Hill Stations and Social life in the New Cities

The First Hill Stations

Hill stations were a distinguishing aspect of colonial urban growth, and they were initially associated with the requirements of the British army in the region.

Mountain fortifications as strategic locations: 

• Mountain fortifications were used as strategic locations for billeting troops, guarding frontiers, and beginning campaigns against invading armies
• In the same way as Simla (present-day Shimla) was formed during the course of the Gurkha War, Shimla was founded during the course of the Gurkha War (1815-16) British interest in Mount Abu arose as a result of the Anglo-Maratha War of 1818, and Darjeeling was wrested from the rulers of Sikkim by the British in 1835
• After moving his council to Shimla in 1864, Viceroy John Lawrence made it public that the city would become the official residence of the Indian army’s commander-in-chief in the following year

To protect the army from diseases: 

• Because the British connected hot weather with epidemics such as cholera and malaria, hill stations were built to keep the troops safe from these diseases during the British occupation of India
• Due to the overwhelming presence of the army, these stations were transformed into a new type of cantonment in the hills

Recreation purposes:

• They became popular among new rulers since they resembled the frigid climes of Europe and were therefore a desirable vacation location for them. Viceroys began to relocate to hill outposts during the summer months, and this practice grew widespread
• It wasn’t until Viceroy John Lawrence officially relocated his council to Simla in 1864 that the practice of rotating capitals during the hot season was officially established
• It also became the official residence of the Indian army’s commander-in-chief, who made Simla his permanent home
• In the hill stations, the British and other Europeans attempted to recreate settlements that were evocative of their homelands. The structures were purposefully designed to be in the European architectural style. Individual residences were built in the style of independent villas and cottages that were located in landscaped grounds
• The Anglican Church and educational institutions embodied the principles of the United Kingdom. Even recreational activities were influenced by British cultural norms in the long run
• As a result, social gatherings such as social calls, teas, picnics, fetes, races, and theatre trips became widespread among colonial officials in the hill stations
• Maharajas, attorneys, and merchants, for example, were lured to these positions because they provided them with a direct line of communication to the dominant British aristocratic class

Hill stations became accessible to Indians after railways: 

• The introduction of railways made hill stations more accessible to a wide range of people, including upper- and middle-class Indians such as maharajas, who preferred hill stations because of their proximity to the ruling elite

Hills were transformed into revenue generators: 

• With the establishment of tea and coffee plantations in the surrounding areas, an influx of immigrant labour from the plains began, which eventually became one of the primary sources of revenue generation and an important part of the colonial economy
• The result was that hill stations in India were no longer the exclusive racial enclaves of Europeans in the country

Social life in the new cities

A startling contrast between extreme wealth and extreme poverty, the new cities were a source of shock for the Indian population. Different modes of transportation, such as trams and buses, have resulted in a growing separation between the place of employment and the site of dwelling, creating an entirely new form of experience.

Sense of old towns was long gone:

• It was no longer possible to have a sense of belonging and familiarity in old towns, but the colonial urban development involved creation of new public spaces – such as public parks, theatres, and cinema halls – brought exciting new kinds of entertainment and social interaction
• It was in the cities that new social groups were developed, and people’s former identities were no longer significant. People from all social classes were relocating to the big cities

Rise of middle class: 

• Because of a growing demand for clerks, teachers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, and accountants, there was emergence of new middle classes  which went on to increase in numbers
• Their access to new educational institutions such as schools and universities was greatly expanded. A new public realm for debate and discussion has risen to prominence

Women had new opportunities:

• Middle-class women attempted to express themselves through notebooks, autobiographies, and books as a means of expressing themselves
• Many people, however, were resentful of these attempts to alter conventional patriarchal values
• Throughout history, women have been increasingly visible in public places, yet for a long time, women who ventured out of the home and into public places were considered to be deviants by their peers

New class within the cities:

• The labouring poor, often known as the working class, emerged as a new social stratum in urban areas
• Poor people from rural areas came to urban areas in search of work in the hope of a better life

Emergence of a new style of drama: 

• Despite this, the destitute frequently developed a vibrant urban culture of their own
• In religious festivals, tamashas (folk theatre), and swangs (satire), they were ardent participants who frequently insulted the pretensions of their masters, who were both Indian and European in origin

Conclusion 

Shimla, Mount Abu, and Darjeeling were all established by the East India Company in the nineteenth century. These fortified hill outposts were built to house armies, protect borders, and launch invasions against the enemy. Lahilence transferred his capital to Shimla’ in 1864, and his formal residence as commander-in-chief was established in Shimla at that time as well. New cities’ social life was a mystery. A wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds were represented. People’s daily routines underwent several revisions as a result of advancements in transportation technology.