Hill temples, one notices, have an infallible instinct for settling in awe-inspiring locations, as if guided by some divine preference. Chanju Mata Temple, tucked away in the Churah Block of Chamba, is a perfect example of this unspoken tendency. The setting, you’ll agree, is nothing short of inviting—undoubtedly a place the gods themselves would have chosen to marvel at the grandeur of the Himalayas.
Dedicated to Goddess Kali, known locally as Māralī, the temple is a charming wooden structure painted in warm shades of brown and orange. Modest in size, with a sharply sloped roof, it feels more like a natural extension of the landscape than something superimposed upon it. A well-maintained path leads you to the entrance, where intricate carvings of Goddess Durga in her nine forms grace the outer walls.
