The British discovered Shimla in the form of a little village in 1819. Until then, it was a part of the Nepalese kingdom. The British persuaded the local Raja to part with the land in 1830, and the settlement became the subcontinent's most fashionable summer resort. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of India. After the independence of India, Shimla became the capital of Punjab until 1966, when it came under Himachal. Shimla, one of India’s most famous hill stations, derives its name from Goddess Shyamala, an incarnation of Goddess Kali, the deity of power and wrath. Hovering at an altitude of 2159 m above sea level, Shimla is located towards the southern parts of the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is the state capital.
