On Temples of Chamba
by Prabal Pramanik
Faith is the basic inspiration for the construction of all places of worship
all over the world. The places of worship become community centers and have important
places in social life of the regions where these places of worship are situated.
These places of worship exert great influence over the society all around and human
habitations grow around them.
These places of worship occupy central places in the development of art, literature and
social customs of their localities and often become landmarks in the saga of man.
The temples of the Himalayan town of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh are in keeping with these
characteristics of the places of worship and have been established in human history for
centuries.
These temples are the major physical and spiritual links of Chamba town and its
inhabitants with the past.
The functional temples, where service is held in a regular way, are examples of
“living heritage”, places where tradition is continued with the same reverence
as in the olden days.
As the rhythm of “nagara” drums and the long metal wind instruments vibrate
through the temple courtyards and the Sanskrit “mantras” or spiritual chants
resound in the valley town, the aura that had been created for centuries for a millennium
or more is recreated.
These temples are architectural wonders in stone that personify the age deying faith that
creates the most intimate relationship between human beings and eternity.
These temples that have proven their architectural strength and durability are proof of
the technical expertise of the builders. The aesthetic beauty of these superbly carved
temples attract tourists from all over India and also from abroad.
The methods of construction of these temples are unique if judged from the angle of a
modern 21st century architect. Buildings of considerable height, made without any iron
rods or reinforced concrete beams and joined without any cement in an eco-friendly way,
withstanding the ravages of time for centuries, maintaining superb aesthetic balance say a
lot for the visions, sense and devotion of the architects of yore.
The builders were not only architects but great artists too.
When renovating the old temples of India, the unfeeling and ignorant people nowadays often
damage or destroy the traditional structure by trying to mix inferior modern methods of
construction.
This sort of wrong ways of renovation mar the aesthetic balance of the original
construction and adversely affect the historical value of the buildings. Administration
and the archeological department should be aware such attempts and make sure that all
restoration work is done under proper expertise in the proper way as it is done in U.K.,
France and Japan.
To spread the awareness of the proper preservation of historical monuments local people
have to be made conscious and interested. One of the important aims for creating this web
site is to spread this message of consciousness amongst the educated people in Himachal
Pradesh and else where.
The temples generate tourism revenue and without the original forms the temples loose
their beauty and aesthetic value.
“Period restoration” employing the old traditional techniques, after thorough
checkup with the help of modern technology, by competent experts is the only way to
preserve ancient and medieval monuments.
Regular inspections should be conducted by experts to make it sure that the maintenance of
these buildings is satisfactory.
A body of experts with archeologists and knowledgeable architects should be formed for
regular inspection of the historical monuments.
Only dedicated people can do this vital work necessary to preserve the heritage of not
only Chamba but of entire India.
Prabal Pramanik ©
  
  
 
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