 The
town of Chamba, the district headquarter of Chamba district is situated in the western
Himalayas between north latitudes 32°10' and 33°13' and east longitudes 75°45' and
77°33'. The town stands on a plateau on the right bank of the Ravi river valley between
Dhauladhar and Zanskar ranges south of the inner Himalayas. This town was founded by Raja
Sahil Varman when he conquered the lower Rani valley from the petty chiefs called Ranas
and Thakurs in the beginning of 10th Century. It seems the original name of the town was
Champa as mentioned in Kalhan's Rajtarangani. In the bansauli or genealogical rolls of the
Chamba Rajas a reference occurs of place which was adorned with highly fragrant Champaka
trees and guarded by Goddess Champavati or more popularly known as Chameshni. The temple
was built by Sahil Varman in the honour of his daughter Champavati who is worshipped as a
goddess in Chamba. Champavati temple became the family temple of the ruling family.
 Chamba town
(915 m) stands on the right bank of the river Ravi. As a former princely state, it is one
of the oldest in the country and dates back to the sixth century. It is well known for its
splendid architecture and as the base for numerous excursions. It is also a district
headquarter.
Climate:
The climate of Chamba in general is
tempreate with well defined seasons. However, there may be variations
because of micro-climatic systems depending upon altitude and mountain
aspect. The winters last from December to February. March and April
generally remain cool and dry but snowfall does occur at higher
elevations during these months. The temperature begins to rise rapidly
from the middle of April till last week of June or first week of July
when monsoon breaks-in. Monsoon continues till the end of August or mid
September. During the monsoon, the weather remains misty, humid and
cloudy. October and November are comparatively dry but cold. The maximum
temperature in Chamba town in summers is 38°C and the minimum in winter
is 0°C. 
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