Mall Road is a significant point of hangout and retail plaza in Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, India. Built during British provincial rule, the Mall Road is found a level beneath The Ridge.
The workplaces of fire service, municipal corporation, and police headquarters are situated here. Cars, aside from crisis vehicles are not permitted on this street.
Scandal Point, Shimla – Timings, History, the Best time to Visit
Mall Road has various departmental stores, showrooms, shops, cafés, and restaurants. A Himachal retail store that offers handiwork results of Himachal Pradesh like privately planned woolen garments, branded garments, items of pottery, wooden items, and gems is likewise situated here.
An Overview of Scandal Point
The Scandal Point in Shimla, as the name proposes, is one of the most discussed attractions of this hill station. Thanks to the interesting and unique title that it always piques someone’s interest and there is also an intriguing story behind it that does justice to the interest created.
The Scandal Point is one such fascination in Shimla whose enchanting picturesque magnificence remains as a declaration of the city’s stellar reputation. This point is a mountain lover’s sanctuary since it partakes in a beautiful and unhindered perspective on immense mountains canvassed and covered with dense fur.
Scandal Point is a round-the-year attraction where individuals come to unwind and restore in the midst of the perspective on the taking off mountains. One can decide on a horse ride as of now, or participate in some hill station Maggi and play some arcade games in the little shops that encompass this point.
Instructions to Reach Scandal Point
Situated in close proximity to Mall Road, Scandal Point can be reached by means of foot as vehicles are restricted all through Mall Road. If you have to reach Mall Road from the primary street down the slope, there is a lift that is run by the Himachal Tourism Development Corporation.
It is situated a good way off of 1 km from the bus station and 1.5 km from the railroad station. The lift has two sections, and a typical ticket of INR 8 must be bought for it.
In the wake of emerging from the principal lift, you want to stroll on a wooden plank toward the finish of which you will find a second lift that will take you up to Mall Road. The lift works from 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM.
Why it is called Scandal Point?
Would you like to know why this spot has earned this strange name of ‘Scandal Point’? If yes, keep reading, as the story is interesting.
This enamoring story includes two noteworthy characters of the time-Maharaja of Patiala, Maharaj Bhupinder Singh, and the British Viceroy’s own personal little daughter. The British Viceroy, Lord Kitchener, had his whole family moved to India during their rule.
This made the family truly awkward, particularly his little girl, who was exceptionally hesitant to move. Be that as it may, subsequent to pitching a ton of fits and investing amounts of energy to attempt to persuade her dad, the Viceroy’s daughter needed to surrender and move to Shimla.
Lord Kitchener, on the other hand, was friendly with the Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh and the lord would frequently visit the house of the viceroy. There, he met the Kitchener’s daughter and promptly became hopelessly enamored with her.
Both, the viceroy’s daughter and the ruler, got all around familiar with one another. They began meeting on a more regular basis and hanging out, and in the long run, fell head over heels. At the point when Kitchener learned about this, he was irritated.
The couple needed to get hitched, yet this was not adequate by the British Viceroy. He requested his girl to quit seeing the lord and attempted to sever them. Both the darlings couldn’t bear being separated from one another, and they chose to steal away.
The couple met at, what is currently Scandal Point, and took eloped in 1892. This stayed all the rage for a really long time and stood out forever as perhaps the earliest union between the British and the Indians.
Maddened by their unfortunate behavior, Lord Kitchener swore that he would destroy the ruler’s life and ousted the Maharaja from Shimla.
Be that as it may, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh was certain about his affection, and he built the mid-year capital of his realm without any preparation in Chail, just 50 miles from Shimla.
Story of Scandal Point
The story behind the Scandal Point has been in the discussions of numerous for quite a long time, and many appear to have an alternate expression of this entire story.
For example, there are numerous guides who are of the opinion that the daughter of the Viceroy actually didn’t elope but the Maharaja had kidnapped the daughter right from this Scandal Point.
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh was prominently known as a charming womanizer. He was a trickster who might handily charm ladies he was keen on and had been hitched a considerable amount of times.
They express that there was, truth be told, no contribution of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in the Scandal and that his name was just hauled into this due to his damaged standing.
The timetable and arrangement of occasions recommend that Maharaja Bhupinder Singh was just a year old when all of this evidently occurred!
The facts confirm that Lord Kitchener had expelled Bhupinder Singh from Shimla who then, at that point, fabricated his summer capital in Chail, however, the justification behind expulsion isn’t sure. The initials on the late spring capital in Chail read RS-Rajinder Singh, Bhupinder Singh’s dad.
Best Time to Visit Scandal Point, Shimla
Despite the fact that Scandal Point invites travelers consistently, visiting it between the long periods of March and June is by and large thought to be ideal. During this time, the environment is very wonderful and the skies are clear, permitting you to openly absorb the normal plant life and its environmental factors.
During rainstorms, Shimla encounters occasional showers and infrequent avalanches. Notwithstanding, the rainstorm adds more excellence to the general rich side of the slope station and makes it look appealing.
The winters in Shimla begin in October and happen until February. Right now, the weather conditions turn cold and the temperature goes not exactly – 2 degrees Celsius. Along these lines, it is smarter to try not to visit Scandal Point around then.
Scandal Point – How are you supposed to reach this place?
Since Scandal Point is situated in the core of the downtown area, it is effectively open from all pieces of the hill station.
In the event that you’re at The Mall Road or The Ridge in Shimla, you may engage yourself in a short walk around to arrive at your objective.
In any case, in the event that you’re remaining at a distance from the town, it is prudent to take a state transport or a taxi to get down to Scandal Point. You can likewise decide to employ a private vehicle from one of the main car rental organizations in Shimla for simple and hassle-free transportation.
If it’s not too much trouble, note that the passage of the vehicles is confined to the fundamental street, thus the most effective way to investigate the roads of the area is by walking. It is just a 1 km drive away from Shimla Old Bus Stand and 1.5 km from Shimla Railway Station.