Northbank - Rudyard Kipling's house in Shimla

“I don’t know who Amrita Shergil was.” “ Rudyard Kipling? I have heard of him, but.....” “ I don’t know. Was he a writer?” “Amrita Shegil? You mean Maharani Amrit Kaur?” “I don’t know....never heard of her”.

Sorry to disappoint you Readers, but I have come to a conclusion that we as parents, teachers and friends, have failed to disseminate knowledge on local histories to our children. Thus, we have produced a generation between 18 – 21 years, whom we can easily call the “I don’t know generation”. GenIDK, in short is characterised by blank looks every time you ask a question, inability to distract and focus on anything being said because most of them are cannot extricate themselves from their mobile phones. To add to this combination is also absolute complacency.

On my recent trip to Shimla, I found that most adults in that age group were absolutely ignorant of Shimla’s heritage. Or they just do not care! I feel sad that not only is the Government not really concerned about the many heritage buildings in Shimla, the youth too lack any motivation to preserve this heritage. The Viceroy’s Lodge in Summer Hill, which today is one of India’s premier Institutes – The Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, is constantly under threat of being converted to a Congress Party Office as was suggested only recently by Sonia Gandhi!!

Rudyard Kipling’s house, Northbank, has been converted into a Police Office! Nobody there knew that it was at one time Kipling’s house. They did not even know who Kipling was!! Those who professed they knew, pointed out to any old house with a red roof and insisted it was Kipling’s residence. Remember, dear Reader, it is believed that The Jungle Book was conceived here in this house. Finally, having spoken to a historian, I was able to establish the house, or so I think!

Just imagine!!

As far as Amrita Shergil was concerned it was truly pathetic! They had not even heard of her! No body knew which her house was, although it is situated very close to the Himachal University campus! The map in Shimla on Foot by Raaja Bhasin(2007) proved unhelpful in both cases. The text did not explain that the houses were taken over by others, in Amrita Shergil’s case Escorts (see:

-->http://xebecbooks.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/06/amrita-shergill-the-holme-and-the-studio-shimla.htm ) and in Kipling’s house, the The Shimla Police Department.
I feel a desperate sense of loss as I leave Shimla. I am not sure that if I came back even a year from now, then some of the heritage buildings will remain the same.

Thanks to our own lack of interest to see our heritage being passed down and preserved by the next generation in ways beyond the study book.

Please view more pictures:
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http://picasaweb.google.co.in/117421198519404762292/RudyardKiplingSNorthbankTheCatholicChurch#

NOTE: @Hari Sud, who lived in Shimla has identified on his blog, the real house belonging to Rudyard Kipling, which readers may please view and read HERE  Thank you Hari for bringing it to my notice.

Picture sent on 12 June, 2017 of Kipling's dilapidated house

Oh! Come All Ye Faithful...

What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!…

I remember well this hymn, What A Friend We Have In Jesus very well as we all sang it loudly right from our belly, as our music teacher, Miss Valent, rehearsed the song with us over and over again, in end November, just before we left for the winter holidays on 10th December, in Shillong. A small Christmas party would happen in the Dining room with lots of good food and gifts. As boarders, we were always excited and hungry for the food and we sang as loud as we could, almost till our lungs burst.

Hence, on my visit to Shimla this October, on attending the Sunday Mass at 9 am, I could hardly hold my tears as the memories and faces from the past flooded my mind as I sang with the Choir Group there, sitting right in front of me….

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!…

Indeed, the first cornerstone of Christ Church was laid on 9 September, 1844 and the Church consecrated by Bishop Wilson of Calcutta on 10 January, 1857. The letters on the cornerstone was legible till the early twentieth century when it became indistinguishable from the masonry. Col. J T Boileau built the Church of stone and brick in lime mortar with neo-Gothic elements. This was the first 'proper' Church in Shimla. Before that, the Church service was held in a thatched building on the Northbrook Terrace, on The Mall near the Telegraph Office.

This has a nave, chancel and tower. The stained glass windows over the alter and the clock were both placed in 1860. The floor has a centre aisle flanked by pews and the two sides aisles again flanked by pews. Heavy snows in 1961 caused extensive damage to the building and the pinnacles running along its length were dismantled. Even today the Church has some interesting memorial tablets while the pews still mark the seats of the British Viceroy of India and The Commander-In-Chief.
Sunday service only: English 9 am; Hindi 11 am

Sunday Band outside the church
> State Central Library, Shimla
And those who watch the Sunday Band....

To each his own

October Shimla
Fun times at The Mall

Way to the house where Tagore stayed in Shimla

The house where Tagore stayed for eight months

Indian Institute Of Advance Studies, Shimla

Welcome to The Indian Institute Of Advance Studies, Shimla!

The building was completed in 1888 to serve as the Vicaregal lodge. The whole Indian subcontinent was ruled from the Summer Capital of Shimla, from this building in fact. The basic plan of this building was conceived by the Ninth Viceroy, The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, with the sanction of Lord Randolph Churchil. The Principal Architect was Henry Irwin of PWD. Grey limestone was quarried from a site five miles away and transported on mules to create this huge edifice in a mock-Tudor or Scottish baronial style much favoured by Victorian Britain. It was the first Government Building to have electricity, also European style kitchen and laundries housed in their own five-storey wing.

The surrounding lawns, gardens and terraces, which form part of the 331 acres were expanded during the Viceroyalty of The Marquess Of Lansdowne (1888-1894). Successive Viceroyalties continued to alter and add but the main building never lost its Victorian character. Lord Irwin added the Main Entry in 1927. A staff of 800 including 40 gardeners were employed here at that time. Mainly used for entertainment of the Viceroy’s guests.




The Lodge witnessed many historical events as well. In the struggle of Independence and the negotiations that led to the partition, crucial meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawarharlal Nehru and Mohammed Jinna took place here.



After Independence in 1947, the building became part of the estate of the President Of India and was renamed Rashtrapati Nivas. It was our second President, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan himself, an eminent scholar who was instrumental in establishing here the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies in 1965 as a residential centre for research in the humanities and the Social Sciences. It has one of the best libraries in the country, with books in Philosophy and Religion and other subjects, which are ancient texts as well. The woodwork in the building, was all done with red wood brought from Burma. This 120 years old building is in the hands of ASI and needs lots of repairing and renovation which may cost the Govt of India, huge sums of money. Hence, the work is slow. In my opinion, having seen the structure and majesty with which it still stands, it is a world heritage building. Thankfully, at least the genius of British Rail, the passage from Kalka to Summer Hill, through 102 tunnels in the hills, has been given World Heritage status. may the same follow with IIAS.







Forget Me Not


The Route that the Toy Train takes - Kalka-Shimla-Kalka has been given World Heritage Status!
http://www.outlooktraveller.com/issuecontent.aspx?id=1385&type=34&flag=issuehome