Champavati Temple, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Champavati Temple, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Champavati Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to goddess Champavati located in Chamba Town in Chamba Tehsil in Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh, India. The temple is situated behind the State Bank of India in Chamba Town close to the Police Post and the Treasury building. Chamba is located at an altitude of 1,006 metres (3,301 feet) above mean sea level. Chamba is situated on the banks of the Ravi River (a major tributary of the Trans-Himalayan Indus River), at its confluence with the Sal River.

Legends

As per legend, Champavati, the daughter of King Sahil Varman, was a religious person and used to visit temples and ashrams of Sadhus regularly. Once, the king got suspicious of her actions and followed her secretly to an ashram with a dagger in his cloak. He entered the ashram and found no one inside. Both sadhu and his daughter had vanished. When was about to return to the palace from the ashram, a divine voice informed him that his daughter had been taken away from him as a punishment of his suspicion. The voice had also asked him to build a temple, in memory of his daughter Champavati, if he wanted to avoid future disasters on his kingdom. The king ordered the construction of the Champavati Temple.

History

This temple was built by King Sahil Varman of Chamba State in memory of his daughter Champavati in 10^th century CE. This temple is the third and last monument in Chamba erected by King Sahil Varman. The other temples erected by him in Chamba are Laxmi Narayana Temple and Chandragupta Temple. King Sahil Varman is believed to be the founder of modern Chamba in 920 CE.

It is said that Champavati influenced her father to set-up the Chamba city at the present location. It was customary till recently for the ruling chief of Chamba to make a daily visit to certain temples in fixed rotation during the mela. He should start his visit from this temple and ends the visit at this temple. This temple is protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/03/champavati-temple-chamba-temple.html

Festivals

Navaratri is the famous festival celebrated here in the month of Chaitra (Mar-Apr) and Sharad (Sep-Nov). Fairs are held during these months every year.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 500 metres from Chamba Old Bus Stand and 1 Km from Chamba New Bus Stand. Chamba is located at about 43 Kms from Dalhousie, 45 Kms from Banikhet, 60 Kms from Bharmour, 83 Kms from Nurpur Road Railway Station, 103 Kms from Pathankot, 103 Kms from Pathankot Junction Railway Station, 108 Kms from Pathankot Airport, 116 Kms from Kangra Airport, 127 Kms from Kangra and 129 Kms from Dharamshala. Chamba is situated on Pathankot to Bharmour route (NH – 154A).

Location