Indian Hill stations are high-altitude towns located across located India’s mountain ranges. They were built under British rule, often from the ground up, and the oldest date back to the early 19th century. Originally they were designed to be a refuge from the blistering heat of the Indian summertime.
The Indian subcontinent has seven principal mountain ranges and the largest of all is the Himalayas that lies in the northern part of India. The famous peaks and ranges include the Kangchenjunga range in the Eastern Himalayas which frames the hill stations of Darjeeling and Gangtok. The Shivalik range also has some famous hill stations that includes Kasauli, Mussoorie and many more.
Most hill stations in India were developed by the British around a central mall to get respite from the oppressive summer heat. Many have picturesque lakes as their focal point, making them excellent places for boating activities.
Most hill stations in India are located in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya in the Himalayas and in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu in Western Ghats. Some are located in Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. Notable hill stations in India are listed below by state.
Since a number of these hill stations attract large numbers of tourists in summer as well as other times of the year, they are well connected by rail, road, and air services to major Indian cities.
History
Nandi Hills was developed by Ganga Dynasty in 11th century. It was also used by Tipu Sultan (1751 - 1799) as a summer retreat.
Hill stations in British India were established for a variety of reasons. After the revolt of 1857 the "British sought further distance from what they saw as a "disease-ridden" land by escape to the Himalayas in the north and Nilgiri Hills in the south", a pattern which started even before 1857. Other factors included anxieties about the dangers of life in India, among them "fear of degeneration brought on by too long residence in a debilitating land." The hill stations were meant to reproduce the home country, illustrated in Lord Lytton's statement about Ootacamund, in the 1870s, "such beautiful English rain, such delicious English mud." Shimla was officially made the "summer capital of India" in the 1860s and hill stations "served as vital centers of political and military power, especially after the 1857 revolt."
Dane Kennedy, following Monika Bührlein, identifies three stages in the evolution of hill stations in India: high refuge to hill station, and hill station to town. The first settlements started in the 1820s, primarily as sanitoria. In the 1840s and 1850s, there was a wave of new hill stations, with the main impetus being "places to rest and recuperate from the arduous life on the plains". In the second half of the 19th century, there was a period of consolidation with few new hill stations. In the final phase, "hill stations reached their zenith in the late nineteenth century. The political importance of the official stations was underscored by the inauguration of large and costly public-building projects."
Siddharth Pandey analyses the femininity often ascribed to Indian hills stations, in their nomenclature (such as 'the Queen of hills', as claimed by Shimla, Ooty, and several other hill stations) as well as the visual aesthetic of their landscapes. He argues that compared to the 'terrifying, sublime landscape' of the high Himalayan peaks and ridges, the hill stations have a gentler aspect, manageable and conducive for domestication. With ideas of domesticity having been traditionally associated with the feminine and household spheres, hill stations, which were developed by the colonialists as 'homes away from home', acquired over time a sense of being feminine, in terms of both their natural as well as their architectural beauty.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Mount Harriett
