there on Sunday, don't miss the Langar. Langar at Sankat Mochan is quite different and lovableAbove photograph shows the view of Shimla Town from Sankat Mochan Temple.


Small and Beautiful Railway Stations on Kalka-Shimla narrow track: Posted on www.travellingcamera.com by VJ: The Kalka-Shimla Railway built to connect the summer capital of India in 1903 at an altitude of 2076 meters offers a panoramic experience of the picturesque Himalayas from the shivalik foot hills at Kalka to several important points such as Dharampur, Solan, Kandaghat, Taradevi, Barog, Salogra, Summerhill, Shimla and beyond up to the silvery snow line near the towering peaks.Sonwara Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka...Himalyan Queen waits for 30 minutes at this station to let Shivalik Express pass through.... KOTI Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka...I have clicked these photographs during recent visit to Shimla.... We reach KOTI Railway Station after crossing longest Barog tunnel....Jabali Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka...Kandaghat Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka...Located at an altitude of 4680 ft above sea level Kandaghat is the nice place in Himachal Pradesh for you if are looking for a quiet and peaceful vacation. Maharaja Bhupinder Singh built his palace in Kandaghat after which this place received the attention. Raja Bhupinder Singh was the ruler of Patiala and when he was expelled from Shimla, he set up base in Kandaghat. Today, this is one of the most popular destinations to travel in India. A reflection of Kandaghat Railway Station on train window...Dharmpur Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka..Just 15 km from Kasauli on the National highway No.22 Dharampur has one of the best hospitals in India for the cure of tuberculosis. It is also connected by Kalka Shimla railway line.... Shoghi Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka...SHoghi is a small town near Shimla and now its being developed as new tourist destination in Himachal. There are many resorts with good facilities in Shoghi and have reasonable arrangements for tourist groups..Kandaghat Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka..Delux Rail-Car standing @ Shoghi Station...Tara-Devi Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka...Tara Devi temple is located on Tarav Parvat, in the western side of Shimla. Temple provides an overwhelming view of the mountains below and Shimla Town. Every year thousands of pilgrims visit Tara Devi temple, which has a great spiritual and heritage value. Historically speaking, the temple was built approximately 260 years ago ...Salogra Railway Station on the way to Shimla from Kalka..Kalka Railway Station...Kalka is a town in the Panchkula district of Haryana in India. The name of the town is derived from the goddess Kali. The town is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and is a gateway to the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. It is on the National Highway 22 between Chandigarh and Shimla and is the terminus of the Kalka-Shimla Railway. To the south of Kalka is Pinjore and the industrial town of Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh) is to the north on the NH 22. Industrial development has led to a continuous urban belt from Pinjore to Parwanoo, but Kalka remains largely unaffected by these developments. Nearby is Chandimandir Cantonment where the Western Command of the Indian army is based. SHIMLA became the summer capital of British India in 1864 and was also the headquarters of the British army in India. Prior to construction of the railway communication with the outside world was via village cart.The railway was constructed by the Delhi-Umbala-Kalka Railway Company commencing in 1898. The estimated cost of Rs 86,78,500, however, the cost doubled during execution of the project. Because of the high capital and maintenance cost, coupled with peculiar working conditions, the Kalka-Shimla Railway was allowed to charge fares that were higher than the prevailing tariffs on other lines. However, even this was not good enough to sustain the company and the Government had to purchase it on January 1, 1906 for Rs 1,71,00,000.


Hidden among the snow covered hills of Shrikhand Mountian Ranges, which are known for their mythological significance and is said to be one of the adobe of Lord Shiva, this unknown village beckon those with an adventurous spirit as its beautiful landscape and lush green valley will take your breath away.






Recently Sourav sent us a message - ‘ Hi VJ, i am planing to visit Himachal Pradesh in this January with my friends. We are planing to visit in 4 places. Dalhousie, Dharmashala/Mcleodganj, Manali, Shimla. We have total 7 days in our bucket so can you please tell how we can split 7 days among this 4 places....Thanks in advance….’ and frankly it’s never recommended to plan for 4 places in 7 days and here we are talking about 3 corners of Himachal Pradesh. So I would recommend to skip one of the destination if you only have 7 days.



      

Comments

Madhu Nair said…
Nice post with lovely pictures. I have bookmarked the place for our future visits to Shimla.
Cheers,
Madhu
May 17, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Travellingcamera said…
Wonderful write-up with lovely photographs... I have spent 4 years in Shimla, but never got a chance to visit the place...

Now it's in top of my list for next Shimla visit !!!
May 17, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Ashish Agarwal said…
A bit expensive though, charging Rs. 12000 per room in peak season ..
May 17, 2011 at 12:27 PM
Deguide said…
One Palace down south charges Rs 350 per day, comparable to olden day Rs 215 charged Lolz good coverage
May 17, 2011 at 2:04 PM
Vibha said…
Awesome post Vandana. Very good work here and nice pictures too.
Share more...

-Vibha
May 17, 2011 at 7:52 PM
Vandana said…
thanks a lot for all the appreciation...will keep covering other tourist destinations as well...
May 18, 2011 at 10:26 AM
habiba said…
nice place . i wish to visit the place.
June 8, 2011 at 4:07 PM
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