Padam Palace is one of the most attractions at Rampur Bushahr in Shimla. This building is proximity 83 years old, bailed (1919-1925) at the time of Bushahr State. Raja Padam Singh, a planner of stature in his own kingdom, assigned the task of building the palace to his chief engineer, Mr. Bir Chand Shukla. It took six years for the building to take shape and named after the Raja. This building is witness of the merger of Bushahr State with the India.

The Padam Palace is reflecting the glorious past of the Bushahr State, the palace is an outstanding example of the taste, style and architecture of the former hill states, and a tribute to local craftsmen who toiled to carve out its beauty.
The two-storey building is done with wood and stone, there is a slanting tin roof with spiral projections. There is a big lawn, which was used for festivities and public functions. At one end of the lawn there is a Hawa Mahal, a masterwork with wood and stone. This was used for seating the royal family during the celebrations. The Hawa Mahal was designed by Mr. Gurjit Singh Fishta and the woodwork done by the father-and-son team of Mr. Gurmail Singh and Mr. Gurdev Singh.
Stones for the building were quarried at Khaneri and the wood was brought down from the jungles of Munish. Black gram paste was used for cementing the stone blocks. The stone arches of the lower floor and woodwork of the upper storey mark a striking contrast. The tipper storey wooden screen has floral and figurine designs so as to partially admit light without exposing those inside.

