Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

the inner Himalayas. Chamba is situated at a height of 996 meters above sea level on the south banks of the Ravi river. Chamba, the ancient Pahari capital was founded in 920 AD by Raja Sahil Verma, when he conquered the lower Rani valley from the petty chiefs called Ranas and Thakurs in the beginning of 10th century. He named this place after his favorite daughter Champavati. Chamba is bounded in the north-west by Jammu and Kashmir, in the north-east and east by Ladakh, in the south-east and south by Lahaul, Bara-Banga, Kangra and Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. Chamba's serene beauty makes it the ideal holiday retreat among various tourists and nature lovers. The various other adjoining places in Chamba also offers immense scope for the leisure activities to various visitors.

History of Chamba
Chamba was founded not later than 600 AD and perhaps as early as 550 AD. It was also believed that this area was inhabited by certain Kolian tribes, who were later, conquered by the Khasas who further were ruled by the Audumbaras. From the 4th century AD, Chamba was controlled by Thakurs and Ranas. With the rise of Gurjara Pratiharas (7th century AD) the Rajput Dynasties came to power. In 500 AD, a legendry hero called Maru migrated to north-west from Kalpagrama and founded Brahamputra in the valley of the Budhal river. His successors continued to rule from that capital city for over three hundred years until Raja Sahil Varman shifted his capital from Brahamputra to the more centrally located plateau in the lower Ravi valley. He conquered the lower Rani valley from the petty chiefs called Ranas and Thakurs in the beginning of 10th century and named this place after his favorite daughter Champavati. It seems that the original name of the town was Champa as mentioned in Kalhan's Rajtarangani. In the Bansauli or genealogical rolls of the Chamba Rajas, a reference occurs of place which was adorned with highly fragrant Champaka trees and guarded by Goddess Champavati or more popularly known as Chameshni. Later, the temple was built by Sahil Varman in the honour of his daughter Champavati who is worshipped as a goddess in Chamba. Champavati temple became the family temple of the ruling family.

Climate of Chamba
The climate of Chamba is temperate with well defined seasons. However, there may be variations because of micro-climatic systems depending upon altitude and mountains. The winters last from December to February. March and April generally remain cool and dry but snowfall occurs at higher elevations during these months. The temperature begins to rise rapidly from the middle of April till last week of June or first week of July when monsoon breaks-in. Monsoon continues till the end of August or mid September. During the monsoon, the weather remains misty, humid and cloudy. October and November are comparatively dry but cold. The maximum temperature in Chamba town in summers is 38°C and the minimum in winter is 0°C.

Best Season to Visit Chamba
The best time to visit Chamba is between the month of April to October. As, during this time the climate is neither too hot nor too cold. For the adventure lovers the suitable month to visit Chamba is from November to March as the mountains during this time are covered by snow and they can easily undertake winter trekking and reach the villages easily on the foot. It is advisable to carry the woolens during winters.

Crafts of Chamba
The main craft item of Chamba is the Chamba Rumal, known for its unique embroidery style. The Chamba 'Rumal' or handkerchief is about 2 to 6 feet in length. This embroidery done on the handkerchief is also known as 'Kashida'. In the embroidery the double satin stitch and the stem stitch are used with the silk thread. This embroidery was earlier practiced in the Chamba, Bilaspur, Nurpur, Kangra, Basholi regions of Himachal Pradesh. The rumals are not only known for their rich aesthetic effect but also for the significant subject matter.

Tourist Attractions in Chamba
The main tourist attraction in Chamba are the temples. The Lakshmi Narayan temple is the main temple of Chamba which is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu. To the north of the palace at Chamba, there is a group of six stone Sikhara temples arranged in a row from north to south. Close to the royal palace at Chamba, there is a stone Shikhara temple dedicated to Goddess Champavati. The main temples of Lakshmi Devi, Ganesh and Manimahesh and Nar Singh are known as Chaurashi temples. Bhuri Singh Museum was opened on 14th September 1908 and was named after Raja Bhuri Singh. More...

How to reach Chamba
By Air:
The nearest airport is located at Gaggal, about 10 kms away from Kangra town on the Pathankot-Manali highway.

By Rail:
The nearest railway station is located at Pathankot, about 80 kms. Pathankot is connected with Jammu, Delhi, Calcutta and Mumbai.

By Road:
Chamba is connected to various important cities like Delhi, Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Jammu and various other cities. Chamba is about 56 kms from Dalhousie. The distance is reduced by 6 kms. via Upper Barkota and Khajjiar road.