The Lakshmi Narayan Temple complex is the main spiritual heart of Chamba town – a row of six tall stone temples dedicated primarily to Vishnu (as Lakshmi Narayan) and Shiva, surrounded by several smaller shrines. The dark shikhara towers rise above the roofs, and the main gateway is marked by a metal image of Garuda, vehicle of Vishnu. Within the courtyard, priests perform aartis, devotees offer flowers and bells echo against the stone walls. The architecture uses the North Indian Nagara style adapted to mountain climate, with wooden chhatris and special roofs to shed snow. For pilgrims and tourists, this complex is the clearest symbol of Chamba’s religious and artistic identity.
About this place
History & highlights
The main Lakshmi Narayan temple was built in the 10th century CE by Raja Sahil Varman, the same ruler who shifted his capital to Chamba. Over time, later rajas added more temples and shrines, creating the present line of six major towers. The temples have remained continuously active, with land grants from medieval kings still respected under modern law. In 1678, Raja Chhatra Singh famously plated the roof pinnacles with gold, partly as a reply to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s order to demolish the shrine – a story that shows how strongly the Chamba rulers defended their sacred centre. Even today major town rituals, from Minjar processions to royal-memory ceremonies, revolve around this complex, making it not just an archaeological monument but a living link between a 1,000-year-old kingdom and present-day Chamba.
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