Mashobra | |
|---|---|
town | |
 Mashobra skyline | |
  Mashobra Location in Himachal Pradesh, India Show map of Himachal Pradesh Mashobra Mashobra (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:31°08′N77°14′E / 31.13°N 77.23°E /31.13; 77.23 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| District | Shimla |
| Elevation | 2,146 m (7,041 ft) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| • Regional | Mahasu Pahari (Keonthali)[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 171 007 |
| Telephone code | 0177 |
| Vehicle registration | HP HP-03, HP-51 |
Mashobra is a town inShimla district ofHimachal Pradesh. It is connected to the state capitalShimla (erstwhile Simla) through the historicHindustan–Tibet Road built in 1850 byLord Dalhousie.
Mashobra is located at31°08′N77°14′E / 31.13°N 77.23°E /31.13; 77.23.[2] It has an average elevation of 2,146 metres (7,041 feet).
During the colonial period, Mashobra was a part of the princely state of Koti. Towards the end of the 19th century, Mashobra developed into a popular weekend resort for the elite residents ofShimla, the summer capital of theBritish Raj.[3]
Mashobra is notable for housing one of the twoPresidential retreats inIndia. The other retreat isRashtrapati Nilayam inSecunderabad.
The president visits Mashobra at least once every year, and during this time his or her core office shifts to the retreat atChharabra, in the vicinity of Mashobra. The building housing the retreat is a completely wooden structure originally constructed in 1850.[4]
In May 1948, before returning to London at the end of his mission as viceroy and then governor general of India,Lord Mountbatten and his wifeLady Edwina spent a few weeks in this retreat. The then Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehru paid them a visit, which is documented in the biographies of Lady Mountbatten.
Mashobra is also a tourist destination.[5][6]
Wildflower Hall atChharabra, now a property ofOberoi Hotels, has been residence toLord Kitchener as well asLord Ripon during theBritish Raj.[7]
At 3 km from Mashobra is Carignano, a picnic spot that was a villa of ChevalierFederico Peliti,[8] an Italian photographer in India from the times ofQueen Victoria, who named it in honor of his native townCarignano nearTurin inItaly. The villa was transformed to a weekend resort in 1920 and is also referred to in one of the novels byAnita Desai.[9]
Pankaj Mishra is a writer/poet who lives in Mashobra.[10]
Amit Khanna, film maker, poet, writer and media guru has a cottage in Mashobra where he spends several weeks every year working on his new book.
Like Amit,Navtej Sarna, well known diplomat and author, is also a part time resident of Puranikoti village near Mashobra.
Mashobra is part of Shimla Water Catchment and Wildlife Sanctuary.[11] The natural vegetation comprisespine,oak,cedar or Himalayandeodar, andrhododendron, as well as maple and horse chestnut. The wildlife consists of monkeys, Langurs,jackals,kakkar (barking deer), and the occasionalleopard, as well as numerous bird species such as theHimalayan eagle,pheasants,chikor andpartridges.
Himalayan International School atChharabra is a major residential school in Mashobra.
