Editorial: Scandal Point in Darkness—Glowing Example of Official Irony
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Shimla, Oct 21 Ritanjali Hastir
If irony ever demanded a stage, it would find it right at Scandal Point, Shimla—the City’s most photographed, most talked-about, and perhaps now, most neglected landmark.
Once celebrated for its romantic legends and scandalous tales whispered through generations, this iconic junction—where history, gossip and the Queen of Hills meet—now stands cloaked in darkness. The grand old lamp post, with nearly eight bulb sockets, has been out cold for over a month. Once a beacon for strollers, tourists and selfie enthusiasts, it now serves as a silent monument to civic forgetfulness.
And here’s where the irony truly shines—or rather doesn’t. While the lamp post sulks in darkness, the authorities have gone overboard flooding the area with artificial brilliance. Extra floodlights have been installed to ‘highlight’ the Scandal Point and during the Diwali season, the surrounding walls and buildings too have been turned into dazzling spectacles. The Municipal Corporation, with its usual pre-festival zeal, has made sure the façades glow—just not the very lamp that symbolises the point itself.
Over the last month, the Mall Road has hosted an impressive guest list—from the Hon’ble Chief Minister and PWD Minister to the Deputy Commissioner, MC Commissioner and even members of the Gandhi family. Yet, amid all the ceremonial walks, media flashes and official smiles, the dark lamp post at Scandal Point has remained invisible—perhaps too ordinary to merit attention in a city obsessed with optics.
So, the question arises—what’s the ‘point’ of spending lakhs on decorative lighting if aesthetic common sense remains in short supply? Should civic pride rely solely on temporary glitz rather than sustained care? It seems that every corner of the city now needs a formal complaint before it can remember its duty to shine.
If this continues, perhaps it’s time to outsource even aesthetic awareness to private contractors—the same way basic amenities are being ‘managed’. After all, our civic custodians appear far too busy curating events and impressing dignitaries to notice what lies dimly beneath their spotlight.
Scandal Point without light is a metaphor in itself—a City so desperate to dazzle visitors that it forgets to illuminate its soul. Because truly, what is Scandal Point without a little scandal—while this one, glows brightest in the dark.
