Are you looking for something really special ? Then what about…. “The only private property in the largest urban forest in the world…” ?

-->

-->

Anjali Cottage, Shimla

 

History : Originally part of a larger property named ‘Norwood’, this property – by then renamed ‘Ballengeich’ - has been in our family since 1929.  Dr P K Sen, a renowned barrister, immediately after independence an MP from Bihar, and the biographer of the Brahmo Samaj, and Mrs Sushama Sen, a member of the Constituent Assembly and then an MP from Malda, in West Bengal, bought the house for their summer use in 1929, and lived there for much of the year from that time on till 1971, shortly before Mrs Sen died. Because of their prominence in public life - in Shimla and in Delhi, and at a national level - the house has a rich and colourful social and political history. They entertained a lot, and the house had a beautiful garden that spilled down the hill, full of flowers.  They gave the cottage the name ‘Anjali’ after their youngest child, who died young.

A particularly well-placed property : Anjali Cottage is a heritage building on a steep hillside in a heavily forested area in the vicinity of the Vice-Regal Lodge, overlooking a densely wooded valley, facing west and with wonderful sunsets over Summerhill - and also the occasional nostalgic sound of the ‘toy train’ linking Shimla to the plains, which passes nearby, within view.. 

Excellently located in terms of proximity to the town as well as road access : Anjali Cottage is just 7 minutes’ walk and 2 minutes’ drive from the Cecil Hotel at Chaura Maidan, a major landmark in the city; and just 10 minutes’ walk in the other direction from the Indian Institute for Advanced Studies, housed in the old Vice-Regal Lodge at the top of Summerhill.  It has road access both from above and below the property – therefore in principle also allowing parking at both levels, a great luxury.  But at the same time, it is quiet and peaceful – unlike most parts of Shimla -, with very few buildings around it; and the few there are, are residences of well-placed government officials and of Army officers.  It offers wonderful walks around Summerhill and down into the valley below.  Vehicular traffic is restricted to those with permits; the area is secure.

A possibly unique property : Aside from enjoying easy road access from above and below the property, which is rare, Anjali Cottage is the only private property in what some have said is ‘the largest urban forest in the world’, with several original growth trees on the property, overlooking a thickly forested valley, and with still richly forested hills all around it.  It is in fact perhaps the only such private property today available in Shimla – within and overlooking a quiet, wooded valley and yet so close to the main town.

Green Zone : The property falls within what is called the ‘Green Zone’ in Shimla, which was brought in to preserve the remaining existing rich forests within the city area.  This means that the forest around it and the wooded valley it overlooks will always remain intact, and that no high-rise buildings will ever come up around it.  State byelaws also prohibit the cutting of trees, and this law is applied very strictly.

Heritage : The original main cottage was built in the late 19^th century or early 20^th, with the first sale taking place in 1917.  There have been some additions since, but the original features and charm remain.  The building has a mix of local dhajji (wooden frame with rubble infill, plastered) walls and brick walls, with extensive wooden doors and windows; and a roof of mostly original heavy tin sheets on heavy wooden beams.  It has a long glazed veranda, an attic, a basement, and three fireplaces.  The present Service Quarters unit can be reconstructed into a proper building.

Area of land : 1,483 sq mt, or 2 bighas.

The property is roughly triangular in shape, on the side of a hill. The arrangement of the property is such that the main cottage is located roughly in the middle of the property, with a large amount of gracious open space in front of it and in the rear of the property – all overlooking the valley.  There are two main structures on the property : The main colonial-style cottage, and a large service quarter building.  The cottage has three floors – a main floor, an attic, and a basement.  The service quarter building, which sits on a steep slope with a high full-storey foundation wall on one side, presently has only one floor.

Area breakdown of buildings on the property :

Present covered area of Main house	226.73 sq mt.
Minimum covered usable area in Attic (estimated 50% of main house)	113.36 sq mt.
Present covered area of Basement floor	51.70 sq mt.
Present covered area of Service Quarters	61.50 sq mt.
Covered area of Toilet block	5.29 sq mt.
Total covered area (all floors) :	458.58 sq mt.
Total built-up area on property :	293.52 sq mt.
Or : Total built-up area in sq ft :	3,158.27 sq ft.
Say	3,160 sq ft.

Renovation and development possibilities : Present byelaws, including its being within the Green Zone, permit only renovating the building as it is or, with permission of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, rebuilding within the present ‘footprint’ of the house and according to its present profile. But if rebuilding is to be done, an imaginative interpretation and design could lead to a considerably larger attic area, a significantly larger basement coverage, and a full floor basement / lower floor to the Service Quarters, ie a total buildable area closer to 700 sq mt or 7,500 sq ft; and with parking both in the basement of the main house, accessible from the lower road, and at the ‘ground floor’ level of the upper building, presently the Service Quarters, which is accessible from the upper road; which is a luxury in Shimla.

It is important to also note that there is presently a proposal before the Town & Country Planning Department of the state government to relax the Green Zone provisions and to permit some redevelopment and some additional floor area in properties that fall within the zone.  We have heard that the recently elected state government is favourably inclined to approving the proposal – and if this happens, then the possibility will arise to go somewhat beyond the floor area presently possible, as above, of 7,500 sq ft – perhaps up to 11,000 sft - and also to re-design the place as a guesthouse or hotel.

In this regard, it is important to note that although the property has several fine old growth trees, these are all located around the perimeter of the property and there is therefore extensive open space on the property on which, if the revised byelaws permit, further cottages could be built.

Directions : The property is located on a quiet back road between Chaura Maidan and the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies on Summerhill, and is just a 7 minutes’ walk from each.  Coming from town, the landmark is Cecil’s Hotel, located on Chaura Maidan.  With the hotel to your left, take the road bearing to the right, going past the Chaura Maidan Post Office.

Coming to our cottage from Chaura Maidan, you will pass an Army Mess on the right (with a high perimeter fence), and then some minutes later the gate to the residence of the Director of the NAAA (National Academy of Audit and Accounts), also to the right.  You will then see, immediately in front, the guardhouse and entrance to a complex called ‘Willows’ (which is where the Deputy Directors of the NAAA stay).  Turn left around the hill, and our property is immediately past and ‘below’ Willows, abutting it.

You will first see the rear gate to the property, on the right, leading to the Service Quarters.  Go further down the hill, about 150 meters, take a sharp U turn to the right, and the front gate of our cottage is right there.  Our property runs all along to the right of the walk down to the front gate and is visible all the way.  Enjoy the view over the house, to Summerhill, with the magnificent Indian Institute of Advanced Studies just visible through the trees, on the peak of the hill !

For further details and to see the property, contact :

Representing us in Shimla : Mr Lachhman D Pal, at +91-94180 18786 and at lachhman950449@iciciprupartner.com