BUILDING LEGACY

Exploring English heritage in India

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Some of India’s most scenic locales can be found at lofty heights. At these elevations, the air is clearer which spreads a lovely glow through the day. The forests are dense and full of conifers of all sorts, fir, pine, spruce, juniper, and cypress that add an air of drama to the ensemble. Driving through these regions evokes a sense of contentment, cleans up the lungs and mind of all the impurities we fill them within urban centres. The discovery of these hill-stations and their development was perhaps one of the best legacies the British left us. Most hill-stations that have become popular over time were either discovered by the British or were brought a semblance of civilized living in order to make them more hospitable. The way the British went about developing these hill-stations, gives impetus to many a traveler rushing to bask in what I’d call a domesticated European sense of atmosphere. Grand manors or cottages, churches, and halls all built-in Tudorbeathen or neo-Gothic style of architecture gives them a sense of ethereal magic, a non-illusionary atmosphere that draws millions to it every year.

In this series, we are exploring a few of those unique regions where the British empire left a positive mark by bringing infrastructure, facilities, and economy, and progress to the region. We kickstart this series with a drive up to what was once the summer capital of British India, Shimla. And our wheels for this exploration is the flagship SUV from Morris Garages India, the Gloster.