Chaurasi Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Pathankot Airport is the nearest airport to Chamba town, 120 km away.

• By train

  Pathankot is the nearest railway station to Chamba town, about 120 km away.

• By road

  Regular bus services run from Chamba to Shimla, Chandigarh and Delhi. Bharmour is about 60 km south-east of Chamba town.

Why devotees come here

Chaurasi Temple is a complex of 84 shrines in the centre of Bharmour town, Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh. Its main shrine, the Manimahesh temple, holds a huge Shiva linga. Pilgrimage to Manimahesh Lake is said to be incomplete without visiting these temples.

Tradition holds that Raja Meru Verman of Bharmour built the temple to honour 84 siddhas, or yogis, who had come from Kurukshetra. The siddhas blessed the childless king with ten sons and a daughter, Champavati. The entire area and its temples are dedicated to the worship of Shiva and Shakti.

The complex was built approximately in the 7th century, and repairs have been carried out on many of its temples in later periods. The main shrine follows the valabhi-shikhara style and stands at the centre of the complex. Dharmeshvar Mahadev, also called Dharamraj, is in the northern corner.

Chamba district is in the northwest of Himachal Pradesh, with its headquarters in Chamba town. Bharmour is in the same district. The Bharmaur valley, where the Manimahesh Yatra is held, is known for the simplicity, grandeur and intense belief system of its people. A life-size metal Nandi bull, locally known as Nandigan, stands in a modern shed in front of the Manimahesh temple.

Festivals

• August or September, after JanmashtamiManimahesh Yatra

  A pilgrimage through the Bharmaur valley that ends at Manimahesh Lake.

Tips for your visit

• Look for the life-size metal Nandi bull standing in a modern shed in front of the Manimahesh temple; its ear and tail are broken.
• Dharmeshvar Mahadev, also called Dharamraj, is in the northern corner of the same complex as the main shrine.

Questions people ask