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 Chail , the former 'summer capital' of Patiala,43-km from Shimla
dwells in the lap of a lush green enviorment. Located at a
height of 2,250m it is a proud owner of the world's highest
cricket pitch, a polo ground, the old palace, now a hotel and
the possibility of some agling are added attractions.
Chail is a hiker's paradise. The area is very peaceful away from
the hustle and bustle of Shimla. At a distance of 3kms from the
hotel lies the worlds highest Cricket ground. Close by is a
National Park, which has surprisingly limited number of birds
and deers.
Every presnet has a history to itelf. So has the wonderful land
of Chail. In 1891, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala incurred
the wrath of Lord Kitchener, the then Commander-in-Chief. As a
result, his entry was banned into the summer capital of the Raj,
Shimla. This enraged the Maharaja and he vowed to build a new
and better summer capital for himself. He looked around and
after quite some time realized it had all the while been in his
possession. Chail, a little village close to Shimla, was a
'slice of heaven' surrounded by lush forests with a commanding
view of the snow-capped Himalayas. He rebuilt the city according
to his requirements and built himself a wonderful palace.
The picturesque resort is located between scented forests of
chir, pine and gigantic deodars. Chail is built on three hills,
the palace is on Rajgarh hill, the Residency Snow View once
occupied by British resident is on Pandhewa hill and on the
third hill Sadh Tiba where Chail is situated. Overlooking Satluj
Valley, Shimla and Kasauli are also visible at night from here.
Chail has also the highest cricket ground in the world. Well
kept and well maintained the ground is surrounded by huge trees
of deodar and pine. On the other side of the town are situated
the massive Himalayan ranges spectacularly gleaming in the sun
and snow-covered every thing under it.
Attractions of Chail
Sidh Baba Ka Mandir
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh had originally intended this to be the
site of his palace, and had even started building it, but as is
believed, a 'sidh', saintly person appeared in the Maharaja's
dream, and declared that this was the place where he had
meditated. Consequently, Bhupinder Singh shifted his venue and
built a temple on the spot.
Chail Sanctuary
Chail is a hill station visited by many tourists. The Deodar and
Oak forests with grasslands around the township are the abode of
wildlife. sanctuary was notified on 21st March 1976 near Chail
Town in District Shimla and covers an area of 10,854.36
hectares.
Palace Hotel
The little 'hill station' of Chail came into being when
Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala was banished from Shimla,
the 'summer capital' of British India, after a dalliance with
the Commander-in-Chief's daughter in the late 19th century.
Cricket Ground
Surrounded by gigantic deodar and well maintained Chail Cricket
ground is the highest cricket ground in the world. Built in
1893, this cricket pitch located at the height of 2,144m is also
used as polo ground.
Maharaja's Palace
The magnificent Rajgarh palace, with elaborate furnishings,
built in 1891. With comfortable log huts and cottages, dense
forests and serene walks, sprawling lawns, a childrens park, a
`lovers hill', and sports facilities, Chail is a resort in the
real sense of the term.
 
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