Andhra Pradesh hill stations
Place District Araku Valley Visakhapatnam Chintapalle Visakhapatnam Horsley Hills Chittoor Lambasingi Visakhapatnam Paderu Visakhapatnam Papi Hills East Godavari and West Godavari Sri Sailam Kurnool Tirumala Chittoor Guntaseema Vishakapatnam Salur Vizianagaram Maredumilli East Godavari Mothugudem Khammam and East Godavari Chintur East Godavari Rajavommangi East Godavari Doranala Prakasam Giddalur Prakasam Donkarayi East Godavari Sileru Vishakapatnam Rampachodavaram East Godavari Cumbum hills Prakasam Nekkanti Prakasam Chinthala Prakasam Ardhaveedu Prakasam Peddarutla Prakasam Killada Srikakulam Seedhi Srikakulam Guddam Vizianagaram Kuneru Vizianagaram Chaparai East Godavari Polluru East Godavari Pamuleru East Godavari Musuru East Godavari Gurtedu East Godavari Kamavaram West Godavari Koruteru West Godavari Koida West Godavari Tekuru West Godavari Doramamidi West Godavari Dengam Vishakapatnam Darakonda Vishakapatnam Paderu Vishakapatnam Panasa Vishakapatnam Pitakota Vishakapatnam Kudumulu Vishakapatnam Peddavalasa Vishakapatnam Basula Vishakapatnam Tulam Vishakapatnam Bakuru Vishakapatnam Borra Vishakapatnam Gautham Vishakapatnam Vayya Vishakapatnam Sundipenta KurnoolVanjangiAlluri Sitharama Raju
Arunachal Pradesh
Place District Along West Siang Bomdila West Kameng Khonsa Tirap Roing Lower Dibang Valley Tawang Tawang Ziro Lower Subansiri
Assam
Place District Haflong Dima Hasao Hamren West Karbi Anglong Jatinga Dima Hasao Maibang Dima Hasao Umrangso Dima Hasao
Bihar
Place District Gurpa Hills Gaya, India Rajgir hills Nalanda, India Bateshwar hills Bhagalpur, IndiaKaimur RangeRohtas, IndiaSimultalaJamui, India
Chhattisgarh
Place District Akash Nagar Dantewada Amarkantak Lapha hill Bilaspur Chirmiri Koriya Mainpat Surguja
Goa
Place District Molem South Goa
Gujarat
Place District Ahwa Dang Awala Banaskantha Bardipada Dang Dediyapada Narmada Garvi Dang Girnar Junagadh Junaraj Narmada Kapasiya Banaskantha Karaza Banaskantha Khoba Valsad Koshmal Dang Mahal Dang Nilosi Valsad Palitana Bhavnagar Saputara Dang Subir Dang Sutharpada Valsad Wilson Hills Valsad
Haryana
Place District Morni Panchkula Dhoshi Mahendragarh
Himachal Pradesh
Place DistrictBanjarKullu district Barog Solan district Barot Mandi districtBaru SahibSirmaur districtBhaba NagarKinnaur districtBharmourChamba districtBhuntarKullu district Chail Solan district Chamba Chamba district Chitkul Kinnaur districtChaupalShimla districtChurdharSirmaur districtDagshaiSolan district Dalhousie Chamba districtDarchaLahaul Spiti district Dharamshala Kangra districtHatkotiShimla districtHaripurdharSirmaur districtJispaLahaul Spiti districtJubbalShimla district Kalpa Kinnaur districtKandaghatSolan districtKarsogMandi district Kasol Kullu districtKasauliSolan districtKazaLahaul Spiti districtKeylongLahaul Spiti district Khajjiar Chamba districtKoksarLahaul Spiti districtKotgarhShimla districtKotkhaiShimla districtKugtiChamba district Kufri Shimla district Kullu Kullu districtMandiMandi districtMalanaKullu district Manali Kullu district Mashobra Shimla districtMcLeod GanjKangra districtNaggarKullu districtNakoLahaul Spiti district Narkanda Shimla districtNirmandKullu district Palampur Kangra districtRajgarhSirmaur district Reckong Peo Kinnaur districtRenuka JiSirmaur districtRewalsarMandi district Rohtang Kullu districtSalooniChamba districtSanglaKinnaur districtSarahanShimla districtShillaiSirmaur district Shimla Shimla districtShoghiShimla districtSissuLahaul Spiti districtSunder NagarMandi districtSunniShimla districtTaboLahaul Spiti district Tattapani Mandi district ToshKullu districtTheogShimla district Triund Kangra districtVashishtKullu districtYulla KhasKinnaur district
Jammu and Kashmir
