Kufri- A Hill Resort at Shimla

 The view of Himalayas from Kufri

A Few days ago, I revisited Kufri, a hill resort about 16 Km from Shimla. It is situated at a height of about 8600 ft above sea level. The place remains covered in snow in winter and in summer it provides relief from the hot climate of plains. It gives a panoramic view of Great Himalayan Ranges, which always remain covered with snow.

In local language, the name Kufri means pond. The place was developed by the Europeans, during the British rule in India. At that time Shimla was the capital of British India and ir remained as such till 1947.

Kufri was a place where the Tibetans took shelter after they fled from Tibet after the annexation of Tibet by China. There is a Tibetan market at Kufri, where locally manufactured woolen goods and household goods are sold. The old houses at Kufri has given way to new buildings. 

The winter sports club at Kufri was formed in 1952, and the skiing competitions were organised here. Kufri became famous in sixties when the winter sports were organised there, in 1968. But due to the decline in snowfall, the venue of sports has been shifted to Narkanda, another beautiful place about 80 Km from Shimla.

Kufri has a wildlife sanctuary and a mini zoo. For those who love solitude, the place at a distance of about 2 Km from Kufri rewards the trekkers with a picturesque landscapes.
The temples dedicated to Nag and Kali have also been built here by local devotees.

Photo Credit- Wikimedia Commons by Shahnoor Habib Munmun
Image URL-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Kufri_Simla_Himachal_Inida_%2816%29.JPG/800px-Kufri_Simla_Himachal_Inida_%2816%29.JPG