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Regarding
the structural and some other details of some of the temples at Chamba we quote from the
District Gazetteer of Chamba (1963) based on the researches of number of historians and
scholars like Vogel, Hutchison, Hermann Goetz, B. C. Chabra and others** --
"The chief temple of Chamba, that of Lakshmi Narayan, with its
image of white marble, was founded about the time of the introduction of Vishnuism in the
hills, but it is impossible to decide how far thepresent building represents the original
shrine. We know at least of one restoration by Raja Partap Singh.Two
copper-plateinscriptions issued by this ruler, in A. D. 1582, mention that the temple was
consecrated, whence we may infer that the restoration amounted to a complete renovation of
the building.
One plate mentions also theChandragupta temple, which
belongs to the same group. It is a linga shrine, likewise ascribed to Sahila, the founder
of Chamba. Between these two temples there is a modern temple dedicated to Radha Krishna
by Sadha, the rani of Raja Jit Singh.According to an inscription in the vernacular, it was
consecrated in the Vikrama year 1882, i.e., A. D. 1825.
The three remaining temples of this group are the temples
of Gauri Shankar contain- ing a well-modeled brass-image of Shiva and his spouse, the
Trimukh linga temple, and the temple of Lakshmi Damodar.Thus, three out of these six
temples are dedi- cated to Vishnu and three to Shiva.There is two moreVishnu a temple of
theshikhara type in Chamba town. Earlier in date is that of Hari Rai, profusely decorated
with carvings. Its foundation by Salakara Varman is mentioned in a copper plate
inscription of the eleventh century.
Footnotes
**. District Gazetteer of Chamba (1963).
*1. The Early Wooden Temples of Chamba by Hermann Goetz
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