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Chamba
is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh,
India. Chamba town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River at its confluence
with the Sal River; the Ravi river is a major tributary of the Trans-Himalayan
Indus River. The hub of all activity in Chamba town is the Chaugan, a fine
grassy sward, about 800 metres (2,600 ft) long and 80 metres (260 ft) wide.
Every year, a fair known as the Minjar fair is held here, in the month of
August. The town has a large number of monuments (temples, palaces etc) of
various vintage.
From Chamba one can
approach Bharmour, the ancient Pahari capital ruled by Raja Sahil Verma, before
he shifted it to Chamba at the specific request of his daughter Champavati;
warmer climate and easy access to drinking water and food were also reasons
attributed to this shifting.
There is a good network
of roads that connect Chamba to the rest of the country through Shimla, Delhi
and Chandigarh along several routes. The road distances to important
destinations are:
From Chamba to:
Delhi-600 kilometres (370 mi), Amritsar-245 kilometres (152 mi), Kangra-180 kilometres
(110 mi), Pathankot-120 kilometres (75 mi), Shimla-422 kilometres (262 mi),
Manali-470 kilometres (290 mi), Mandi- 334 kilometres (208 mi), Jammu-229 kilometres
(142 mi), Dharamshala-180 kilometres (110 mi), Dalhousie-56 kilometres (35 mi),
and Khajjiar-30 kilometres (19 mi).
The nearest airport
is at Gaggal (180 kilometres (110 mi)) in Kangra district and Dharamshala (180 kilometres
(110 mi)), which is connected to Delhi.
The nearest broad
gauge railway stations are at Chakki Bank and Pathankot, which are – km and 120 kilometres
(75 mi)away by road.
Nearest Airport is at
Pathankot in Punjab which is 120 km from Chamba.
Monuments around
Chamba
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Lakshmi Narayan group of temples
This Vaishnavite group
of temples consists of the main Lakshmi Narayan temple built in the tenth
century by Raja Sahil Verman. It has been built to suit the local climatic
conditions with wooden chatries and has a shikara, a sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha)
with an antarala and a mantapa. A metallic image of Garuda, the vahana
(conveyance) of Vishnu is installed on the dwajastamba (pillar at the
main gate of the temple). In 1678, Raja Chhatra Singh added gold plated
pinnacles on the temple roof, as a riposte to Auranagzeb, who had ordered
demolition of this temple.
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Champavati temple
This temple was built by
Raja Sahil Varman in memory of his daughter Champavati. The temple is in
Shikhara style with intricate stone carvings with a wheel roof. It is as large
as the Laxmi Narayan Temple. There is a legend, as narrated earlier, linked to
the building of this temple.
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Chamunda Devi temple
It is commandingly
located on the spur of Shah Madar range of hills, opposite to the Chamba town.
It was built by Raja Umed Singh (dated between 1748 and 1764 AD). It is the only
wooden temple with gabled roof (single storied) in Chamba, while all others in
the town are said to be stone temples built in the north Indian Nagara
architectural style. In the past, access to the temple was through a stone paved
steep path laid with 378 steps, but it is now approached by a motorable road (3 kilometres
(3,000 m). The temple, a trabeated structure, built on a high raised plinth,
buttressed on all four sides, has a rectangular layout on the outside. The
details of the temple structure are: Outer layout - 9.22 metres (30.2 ft)x6 metres
(20 ft), inner square sanctum – 3.55 metres (11.6 ft)x3.55 metres (11.6 ft) with
a parikrama path (circumambulatory path) of 1.67 metres (5.5 ft) all round it.
There is a mandap in the foreground of the temple of5.1 metres (17 ft)x6 metres
(20 ft) size with an agni-kund or fire pit in the centre, gable roof covered
with slates. The mandapa has lovely carvings in wood in its multi paneled
ceiling and depicts carvings of human figures on the pillars and brackets.
Votive bells provided in the mandap entrance, dated April 2, 1762, has a Nagari
inscription, which records it as the offering from Pandit Vidhadhara to goddess
Chamunda deified in the temple; this date has been inferred as the date when the
temple was consecrated.
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Akhand Chandi palace
It was built by Raja
Umed Singh between 1748 and 1764 as his residence. Raja Sham Singh got it
refurbished with the assistance of British engineers. In 1879, the Darbar Hall
(named as 'Marshal Hall' after the builder Capt. Marshal) was built. Raja Bhuri
Singh added the Zanana Mehal. Mughal and British architectural influence are
also seen in later additions to the palace. But, in 1958, the Royal family of
Chamba sold the Palace to the Government of Himachal Pradesh who in turn
converted it in to a Government College and District Library. Maintaining the
attractive palace, which has painted walls and glass work, ceiling, intricate
woodwork, has not been satisfactory in view of lack of fund allocation for the
purpose, by the Government. The palace provides a very imposing view of the
Chaugan, Laxmi Narayana Temple, Sui Mata, Chamunda Devi Temple, Rang Mehal, Hari
Rai Temple and Bansi Gopal Temple.
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Monuments built after 1846
Many temples, gates,
bridges, gardens, churches and colonial buildings have been built in this
period. These are: temples in the Jansali Bazar, Gandhi Gate (Curzon Gate)
(early twentieth century), Shiva temple, Vajreshwari temple (eleventh century),
the Chaugans (level fields for parade, polo) (late nineteenth – early twentieth
century), the Police Lines (late nineteenth – early twentieth century), the
Church (late nineteenth – early twentieth century), the Shyam Singh hospital
(late nineteenth – early twentieth century), Library (late nineteenth – early
twentieth century), the Old Suspension Bridge (late nineteenth – early twentieth
century) and the Administrative Buildings of the British period (late nineteenth
– early twentieth century).
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Chaugan
The Chaugan (a Sanskrit
word meaning: “four sided”), considered exceptional for a hill station, is a
terraced grassy flat ground with dimensions of 800 metres (2,600 ft) length and
80 metres (260 ft) width. In 1890, the British converted five small chaugans to
a single chaugan for use as an esplanade and sports complex. It is the nucleus
of all activity in Chamba as it is surrounded by impressive administrative
buildings and shopping arcade built during the British period, in the backdrop
of the old Akhand Chandi palace. During the annual ‘Minjar Mela’ or fair the
entire ground becomes a flea market. To maintain the cleanliness and beauty of
the place, after the Dussera festival, the grounds are closed to the public till
April, for maintenance.
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Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland,
a Presbyterian Church, known as 'St Andrew’s Church' was established by the
first missionary, the Rev. William Ferqueen in Chamba while he was serving there
between 1863 and 1873. The foundation stone was laid by the Raja of Chamba for
building the New Church, on 17 February 1899, in the presence of reverend Dr.
M’Clymont who had come from Scotland. The Raja also gave a generous grant to
build the church. It is exquisitely built in fine stone masonry. The walls are
supported by buttresses. Lancer arch windows provide the light and ventilation.
Several schools are run by the Mission located within the church precincts.
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