Champavati Temple, Chamba – The Temple

Champavati Temple, Chamba – The Temple

This temple is facing towards south. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala and mandapa. The mandapa is a wooden structure and is of 19^th century CE addition to the temple. The antrala has two sixteen cornered pillars with a trefoliated pediment showing three faces of Lord Shiva on its four projections. The brackets are carved with flying ganas. The lintel above the brackets shows a group of navagrahas. Carvings of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna can be seen at the base of the doorjamb.

The dedicatory block of the lintel of the sanctum doorway has the image of Ganesha. The sanctum is square on plan. The sanctum enshrines a black stone image of goddess Champavati / Mahisasuramardini. The idol measures 70 cm in height. She is six armed and shown on tiger with a triple pointed crown. The arched stone has two miniature sikhara shrines on either side. The arched portion has the carvings of Ganesha, Vishnu along with Lakshmi and Shiva with Gauri.

The bhadra niches enshrines Durga in the west and Mahishasura Mardini in the north while the eastern niche is empty. The shikara over the sanctum is of nine tiers each marked by the corner amalakas. The shikara is surmounted by an amalaka, kalasa and chhatri, Two umbrella type canopy have been provided above and beneath the amalaka. The exterior is decorated with reliefs of miniature nagara temples, geometric patterns and floral motifs. Shrines of Vasuki Naga and Wazir can also be found in the temple premises.