Head for the Hills Trivia Quiz

Answer: Shimla

Located in the Himalayas, the city is built on seven hills. It is named after the Hindu goddess, Shyamala Devi. In the 1860s, the British declared Shimla as the 'Summer Capital of India'. As a result, Shimla has hosted many important political events. This included the Simla Accord of 1914 on the status of Tibet and Simla Agreement of 1972 between India and Pakistan.

Answer: Tea

Darjeeling is located at a height of 2,000 meters above sea level within the Lesser Himalayas. In the early 19th century, the British developed the region to serve as a sanatorium. Tea cultivation was introduced to the region around the same time as the British sought to find alternatives to China for the commodity. Darjeeling tea is a distinctive form of tea, and the name is restricted to tea grown in the region. Darjeeling is also famous for its views of Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world, and its high population of Gorkhas, Nepalis who have made India their home.

Answer: Rajasthan

Most of Rajasthan is covered by the Thar desert that is spread across India and Pakistan. Mount Abu is located within the Aravalli Range near the border of Rajasthan and Gujarat. It is home to various Hindu and Jain temples.

Answer: Mussoorie

Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayan range in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, Mussoorie is often called the "Queen of the Hills". It was established by the Nepali Gorkhas in the early 19th century before passing into British possession shortly thereafter. The hill station is also famous for many boarding and day schools that were established over 100 years ago.

Ruskin Bond was born in India to English parents while the subcontinent was under British rule. His first novel "The Room on the Roof" was written when he was only seventeen and features an Anglo-Indian boy called Rusty, modelled on his own life, who makes appearances in several of Bond's stories and novels. Bond had been the recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards, among the highest civilian awards in India.

Answer: Ooty

Udagamandalam, popularly known as Ooty, an Anglicized shortening of the original name during the British Raj, is found in the Nilgiri mountain range in Tamil Nadu. Historically it was settled by the native Toda people. In the 18th century, the British developed it as a hill station.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is the only still operational rack railway in India. Built by the British, it connects the town of Coimbatore at the foothills to Ooty. In 2005, the railway was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It is known as the Mountain Railways of India and also includes the Kalka-Shimla railway and Darjeeling Himalayan railway.

Answer: Dalhousie

Dalhousie was named after Lord Dalhousie who was the British Governor-General of India when the hill station was established. It is located in the Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh. Prior to the partition of India, it was popular with residents of Lahore, which is located only 189 km away. With the partition, Lahore came under Pakistan while Dalhousie became part of India.

Answer: Hinduism

Pahalgam is located in Jammu and Kashmir. Its scenic beauty has made it a popular site for various movie and television shoots. Pahalgam is also famous as the starting point of the Amarnath Yatra. The Amarnath cave is a shrine sacred to followers of Hinduism. Given the high altitude and snowfall in the region, the site is only accessible for a short period during the year.

Answer: Krishna

The Krishna river is one of the largest rivers of India and a key source of water for irrigation and agriculture in Maharashtra. It originates in Mahableshwar, a hill station located in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats. During the British Raj, Mahableshwar was designated as the summer capital of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency.

Answer: Mumbai

Located less than 100 km away from Mumbai, Lonavla is a popular weekend getaway destination for the city dwellers. Lonavla lies along the Mumba-Pune Expressway making it a convenient drive for residents of both cities. Along with nearby Khandala, it forms one of the most visited hill stations of Maharashtra.

The area is also popular with trekkers for the many forts established during the Maratha rule.

Answer: Dharamshala

Dharamshala is situated in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh. The name translates to 'spiritual sanctuary'. Since 1951, Tibet had been controlled by China. In 1959, the Tibetans rose in rebellion against the occupation. With the rebellion being unsuccessful, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans, escaped to India and sought asylum.

India's then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, allowed the Dalai Lama and his followers to settle in McLeod Ganj, a suburb of Dharamshala. It has since served as the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and has a sizeable population of Tibetans.