HISTORY of Rampur Bushahr:--
One of the oldest Hill Place in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), traditionally founded by Pradhuman, the son of Lord Krishna. According to C. F. Kennedy, it was founded by Rana Danbar Singh in 1412. Some rulers were....
1) Raja CHATAR SINGH, 110th Ruling Rajput of Bashahr State, brought the whole of the state under his power during his reign.
2) Raja KALYAN SINGH, 112th Ruler of Bashahr
3) Raja KEHRI SINGH, 113th Ruler of Bashahr.
4) Raja VIJAY SINGH -/1708, 114th Ruler of Bashahr.
5) Raja UDAI SINGH 1708/1725, 115th Ruler of Bashahr, married and had issue.
(a) Raja RAM SINGH (qv)
(b) Mian Pabar Singh, founder of the only legitimate collateral line of the royal family.
(c) Several generations
(d) Raja Narain Singh, present head (1910), jagirdar and lambardar of Kakrola in the Dassau pargana of Rampur tahsil.
6) Raja RAM SINGH 1725/1761, 116th Ruler of Bashahr, made Rampur his capital, lost much conquered land in wars with the Raja of Kullu. He died 1761.
7) Raja UDAR SINGH 1761/1785, married (amongst others), a daughter of Raja KIRAT PRAKASH of Sirmur, and had issue.
8) Raja UGAR SINGH 1785/1803, 118th Ruler of Bashahr, during his reign married and had issue. He died 1810.
(a) Raja Mahender Singh
9) Raja MAHENDRA SINGH 1815/1850 , born 1809, confirmed in his possessions by the sanad of 6th November 1815, married and had issue. He died 1850.
a) Raja SHAMSHER SINGH (qv)
b) Mian Fatteh Singh (natural son), died sp 1876.
10) Raja SHAMSHER SINGH 1850/1887 and 1898/1914, born 1838 (#1), abdicated in favour of his legitimate son in 1887, married and had issue, 1 son and 2 daughters. He died 5th August 1914.
a) Tikka Raghunath Singh, later Raja RAGHUNATH SINGH (qv)
b) Raja Sir PADAM SINGH (by a concubine)
11) Raja RAGHUNATH SINGH 1887/1898, C.I.E., married in a double ceremony in 1884, two daughters of Raja BIJAI SEN of Mandi, and had issue, 6 daughters and 1 son. He died February 1898.
a) Tikka Marender Singh, born 1886, died January 1899.
12) Raja PADAM SINGH 1914/1947, born 1873, succeeded 5th August 1914. Married 9 wives (4 from Kotkhai, one fom Mandi, one from Suket, one from Sangri), married 8thly, Rani Jwale Dei of Lambagraon, died 22nd July 1949, married 9thly, Rani Shanta Devi of Dhadi, late Rajmata of Bashahr, and had issue…...
a) Devinder Singh, died young in 1922.
b) Ranbir Singh, died 1921.
c) Jagatjit Singh, born 4th November 1904, married 1929, Jai Devi of Karangla,. He died 1961.
i) Kanwar Raj Pal Singh, born 8th March 1947, married 25th November 1975, married with Kanwarani Romila Kumari of Kotkhai, and has issue.
(1) Ravija Kumari, born 12th October 1976 in Shimla, married 3rd May 1997, Tikka Danvender Singh of Kullu.
(2) Vibha Kumari, born 5th December 1977 in Kotkhai, married 3rd August 2000, Kanwar Hiteshwar Singh of Kullu.
d) Tikka Virbhadra Singh (by Rani Shanta Devi)
e) Kumari (name unknown) (by Rani Jwale Devi)
f) Rajkumar Rajendra Singh (by Rani Jwale Devi), born 28th July 1935 at Sarahan, married 20th June 1957, Rajkumari Rajendra Kumari, daughter of HH Maharaja Sir BRIJNATH SINGH Ju Deo Bahadur of Maihar in M.P., born 5th November 1943 at Jabalpur in M.P., and had issue, 3 children. He died November 1997, and was cremated at the Royal Cemetary in Rampur Bushahr.
i) Kanwar Rajeshwar Singh, born 31st May 1958 at Simla, Heir Apparent to the gaddi of Rampur Bushahr until 1989, married 1stly, 1984 (div. 1996), Miss Parminder Singh Oberoi, married 2ndly, 1st December 1997 at Simla, Rajkumari Shrikriti Kumari, born 10th May 1965 at New Delhi, daughter of Raja YOGENDRA CHAND of Jubbal, and has issue
(1) Prakram Singh (by 1st marriage), born 28th October 1984.
(2) Kumari Rajnandini Kumari (by 2nd marriage), born 30th April 2001 at Simla.
ii) Kumari Purnima Kumari, born 27th June 1961, married 27th April 1990 in Simla, Kunwar PRajay Singh, second son of Rawal Chakrapani Singh of Bissau, and has issue.
iii) Kumari Namrata Kumari, born 19th December 1963.
g) Kumari (name unknown), married the Raja of Manswal.
13) Raja VIRBHADRA SINGH Born 23rd June 1934 in Sarahan District Shimla. B.A. (Hons), M.A.; educated at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla and St. Stephen's College, Delhi; Honorary Captain in the Indian Army; elected Member of the Lok Sabha in 1962, 1967, 1972 and in 1980; Member of Indian Delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations, 1976, Deputy Minister, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Govt. of India, 1976/1977; Minister of State for Industries, Government of India, 1982/1983. Associated with various Cultural and Social Organizations, remained President, Sanskrit Sahitya Sammelan and Friends of Soviet Union Society (H.P.State Branch); Elected twice to the Legislative Assembly from Jubbal-Kotkhai Constituency (first in 1983, in a by-election; and again in 1985 general elections), Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh, 1983/1990 and again in 1993/1998. 6 times in total, Elected from nearby Rohru Constituency in 1990 and 1993, Elected President State Congress Committee, 1992/1994; re-elected to State Assembly in 1998; Leader of the Congress Legislative Group in the Assembly, married 1stly, 28th May 1954, Rajkumari Rattan Kumari of Jubbal, born 16th August 1934 in Jubbal, died 27th September 1983 in Shimla, married 2ndly, 28th November 1985 at Junga, Rani Pratibha Kumari, born 16th June 1956, Member of the Lok Sabha, daughter of Raja HITENDRA SEN of Keonthal, and has issue, 4 daughters by 1st wife, and 1 son and 1 daughter by the 2nd wife.
i) Rajkumari Abhilasha Kumari, born 23rd February 1956, appointed a High Court Judge of the Gujarat High Court by the Government of India in May 2006; married 7th November 1979 in Simla, Kunwar Prithvindra Sinh Gohil of Darer in Gujarat, born 11th July 1950, and had issue.
ii) Raghavendra Sinh Gohil, born 11th July 1981 in New Delhi.
iii) Rajkumari Jyotsna Kumari, born 27th February 1958, married Rajkumar Rajiv Singh of Kashipur, and has issue.
iv) Rajkumari Anuradha Kumari, born 14th December 1960, died unmarried 4th May 1999.
v) Rajkumari Meenakshi Kumari, born 27th June 1966 at Simla, married November 1988 at Simla (div.), Yuvraj Jaideep Sinh Jhala of Limbdi, and has issue.
vi) Rajkumari Aprajita Kumari, born 6th December 1986 at Simla, educated at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, District Solan and at St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, studying for her B.A. in Mathematics, from 2005.
vii) Tikka Vikram Aditya Singh, born 17th October 1989 at Simla, educated at Bishop Cotton School, Simla.

