Review Overview
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Summary : The original capital was at Bharmour but shifted to Chamba about 1000 years ago.
From AD 550 to Independence in 1947 the small hill state of Chamba was ruled by the same family. The original capital was at Bharmour but shifted to Chamba about 1000 years ago. Chamba is 53 km (33 miles) from Dalhousie and can be easily reached by car, bus or Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) tours.
It is worth visiting for its ancient temples and fine, although small, museum. The main temple complex, on the banks of the river has recently been restored by the Archaeological Survey of India. The large Lakshmi Narayan Temple and two others are dedicated to Vishnu, while the other three are dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Bhuri Singh Museum has a fine collection of 18th- and 19th-century miniatures from the local Pahari schools plus local stone carvings and brass images.
WHERE TO STAY
Himachal Tourism (HPTDC) runs the mid-range Hotel Geetanjali (tel 2136), with rooms from Rs150 to Rs350 and a Youth Hostel. The two better properties are the Khanna’s family-owned and run Hotel Aroma-N-Claire, Court Road, The Mall (tel 2199) and the new Grand View Hotel (tel 2123, 2623, 2194) in addition to which there are numerous budget hotels.
At Khajjiar, en route from Dalhousie to Chamba, is the Hotel Deodar with rooms from Rs250. Chamba has two HPTDC hot
els. The Hotel Iravati (tel 2671) with rooms Iron Rs175 to Rs400 is certainly better than the Champak with rooms at Rs75. Of the private hotels the Hotel Akhand Chandi, College Road (tel 2371) next to the palace, has great potential, if only it were better run.
EATING OUT
Neither Dalhousie nor Chamba have any great restaurants, and hotel food cooked to order is probably as good as any in the bazaar. Dalhousie has a Kwality at Gandhi howk with meals from about Rs35. The Snow Lion, a small Tibetan restaurant behind the cinema between the bus-stand and the Mall, serves reasonable Chinese food and some Tibetan dishes.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Tourist information is available from the Area Manager, HPTDC, Dalhousie (tel 2136).
