PRENEETA SHARMA As the road winds through the lower Himalayas, the bustle of Shimla gradually fades behind towering deodars, cool mountain air and drifting mist. Somewhere along the forested stretch between Dhalli and Kufri lies Hassan Valley, a quiet corner of the Shimla hills that appears at first to be just another scenic mountain road….
PRENEETA SHARMA High above the busy streets of Shimla, where the mountain air grows quieter and the deodar trees seem to guard the secrets of another age, stands a magnificent stone building that has watched history unfold from its hilltop perch. The Vice Regal Lodge, rising majestically on Observatory Hill, is more than an architectural…
PRENEETA SHARMA There was a time when the banks of the Sutlej at Tattapani offered a remarkable Himalayan sight—the cold river flowing beside naturally steaming hot springs. Pilgrims arrived to bathe in the warm waters, families gathered along the riverbank and generations grew up with stories of faith, tradition and the healing properties associated with…
