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Himachal Pradesh

Chamba – where 10th century traditions survive!

By: Let's Go Sightseeing!
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It was the summer of 2018. As the heat of the north Indian plains began to get to us, we longed for a mountainous escape. Why not go a little farther this time? Why not do something adventurous this time? And thus was born the plan to do a nine – day road trip to Himachal Pradesh.

Our itinerary looked something like this: NCR – Sirhind – Dalhousie – Bharmour – Chamba – Ludhiana – NCR. It turned out to be an incredible trip with a few of our firsts and some great memories that we can’t stop talking about even today.

There was an additional reason – the Himachali folk song Chamba Kitni Duur, popularised by Harshdeep Kaur and by Mohit Chauhan, was one of our favourites. The song spoke of longing and love. How far is Chamba for that is where my beloved lives?

Without ever having visited Chamba, we still felt a connection to this Himachali town. Like a part of us was already there. You could say that we had, what is called, fernweh for Chamba! Anyway, enough of the romanticism!

While all the destinations on this road trip were sublime and unique, today I wish to write specifically about Chamba – the town located on the River Ravi, one of the five great rivers of the Punjab. It is bound by the Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges, giving it a handsome look.

Chamba was historically a kingdom of multiple dynasties, the last one being the Maru dynasty. It then was under British suzerainty after which it merged with the Indian Union in 1948. Being an old city, being a part of multiple dynasties and still having been free of interferences & invasions, Chamba has a lot of its art, culture, customs and heritage intact.

Our first time at Chamba was when we were travelling from Dalhousie to Bharmour. We crossed the town around lunch time and made a stop at HPTDC The Iravati. After an extremely thrilling stay at Bharmour, we returned to Chamba a couple of days later.

Let me write about the noteworthy aspects of our Chamba sojourn –

Rajma Madra

Rajma Madra is a Himachali dish that features regularly in a dham (the Himachali equivalent of a thali). It is made of kidney beans in a yogurt – based curry. It is made without garlic and onion. The use of clarified butter in the curry imparts a divine aroma and taste to it.

We have had this dish at multiple places but the one we had at The Iravati was, hands down, the best!

River Ravi

One of the highlights of this road trip was driving along the Ravi for many kilometres. Multiple waterfalls in the higher reaches tumbled down to merge with this river. At the peak of summer, it had a slate colour and yet, an astounding reflective surface.

Between the Chaugan and the River Ravi is a narrow promenade where HPTDC runs a café called Café Ravi View. It had a compelling setting with outdoor seating. I remember admiring the attractiveness of the Ravi, while sipping my evening tea.

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Chaugan

The Iravati was situated right in front of the Chaugan. The latter is a large patch of flat ground right in the centre of Chamba, flanked on one side by the Ravi. In the days of yore, it was a meadow but was soon converted into a public ground.

The Chaugan is where the annual Minjar Mela takes place – an extravaganza of sports and cultural programmes. When we visited, even when there was no fair or public spectacle happening here, it was clear that it was the heart of the town and the hub of all activities.

Locals – families, couples, boys playing cricket, office folks taking a break – lounged around the Chaugan, enjoying the pleasant summer evening. Hawkers of balloons, snacks and toys tried to get their attention.

We too entered the Chaugan to feel a part of this critical element of Chamba.

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Our breath, however, was completely taken away by the Blue Jacaranda trees planted at the circumference of the ground. Its blue – lavender coloured leaves, both on the trees and strewn on the ground, provided a comely contrast to the grey sky and the green grass respectively.

We then stepped out and began a stroll around the Chaugan. The lanes were narrow; thus, walking was the best way to explore. It is surrounded by administrative buildings as well as a shopping street. Having walked to our hearts’ content, we ascended a slope of lanes, through the market, to get to the Laxminarayan Group of Temples.

Laxminarayan Group of Temples

A temple is always a stone’s throw away in the Chamba District. We got a chance to visit one – the Laxminarayan Group of Temples. All the heritage monuments (including the temples) are located east of the Chaugan, on the Shah Madar hill slope.

The Laxminarayan Temples are architectural sensations and historical wonders. They go all the way back to the 10th century. They have wooden chhatris and shell roofs to protect against snowfall. The carvings on the stone walls (divine motifs and deities’ images) and the gilded pinnacles are worth gaping at!

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The complex has six temples in a row. We moved from shrine to shrine – Laxminarayan, Shiva, Gauri Shankar, Radha Krishna – bowing our heads but also gazing at the architecture wondrously. A light drizzle had kept us constant company because of which, I guess, the temple had only a few devotees.

The Chamba Tribes

We stayed at a 100-year-old mud house of a Gujjar nomad a little on the outskirts of Chamba. Gujjar and Gaddi are the original tribes of Chamba and still live agricultural, herdsmen lives. They shared a lot about their culture, food habits, and history & development of civilization of many local tribes & people.

It is said that experiences change people. We certainly changed after seeing a rural household in its original setting - men going to work; women tending to the farm, livestock & kitchen; women not talking to us 'outsiders' directly but only through the men & yet not leaving any stone un- turned in service; the boy child going to an English medium school while his sisters go to a Hindi medium one etc.

Our Gujjar hosts served us dinner in their kitchen where the entire family sat but only we ate, being their respected guests. We were floored with their warm hospitality.

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Chamba Slippers

To be honest, we did not know about the Chamba Slippers, or better known as Chamba Chappals, till we ventured into this region. This is the traditional footwear that was originally made from locally produced leather. However, today, the leather is transported from South India.

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The Chamba Chappals are handmade and range usually from light brown to dark brown to black in colour. Their origin goes back, again, to the 10th century. When Raja Sahil Varman got married to the Nurpur princess, the cobblers came to Chamba as part of her dowry; since then, their Chamba Chappals became a highlight of this region.

I bought a pair of Chamba Chappals – tan with multicoloured floral embroidery on it. Even after six years, I use them because they continue to be in good condition, such is their superior quality.

There is a lot more to do, experience and see in Chamba. I hope to return soon to explore more of this town still keeping its history and heritage alive.

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