About Chamba

Chamba, located in the northwestern part of Himachal Pradesh, was once the capital of an ancient kingdom. Today, it is the administrative headquarters of a district of the same name. The town is also a popular tourist destination. Visitors come to this hill station not only for its scenic beauty, but also for its rich historical heritage.

Geography of Chamba

Chamba is located at the confluence of River Ravi and River Sal at the geographic coordinate of 32.57° North latitude and 76.13° East longitude. It is situated in the Sub Himalayan range of mountains at the elevation of 996 meter, which is 3268 feet.

Chamba town is rather elongated in shape. While the Shah Madar Hill forms the backdrop on its eastern side, River Ravi flows by its western end. The temperature in summer varies between 38 °C and 15 °C and in winter between 0°C and 15°C. The average annual rainfall is 785.84 mm. the period between March and June has the best weather condition. Read More................

History of Chamba

Chamba was established in 920 AD by Raja Sahil Varman as the capital of his kingdom. He named it Champavati after his beloved daughter; but later the name was corrupted to become Chamba.

May be because of the geographical position of the city, Chamba has not witnessed any major invasion during its one thousand years’ of history.  Even when Maharaja Ranjit Singh ji took control over neighboring Kangra Chamba was left intact. Situation changed when the Sikhs were defeated by the British. In 1862, Chamba had to accept suzerainty under the British against an annuity of twelve thousand rupees. Finally on 15th April 1948, the state merged into independent India along with other princely states of the area to form the state of Himachal Pradesh. Read More.............

Economy of Chamba

There is no large or medium scale industry in the entire Chamba district. The economy of this region mainly depends on agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fishery and forestry. Small and cottage industries also play their part.

In areas around Chamba town, farmers are now growing different kinds of cash crops like vegetables and fruits. People of the town earn their living mainly through trade and commerce. Many of them are also salaried persons doing various jobs in different governmental and private establishments. Tourism is another important aspect of the economy of the town. Chamba not only offers amazing scenic beauty, but also houses many ancient temples and other architectures. Read More..................

Tourist Places in Chamba

Although the town is not as popular as Dalhousie, there are many places of tourist interest in Chamba. With Shah Madar Hill on one side and fast flowing River Ravi on the other, the town itself provide awe inspiring scenic beauty. In addition, it has many ancient places of worship like Champavati Temple, Chamunda Devi Temple, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Bani Mata Temple, Hari Rai Temple etc. Besides, there are other monuments like Akhand Chandi Palace, Rang Mahal, Bhuri Singh Museum, Curzon (Gandhi) Gate, Church of Scotland etc. The Chaugan, which served as an esplanade during British period, is also another place to visit. Read More...................

How to Reach Chamba

Not long ago Chamba was cut off from rest of the world by high hills and swift flowing rivers. It was truly difficult to reach the town from anywhere. Today however, the scenario has changed drastically. Good roads connect the city not only to different parts of Himachal Pradesh, but also to rest of India.

While Pathankot is the nearest railhead Gaggal near Kangra is the closest airport to Chamba. Therefore, people wishing to visit the town must first either reach Pathankot or Gaggal and then proceed by road transport system to Chamba. The main Bus Stand in Chamba is located near the Chougan. Buses for different cities leave from this stand. Read More...................

Facts about Chamba

District: Chamba
State: Himachal Pradesh
Elevation: 996 meter (3268 feet)
Geographical Coordinates: 32.57° N 76.13° E
Pin Code: 176310
STD Code: 01899
Assembly Constituency: Chamba
Parliamentary Constituency: Kangra