Chamba
Introduction and Histroy :The quintessential town of Chamba is located on the banks of river Ravi, north-western part of Himachal Pradesh in India. Chamba blossomed as the ancient capital of the Pahari Rajas. It was named after King Sahil Varman’s daughter Champavati who is also a patron deity of this place. Steeped in nearly 1000 years of rich history and with beautiful intricately carved temples standing as a testament to the past glory, the town has a lot to offer for pilgrims and sightseers alike. The temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu and exhibit Shikhara style architecture. But what really sets the hill station Chamba apart is the fact that it isn’t quite tourist-thronged as the other hill stations. As every other town in the bosom of Himachal Pradesh, Chamba is covered with lush deciduous forests, sprinkling waterfalls and sprawling green town squares (Chowgan) with a wide variety of flora and fauna to boast about.
What To See :Akhand Chandi Palace, Bhuri Singh Museum that hosts a wide variety of ancient and traditional Chamba artifacts. The Hari Rai and Lakshmi Narayan temples dating back to the 10th century are wonderfully ornate in architecture. Chamunda Devi temple and many others with a unique story are also worth visiting. Also visit the 100 years old Church here. Dayanand Math founded by Swami Sarvanand Maharaja of Punjab is a spiritual place to visit.Visit the sacred Manimahesh Lake where thousands have a holy dip around Janamashtami. April to September is the best time to visit.
Things to do : Chamba is definitely a trekking paradise. One can go trekking from Chamba through Bhaderwah to Kashmir, through the Sach Pass into Pangi Valley and to other peaks in the Dhauladhar, Peerpanjal and Lashkar mountain ranges. World famed Chamba rumals embroidery and chappal along with exquisite pahari paintings make shopping an enriching experience.
Accomodations :Various low and medium budget hotels are available with prices ranging between 500 and 2000 rupees per day. Besides, hill resorts and spas are fast becoming popular. Also Himachal Tourism and Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam have deluxe rooms in town.
Mode Of Transport :The nearest airport is at Kangra (180 Kilometers) from where there are regular flights to Delhi and Shimla. The nearest railway station is at Pathankot (122 Kilometers) which in turns, is connected with Jammu, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. Dalhousie is 50 Kilometers away. Chamba is also well connected to many other major cities and there are regular buses to many cities like Pathankot, Delhi, Dharamshala, Chandigarh, Jammu etc. Within Chamba, travelers can hire taxis or choose to travel in buses and minibuses.
Related links:• Official website: http://www.hpchamba.nic.in
See also (Nearby places): Dalhousie, Khajjiar, Banikhet and Shimla.
