Lakshmi Narayan Temple Complex

Top choice in Himachal Pradesh


Far and away Chamba's top historical attraction, this temple compound crowning Dogra Bazaar contains a line of six beautifully sculpted stone sikharas (10th–19th centuries), festooned with detailed carvings. Enter from a colourful area of metal-beating workshops, past a distinctive Nepali-style stone pillar topped by a statue of the man-bird Garuda, Vishnu’s faithful servant.

Within the complex, the largest (and oldest) sikhara is dedicated to Lakshmi Narayan (Vishnu). Of the others, three honour versions of Shiva, recognisable by the statues of his 'vehicle', the bull Nandi. The fourth temple's brass images of Gauri and Shankar (Parvati and Shiva) date from the 10th or 11th century.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Himachal Pradesh attractions

1. Akhand Chandi Palace

0.05 MILES

Lording it over the town is the unmissable if relatively unexotic Akhand Chandi Palace, the whitewashed former home of the Chamba raja. Built in the mid…

2. Bansi Gopal Temple

0.06 MILES

Built in the 16th century and dedicated to Krishna, this temple has a small collection of carved panels from other area temples in its courtyard.

3. Champavati Temple

0.13 MILES

This ancient sikhara-type temple was built in the 10th century by Raja Sahil Varman in honour of his daughter Champavati, who is worshipped locally as an…

4. Harirai Mandir

0.16 MILES

This 11th-century temple sacred to Vishnu stands right beside Gandhi Gate just off the north end of the Chowgan.

5. Gandhi Gate

0.16 MILES

This unsophisticated red-painted arch makes a useful landmark, spanning the street at the northern end of the Chowgan.

6. Bhuri Singh Museum

0.16 MILES

This museum's rich collection is strongest on Pahari (Hill Country) miniature paintings from the Chamba and other schools, but also intriguing are copper…

7. Sitaram Temple

0.17 MILES

Tucked into a mostly residential area, this photogenic little 17th-century sikhara temple is dedicated to Rama.

8. Rang Mahal

0.23 MILES

Up on the hillside above the Chowgan, the rusty-coloured 18th-century Rang Mahal looks like a Victorian prison but was originally the royal granary and…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "india/himachal-pradesh/chamba/attractions/lakshmi-narayan-temple-complex/a/poi-sig/1292680/356295",
      "destination": "Himachal-Pradesh",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "India",
      "region": "Himachal-Pradesh",
      "position": "superzone"
    }