In 1891, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala incurred the rage of Lord Kitchener. It led to the restriction of his entry in the Indian summer capital, Shimla. This incensed the Maharaja and he vowed to build a new summer retreat for himself. So he rebuilt the place (Chail) as per his requirements.After accession to the Indian Union, Maharaja of Patiala donated most of his buildings to Chail Military School and Government of India.
Geography
Chail is situated at an altitude of - 2,250 m, higher than Shimla. The place is surrounded by the forests of chir pine and gigantic deodars. Shimla and Kasauli can also be viewed at night from here. Chail is pleasant in summers and cold in winter. Average annual rainfall is about 150 mm.
Climate - Chail
Chail and its surrounding areas are a delight for tourists in every season. It is charming in summer, fascinating in autumn when the fields and the forests are covered with a cloak of russet and gold and, of course, in winter it is nothing less than a paradise, when the snow casts its mantle and remains till the beginning of spring in April.
General Information About Chail Hill Station
Location
Himachal Pradesh.
Altitude
2,250m.
Main Attraction
Cricket Ground, Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, Sadhupul.
Best Time
May-July & September - November.
Tourist attractions in Chail
Chail Sanctuary : The Deodar and Oak forests that surround the hill town of Chail was declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1976. The denizens of this 10,854.36 hectares sanctuary are Sambar, Goral, Himalayan Black Bear, Red Deer, Barking Deer, Indian Hare Common Langur and Leopard. The deodar and oak forests and grasslands around the town are part of the sanctuary. Also to be found are Rhesus Macaque, Himalayan Yellow Throated Marten, Indian Porcupine, Common Giant and Kashmiri Flying Squirrel.
The Cricket Ground at Chail is the highest one in the entire world. It was built in the year 1893 and is located at an altitude of 2144 m. The ground is also used for playing polo.
Sadhupul : A small but beautiful village, Sadhupul is a favourite destination for picnickers.
Kandaghat : Kandaghat is around 20 km away from Chail and has the Chail View Palace, Shiva Temples, Baba Thadda Mulla and the Karol Ranges as its prime attractions. The palace today, houses the Government Polytechnic College for Women, though the personal chambers of the Maharaja are still maintained as they were in the bygone era.
Maharaja's Palace : The Rajgarh Hill, houses the palace of the maharaja that he built as a place for his summer retreat. The palace spreads over an area of 75 acres and offers some fantastic views of the surroundings. In the year 1972, the palace was bought over by the Himachal tourism and converted into a heritage hotel.
Sidh Baba Ka Mandir : Bhupinder Singh's palace was originally planned for this palace, however a vision of the maharaja changed everything. In his vision, the maharaja saw a sidh saint who told him that the place was meant for his meditation. This vision made Bhupinder Singh shift his palace to other place and this place became a spot for a temple of Sidh Baba.
Nearby Places Chail :
Kufri
A long and enjoyable drive through lush forests and quaint villages takes one to the small but thoroughly popular hill station of Kufri. Its main attractions are the Nature Park, and the exciting trek that leads to the divine Mahasu peak.
Sadhupul
Halfway between Kandaghat and Chail is the tiny village of Sadhupul, and the bridge over the Ashwani stream, a popular picnic - spot.
Travel Information :
By Road : From Simla via Kufri the distance is 45 km and via Kandaghat the distance is 61 km. Kalka is 86 km away. Regular buses for Chail leave from Simla, Chandigarh, and Delhi.
By Air :The nearest airports are at Chandigarh (120 km), and Simla (63 km).
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete