At a glance In the north-west corner of Himachal, 49 km north-east of Dalhousie
About the city Chamba provides a sharp contrast to Dalhousie, the colonial resort of rich Lahorians and the British, because of its uninterrupted ancient heritage and customs. However, over the years the influx of plains people has changed both the topography and ethnographic profile of this ancient Rajput capital. Its famed temples, stripped of their intricate wood-carved edifices first by the British and then by the Archaeological Survey of India, are mere shadows of their former selves. The growing town has also extracted its pound of flesh, crowding the temples into a maze of bylanes.
How to reach Road: Car - This is much too long a drive for a weekend, but if you must, drive to Pathankot via Jallandhar on NH1. Chamba is 127 km away via Banikhet En route halts Sagar Ratna near the Karnal Bypass, Haveli near Jallandhar Rail: Nearest railhead: Chakki Bank (118 km/ 3 hrs) Best option TO Jammu Express (dep: Old Delhi 10.40 pm; arr: Chakki Bank 6.53 am). Cab to Chamba costs Rs 1,500 Best option FROM Jammu-Delhi Express (dep: Chakki Bank 8 pm; arr: Old Delhi 4.20 am) Journey Time Road: 14 hrs Rail: 8 hrs + road 3 hrs
Distances 623 km North from Delhi From Delhi NH1 to Jallandhar via Ambala and Ludhiana NH1A to Pathankot State roads to Chamba via Dalhousie and Khajjiar
Best Seasons Best from April to October
Places in and around The beauty of Chamba's ancient shrines, its iconography and seeming agelessness is enough to make you feel like a pygmy. Standing tall, the gods stare at you squarely with a dancing Buddha-like smile playing on their lips. Most of the temples bear erotic panels on the outer walls. Of the lot, the Lakshmi Narayan Temple complex is the largest and, according to some, the oldest. Most of the temples are dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu. The Gauri Shankar Temple, facing the entrance to the complex, dates back to the 11th century. Iron grills and innumerable pieces of cloth camouflage the deity, making it impossible to decipher how the statue is actually carved. For cross-reference, visit the nearby Bhuri Singh Museum, featuring black-and-white photographs of the idols. North-east of Lakshmi Narayan is the Brajeshwari Devi Temple. Built in the shikhara-style like most Chamba temples, it is topped by golden pots and spirals said to have been added in defiance of Aurangzeb's edict ordering temples to be demolished. Another interesting temple is Bansi Gopal Temple (also referred to as Radha Krishan), where you can view a number of stone panels rescued from temples that have ceased to exist, or from various excavations conducted in and around Chamba. Next to the colonial fire station is the 11th century Hariraya Temple, dedicated to Vishnu. The temple's idol was stolen in the 1970s, then miraculously recovered from the Bombay Docks. The episode was even featured in a Bollywood flick. A steep, 1-km trek from the bus stand (by road or stairway) is Chamunda Devi Temple, from where you can view all of Chamba town. The wooden temple with intricately carved pillars, roof and beams was built by Raja Sahil Varman, the town's founder. If you look closely you can spot male and female deities, rishi gandharvas, demons and flying figures of birds and animals carved on its structure. Sadly, though it's a protected monument, the temple appears to be rotting.