Kashmir regionJammu region Place District Place District Aru Anantnag Bhaderwah Doda Doodhpathri Budgam Lal Draman Doda Gulmarg Baramulla Patnitop Udhampur Pahalgam Anantnag Jantroon Dhar Doda Sonamarg Ganderbal Lal Draman Doda Srinagar Srinagar Bhal Padri Doda Tosamaidan Budgam Devigol Kishtwar Yusmarg Budgam Bimal Nag Kishtwar Bani Kathua
Jharkhand
Place District Meghahatuburu West Singhbhum Netarhat Latehar Patratu Ramgarh McCluskieganj Ranchi Karnataka
Place District Agumbe Shimoga Arehalli Hassan Arkalgud Hassan and Kodagu Baba Budangiri Chikkamagaluru Ballupet Hassan Belagodu Hassan Belur Hassan Biligiriranga Hills Chamarajanagar Bisle Hassan Changadihalli Hassan Chikkamagaluru Chikmagalur Charmadi Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru Dandeli Uttara Kannada Devimane Uttara Kannada Chikkabemmathi Hassan Hulikal Shimoga Jog Shimoga Jogimatti Chitradurga Jamalabad Dakshina Kannada Kemmangundi Chikkamagaluru Kodachadri Shivamogga Kodlipet Kodagu Konanur Hassan Kudrasthe Hassan Kudremukh Chikkamagaluru Kumarahalli Kodagu Koppa Chikkamagaluru Kushalnagar Kodagu Madhugiri Madhugiri Madikeri Kodagu Male Mahadeshwara Hills Chamarajanagara Mudigere Chikkamagaluru Mullayanagiri Chikkamagaluru Nandi Hills Chikkaballapur Pushpagiri Dakshina Kannada, Hassan and Kodagu Sakleshpur Hassan Shanivarsanthe Kodagu Sirangalli Kodagu Sirsi Uttara Kannada Somanahalli Hassan and Kodagu(Arkalgud and Somwarpet Taluk) Somwarpet Kodagu Skandagiri Chikkaballapura Virajpet Kodagu
Kerala
Place District Achenkovil Pathnamthitta Agali Palakkad Agasthiyamalai Thiruvananthapuram Ambanad Hills Kollam Ambalavayal Wayanad Arimbra Hills, Malappuram Malappuram Anakkampoyil Kozhikode Anchuruli Idukki Aralam Kannur Anakkara Idukki Amboori Thiruvananthapuram Aryankavu Kollam Athirapally Thrissur Ayyampuzha Ernakulam Ayyankunnu Wayanad Banasura Hill Wayanad Bison Valley Idukki Bonacaud Thiruvananthapuram Brimore Thiruvananthapuram Chadayamangalam Kollam District Charalkunnu Pathanamthitta Chathurangappara Idukki Cheemeni Kasargod Chinnakanal Idukki Chittar Pathanamthitta Devikulam Idukki Dharmathadka Kasargod Elapeedika Kannur Elappara Idukki Ezhimala Kannur Gavi Pathanamthitta Ilaveezha Poonchira Idukki Illikkal Kallu Kotayam Iritty Kannur Kakkadampoyil Kozhikode Kallar Thiruvananthapuram Kalpetta Wayanad Kambilikandam Idukki Kanthalloor Idukki Karapuzha Dam Wayanad Kattappana Idukki Kinnakorai Palakkad Kulamavu Dam Idukki Kulathupuzha Kollam Kodanad Ernakulam Kodikuthimala Malappuram Konni Pathnamthitta Koorachundu Kozhikode Kottancheri Hills Kasaragod Kottakkunnu Hill Station Malappuram Kottiyoor Kannur District Kulathupuzha Kollam Kumily Idukki Kuttampuzha Ernakulam Kuttikkanam Idukki Lakkidi Wayanad Madayipara Kannur Malakkappara Thrissur Malayattur Ernakulam Malom Kasargod Mananthavady Wayanad Maniyar Pathanamthitta Marayoor Idukki Melukavu Kotayam Meppadi Wayanad Moolamattom Idukki Mundakayam Kottayam Munnar Idukki Muthanga Wayanad Nedumkandam Idukki District Nelliampathi Palakkad Padavayal Palakkad Painavu Idukki Pakshi Pathalam Wayanad Panchalimedu Idukki Parambikulam Palakkad Parunthumpara Idukki Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta Peermade Idukki Peruvannamuzhi Kozhikode Ponmudi Thiruvananthapuram Poomala Thrissur Poonjar Kottayam Ramakkalmedu Idukki Ranipuram Hills Kasaragod Ranni Pathnamthitta Santhanpara Idukki District Seethathode Pathanamthitta Soordelu Hill Station Kasargod Sulthan Bathery Wayanad Suryanelli Idukki Teekoy Kotayam Thattekkad Ernakulam Thekkady Idukki Thenmala Kollam Thodupuzha Idukki District Tirunelli Wayanad Udumbanchola Idukki Vagamon Idukki Vaithalmala Kannur Vandiperiyar Idukki Vaduvanchal Wayanad Vandanmedu Idukki Vattavada Idukki Vazhachal Thrissur Vazhichal Thiruvananthapuram Vellarimala Kozhikode Vithura Thiruvananthapuram Vythiri Wayanad
Ladakh
Place District Drass Kargil Kargil Kargil Leh Leh
Madhya Pradesh
Place District Amarkantak Anuppur Pachmarhi NarmadapuramShivpuri Shivpuri | Tamia | Chhindwara
Maharashtra