Chamba

Shri Nathji came to the town of Chamba in 1929. When Shri Nathji came to Chamba, the Hindus and Muslims there together joined hands and laid out the rugs-darees-at the Sanatan Dharam Mandir where Shri Nathji was to speak. Pandits and intellectuals of repute, who otherwise never went anywhere, came to listen to Shri Nathji’s divine flow of words and were overwhelmed with a divine intoxication, which they had not experienced before.  Multitudes followed him everywhere with tears in their eyes. No one could believe that such a Being existed upon the earth. He had come from the heavens and won their hearts. People were experiencing God in him.

 Babaji Maharaj had also visited Chamba and it was in Chamba, were Babaji was served by the poor boy, whose mother was a vegetable seller. When asked for a boom, Shri Babaji Maharaj said to him: “Son, for the services you do here, you shall become the son-in-law, the daamaad of some Maharaja! Kissee Maharaja kaa daamaad banaa denge!  

A certain royal family of the Rajput caste was in search for a young groom for the princess. They had searched far and wide without success. They were very particular about the exact caste, and were even willing to accept a poor Rajput of that caste rather than marry outside of the caste. They found the young man who served as Shri Babaji Maharaj’s attendant in Simla. He was of the exact caste which they wanted.. He was to be made a ghar-damaad of the royal family–a son-in-law who would become part of the royal family and be made heir to the throne.During those days there was a poor schoolmaster who used to come to Shri Babaji Maharaj. He urgently needed a small sum of money for his daughter’s marriage. He came before Shri Babaji Maharaj and said to him: “Maharaj you have blessed that young boy with riches. He is to become the daamaad of a Maharaja. Please ask him to lend me three thousand rupees for my daughter’s marriage!”

Shri Babaji Maharaj sent word to the young boy through a messenger. The messenger returned with a downcast face and was loathe to convey the boy’s reply to Shri Babaji Maharaj.

“What did he say? Did you tell him it was my wish?” Shri Babaji Maharaj asked the messenger.

The messenger said: “Maharaj, he said: ‘Dekhi jaayegi–we shall see!’ ”

Shri Babaji Maharaj saw the change that had come over the boy, and he said solemnly:

"To phir dekhi jaayegi! All right, then, so we shall see!"

The next day a telegram arrived at the house of the young man. It contained a message from the royal family. The proposed marriage had been cancelled! Later, the P.A. of the Maharaja met the young man and said: “The daughters of Maharajas do not marry the boys of poor vegetable sellers on the street!”

The royal family had suddenly found a groom in another Rajput household who matched their caste requirements exactly, and was of royal blood. The young man came running to Shri Babaji Maharaj and fell at his feet, weeping. Nature’s retribution had been just and swift.

 

Chamba is an ancient town in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. Located at an altitude of 996 metres (3,268 ft) above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River , at its confluence with the Sal River. Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Kolian tribes in the 2nd century BC, the area was formally ruled by the Maru dynasty, starting with the Raju Maru from around 500 AD, ruling from the ancient capital of Bharmour, which is located 75 kilometres from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati  (Chamba was named after her). From the time of Raju Maru, 67 Rajas of this dynasty have ruled over Chamba. without successful invasion for around a millennium until the British gained power. The isolation of the town and its rugged hilly terrain is believed to have been a contributing factor to this unusual state of security. The dynasty ruled Chamba, until it finally merged with the Indian Union in April 1948, although Chamba was under British suzerainty from 1846 to this time.

The town has a large number of temples and palaces, and hosts two popular jatras (fairs), the "Suhi Mata Mela" and the "Minjar Mela", which last for several days and involve music and dancing. Chamba is also well noted for its arts and crafts, particularly its Pahari paintings, which originated in the Hill Kingdoms of North India between the 17th and 19th century and its handicrafts and textiles.

Two temples are most important here. The Champavati temple was built by Raja Sahil Varman in memory of his daughter Champavati. The temple, located near the Police Post and the Treasury building, is built in the Shikhara style, with intricate stone carvings. It has a wheel roof and is large as the Laxmi Narayan Temple. An idol of the goddess Mahishasuramardini (Durga) is worshipped in the temple. The walls of the temple are full of exquisite stone sculptures. On account of its historical and archeological importance, the temple is maintained by the Archeological Survey of India.

The Lakshmi Narayan temples complex, devoted to the Vaishnavite sect, includes the main Lakshmi Narayan temple, built in the 10th century by Raja Sahil Verman. It has been built to suit the local climatic conditions with wooden chatries and has a shikara, and a sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha), with an antarala and a mantapa. A metallic image of Garuda, the vahana (mount) of Vishnu is installed on the dwajastamba pillar at the main gate of the temple. In 1678, Raja Chhatra Singh adorned the temple roof with gold plated pinnacles, as a riposte to Auranagzeb, who had ordered demolition of this temple.