Chamba Uttarakhand
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Chamba (चंबा) is a town and a hill station in Tehri Garhwal district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.
Location
Chamba is located 11 km from Tehri. It is situated at a junction of roads connecting Mussoorie and Rishikesh with the Tehri Dam reservoir and New Tehri. The town is about 50 km from Mussoorie and also near Dhanaulti, Surkanda Devi Temple, Ranichauri, New Tehri, and Kanatal, halfway between Chamba and Dhanaulti. Chamba is situated at an altitude of 1600m above sea level. One can reach Chamba in about 7-8 hrs from Delhi via Haridwar, Rishikesh and Narendranagar (290 km).
History
World War 1 and Chamba
The Chamba area, and indeed, most of Uttarakhand, has rendered in the past deep historical sacrifices during World War I. The village Manjud was one of the villages of South Asia to produce the most soldiers and volunteers, about 480 who joined various army regiments and served in various theatres of war between 1914-1918. It is also worth noting that the famous Victoria Cross recipient, Rifleman Gabbar Singh Negi, also belonged to this area, and an annual fair is still held in Chamba at 21st of April each year [1] to commemorate Negi's great and gallant sacrifice as a young man of barely 19 or 20 years. This annual fair and festival is widely attended by many people and is a major tourist attraction.
Tourism
Chamba, located at the junction of roads from Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Tehri, New Tehri, and Dharasu/Uttarkashi, lies at the heart of Tehri District. In fact, it is a crossroad which offers the visitor easy access to each part of Tehri as well as to the Char Dhams. Using Chamba as a base to make forays in the surrounding areas would be an ideal way to spend a quiet holiday. Chamba itself is a charming town with stunning sunsets and panoramic views Several peaks such as the Banderpunch and Bhagirathi Parvata- 1, 2, 3 can be viewed on a clear day, and walks amidst apple orchards and flower strewn pathways can do wonders for the body and soul.[2] Soaked in old-world charm, the picturesque town of Chamba in Uttarakhand is situated at an altitude of 1676 meters above sea level, on the foothills of the Himalayas.
Chamba offers the most breath-taking views of the mighty peaks, mist-covered deep ravines, and verdant valleys, Chamba lies unexplored, untouched, overlooking the snow-clad mountains on one side and offering a magnificent view of the valley on the other. After the submergence of old Tehri, Chamba has become a fast-emerging tourist spot in Tehri Garhwal. This is undoubtedly a haven for those seeking respite from the monotonous hustle-bustle of city life. [3]
चंबा
चंबा: चंबा के सेव बहुत प्रसिद्ध हैं और वहां पर रास्ते में आते समय एक स्तम्भ मिला जिस पर लिखा था - प्रथम विश्वयुद्ध में इस गाँव से 11 लोग गए थे जिनकी याद में यह शहीद स्मारक बनाया गया है। चंबा के पास ही स्थित गाँव मंजोली के रहने वाले राइफल मैन गब्बर सिंह नेगी (21.04.1895 – 10.03.1915) को प्रथम विश्व युद्ध में उनकी वीरता के लिए विक्टोरिया क्रॉस मेडल से पुरस्कृत किया गया था। उनकी याद में प्रतिवर्ष 21 अप्रेल को चंबा में मेला भरता है।