Chamba

Chamba is a town in the Chamba district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312. Located at an altitude of 1,006 metres (3,301 ft) above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River (a major tributary of the trans-Himalayan Indus River), at its confluence with the Sal River. Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Koli 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 65 kilometres (40 mi) from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahil Verman) shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati (Chamba was named after her).