Chamunda Devi Temple
The temple, dedicated to the wrathful form of Goddess Durga, is situated atop the Shah Madar hill. A small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva also stands right behind the main Chamunda temple.The temple is popular as Chamunda Nandikeshwar Dham among devotees as it is believed to be the home of Shiva and Shakti. Lord Hanuman and Lord Bhairav adore the main shrine as both are assembled in each side of the statue are considered as the guards of the Goddess.
The temple is around seven hundred year old and it houses a tank which is used by devotees for bathing. The temple has cave-like scoop on the backside of the temple, where a stone phallus and the symbol of Lord Shiva is kept. Statues of other god are also kept there.
The interior of the sanctum is embellished with carved silver sheets. The temple complex includes handicrafts centre that has various items like woodcarvings, wooden toys, honey, black pottery, Kangra tea and world popular Kangra Paintings. The architecture of the shrine is quite simple and sober but the religious influence is simply overwhelming. It has beautiful carvings rendering floral themes and different idol, overlooks enchanting views of the Chamba Valley and Himalayan range. During Navratras, people from all over the India visit in swarms and get the blessings of Chamunda Devi.
These trees have been providing shelter to the incoming visitors for long. Moreover, from this platform, you can also catch fantastic views of other temples and landmarks of the town. Because of this reason, the temple is also a pretty well known picnic spot of the town. Currently, the temple is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India. The temple is an ideal picnic spot throughout the year because it has an easy approach and a commanding view. This temple can be approached by road from Chamba (3 kms). It lies on the right hand side of the Chamba-Jhamwar road.
