The town that served as the summer capital of the British Raj was Simla, now officially known as Shimla.
The British selected Shimla because its Himalayan elevation offered a much cooler climate than the hot plains during the summer. In 1863, Viceroy John Lawrence decided to move the Government of India’s summer headquarters there, and Shimla was formally declared the summer capital in 1864. The administration made the difficult journey between Calcutta and Shimla each year.
Shimla became more than a seasonal retreat. The Viceroy, the Commander-in-Chief of India, and numerous government departments worked there during the hot-weather months. Colonial buildings, churches, clubs, and the Viceregal Lodge helped give the hill town its distinctive British-era character. The Kalka–Shimla railway, opened in 1903, made the settlement easier to reach.
A common mix-up is the spelling: “Simla” was the official English-era form, while “Shimla” is the modern official name, adopted in 1972. The town later became the capital of Himachal Pradesh.