| Chamba
56 kms from Dalhousie and 120kms from
Pathankot, Chamba is famous for its historical, traditional and natural beauty. The story
goes that in 1920 King Sahil Verma founded this place for his daughter
Champavathy. Chamba
lies on the banks of river Ravi, and is also known as the Valley of Milk and Honey. The
temples here have exquisite carvings. 3 mountains- Dhauladhar, Peerpanjal and Laskar
surround Chamba. Spring time brings the 'Minjar ' fair and in April, the
'Suhi'
fair.
The tribals, Gaddi and Pangwal also live in the
mountains. Their lifestyle is totally different from the people of Chamba. Even their
clothes and languages are different. But the original inhabitants of Chamba are these
tribals and
therefore Chamba is filled with various cultures. Chamba's rivers and streams, waterfalls
and meadows, forests and mountains are scattered far and wide. On every turn
you see a new
picture. The museums and ancient temples have tourist's visiting them from all over the world.
The Vishnu and Shiv temples built beside's each other near the palace are a wonder in
themselves. Some of the temples were made in the 10th century.
Many of the valleys in Chamba can be visited
by foot.
Some of the valleys reach Kashmir. The area attached to Pangi and Chamba are
filled with dense
forests. Bharmaur is 1981 mts
above sea level and Pangi is 2438 mts above sea level. Pangi is also called the Valley of
the river Chenab. Kilad in the Peerpanjal mountains, is an area that is difficult to reach. It is 137 kms from Chamba and 4447 mts to 6432 mts above sea
level.
Places of
Interest:
Bharmaur:
This is where you find the Gaddi tribals. This place is always covered with snow. In
winter these tribals take their sheep and goat by their well-known paths to Kangra, Mandi,
Bilaspur and Chamba where they can graze their animals. Once the winters are over they
return to Bharmaur. A temple from the seventh century and other old temples are worth visiting.
To go from here to Hudsar, mini buses and taxis are available. From Hudsar to Manimahesh
is a 14.5-km walk. In the old days Bharmaur was the capital of Chamba. Some temples
worth visiting are the Ganesh, Manimahesh and Narsingh. This place is 65 kms from Chamba.
Bhurisingh Museum: This
museum houses Chamba's sculpture and other local art. The paintings have been preserved
along with their crafts. This museum is closed on Mondays and open on all other days from
10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Sarol:
Sarol is 11 kms from Chamba by bus and 3.5 kms by foot, Sarol is a picnic spot. Its highlight is
the beautiful garden.
Manimahesh Lake:
The Manimahesh Tour is an old tradition attached to Chamba. The lake here has a magical
silence and at 3950 mts height it is seperated from Bharmaur by a distance of 35 kms. It is
80 kms from Chamba. Every year thousands of tourist come here during the month of
September and October to bathe in this lake on the 15th day of Janmashtami.
On this day a huge fair is held. This is considered one of the pilgrim
spots. At this time the water here is ice cold. One can also make arrangements to stay
here if prior reservations are made. The Manimahesh Peak is 5575 mts above sea level.
Shakti Devi temple:
40 kms from Chamba this temple was constructed in the 8th century. The idol of the Goddess
here is made of brass, in the Kashmiri style.
Lakshmi Narayan
Temple: Chamba is the town of temples. This ancient temple has
statues of Shiv and Vishnu made in the 8th and 9th centuries.
Pangi Valley:
176 kms from Chamba this valley is excellent for mountain climbing and trekking. This
valley has no greenery but tourists are attracted to its rocky climb. River
Chandrabhaga enhances its beauty.
Shopping:
The Honey of Chamba is very famous. Apart from this, shawls, embroidered handkerchiefs,
leather items like slippers can be purchased.
Temperatures:
| Climate |
Max. |
Min. |
| Summer |
39° |
8° |
| Winter |
10° |
1° |
Clothings:
Cottons in summer and heavy woollens clothings in winter.
Distances from
cities and towns:
CITIES |
KMS |
| Delhi |
580 |
| Kangra |
180 |
| Shimla |
422 |
| Dharmasala |
180 |
| Mandi |
334 |
| Pathankot |
120 |
| Manakli |
470 |
| Haridhwar |
610 |
| Dalhousie |
150 |
| Jammu |
245 |
| Amritsar |
245 |
Other
tourist information:
To move in and around Chamba, tourist taxis and jeeps
are available. These taxis can be booked at a local office which is at Hotel
Irawati.
Apart from this, there is a taxi stand near the Bank of India. Buses and mini buses also
are available with the tourist office. For more infomation call phone 2010 or 2210.
Restaurants:
There are many restaurants and also roadside dhabas, which serve north
Indian food. The State Tourist Department also has many restaurants priced
reasonably.
Travel
plans:
Air: The closest airports are Jammu and Amritsar. From there
one can take a buse or a taxi.
Rail:
The closest railway station is Pathankot, which is 120 kms away.
Road:
From any city of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal
Pradesh one can avail Buses or taxis.
Tourist
Season: April to mid July and mid September to
December.
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