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Chamba, the land
of antiquity, art, scenic and beauty, is a wonder in itself for
every visitor. Situated at the height of 996m above sea level on
the south bank of the Ravi River, the ancient Pahari capital was
founded in 920 A.D. by Raja Sahil Verma, who named it after his
favourite daughter Champavati.
Chamba valley is noted for the magnificence
of it's scenery - touching the fringe of the Shivaliks and
having three well - defined snowy ranges, the Dauladhar,
constituting the outer Himalayas, the Pir Panjal or the mid
Himalayas, and the Zanskar range or the inner Himalayas.
Chamba's scenic beauty makes it the ideal
holiday treat. The land of mystic serenity, enchanting vistas,
refreshing air, lofty mountain passes and slopes, provides ample
opportunities to nature lovers. The place and adjoining areas
have immense scope of leisure pursuits. The waters, hills,
plateaus and the snowline, which can be sighted from any of the
buildings and the main square, make a spectacle that can become
an inspiration for many painters and poets.
Attractions of Chamba
Kalatope Khajjiar Sanctuary
It's possible to trek 30-km from Dalhousie
to Chamba along the eastbound road from Gandhi Chowk. A short
but steep ascent leads to the Kalatope wildlife sanctuary, from
which one can walk into a pleasant track.
Chaurashi Temple
The main temples of Lakshmi Devi Temple,
Ganesh Temple and ManimaheshTemple and Nar Sing in Bharmour are
known as Chaurashi temples.
Champawati Temple
Close to the royal palace at Chamba, there
is a stone sikhara temple dedicated to Goddess Champavati.
Tradition holds that the town of Chamba was named after her.
Chamera Lake
In district Chamba, this is the reservoir of
the Chamba dam is built over the river Ravi, offering numerous
water sports facilities to the visitors.
Bhuri Singh Museum
Bhuri Singh Museum was opened on 14th
September 1908 and is named after Raja Bhuri Singh who ruled
Chamba from 1904 to 1919. This museum is very near to Chamba's
Chaugan.
Rang Mahal
In Chamba, situated the beautiful Rang Mahal
palace, which was built by Raja Umed Singh in the mid 18th
century. The palace walls here are lined with exquisite examples
of wall paintings in the Punjab Hills style, all of which depict
the life and times of Lord Krishna.
Lakshmi Narayan Temple
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. Three of these temples are dedicated to Vishnu
and three to Shiva. The northern most is that of the Lakshmi-
Narayana- the principal temple of Chamba.
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