Rampur Bushahr

Once the capital of the princely State of Bushahar, Rampur presently one of the biggest commercial town of Shimla district (Himachal Pradesh), 130 kms from Shimla on NH-22. It is located on the left bank of river Sutlej. The town was once a major center on the old trade routes to Kinnaur, Tibet, Ladakh and Chiana. Even today the tradition is as Vibrant as ever. famous International trade fairs “Lavi” held in November. This is a trade dominated fair and people sell goods worth millions of rupees. Tribes from Kullu, Shimla and Kinnaur bring carpets, shawls, Woolen articles, dry fruits etc. for sale. It is an occasion where people get together, make friends and enjoy as well as exchange goods. The fair is being held for the past 235 years. At this time trade takes place and is at a peak. At night, folk dances, music and bonfires are the attractions of this fair, and also “Faag Mela” (Holi fair) is somewhat different from the rest of the Holi played in other parts of India. Here songs, dances, plays, matches are the main attraction. This is three-day long events start from the day of holi celebration.

Rampur is connected by regular Bus/Taxi services. The nearest Railhead (130 km) & Air (152 km) are at Shimla. Rampur can be approached from Rohru via Sungri ( 80 km ) and from Kullu via Jalori pass ( 190 Km).

In winter, the temperature can drop below freezing point when heavy woolens are required. In summer the temperature is warm but pleasant.

There are number of Himachali dishes which, those who live outside Himachal miss most of the time. There are so many dishes like 'Mah ki dal ke pakode' (Bada), Patrodu (Patode)-made of Leaves stuffed with Paste made of Mah ki dal etc, Poldu, Chiltu, Sigdi etc.

Hindi is the state language but mostly people speak in Pahari. Communities and cultures have intermingled in Himachal. Most of people in Rampur Bushahr are Hindu. The crime rate is very low. There faiths are simple, beliefs ancient and myths difficult to through. A birth, a fair, a marriage, a festival all provides them opportunity for song and dance. Their has been relatively a closed society. They believe that all their act whether good or bad are recorded in heaven and shall eventually decide their next birth.

Ninety percent population of Rampur Bushahr are engaged in agriculture and people are very hardworking. The people of Rampur Bushahr love colour. Their dress patterns follow the local climate. They wear grass or leather boots. Their caps indicate the region they come from.

Famous Places:

RAMPUR TOWN (924m): There are many places for sight-seeing. It is old Hindu and Buddhist Shrines include the Ragunath Temple, the Ayodhya Temple, the Narsingh Temple and Dumgir Budh Temple which has a large prayer wheel and hold important scriptures. In an interesting colonial and traditional styles, the Padam Palace is one of Rampur's major attractions.

DUTT NAGAR (970m): 12 km ancient village on the left bank of Sutlej which derived its name from the ancient temple of god Daattatraya.

NIRATH (950m): 18 km famous for ancient and unique "Sun Temple" of Nirath.

SRAHAN (1020): 34 km famous for ancient and unique Bhimakali Temple.