princely state · Indian princely states
Chamba State
Origins
Tradition holds that the state was founded around 550 by Maru, a Rajput of the Varman line, with its first capital at Brahmapura (modern Bharmour) in the upper Ravi valley. In the 10th century Raja Sahil Varman moved the capital down the valley to Chamba, named, by tradition, after his daughter Champavati.
Rule and society
Chamba is unusually well documented for a hill state, thanks to many copper-plate land grants and inscriptions. Its Rajas built the Lakshmi Narayan temple complex and patronised Pahari miniature painting and the embroidered Chamba rumal. Remote and mountainous, it accepted Mughal overlordship, paid tribute to the Sikh Empire and kept most internal affairs in its own hands.
Decline and legacy
After the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1846 the British confirmed the Rajas in their state. Raja Bhuri Singh (1904–1919) founded the museum that bears his name. Chamba merged into the new province of Himachal Pradesh in April 1948 and is now a district of India.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (3)
- Bhadrawah State was a vassal of Chamba State1600 CE – 1846 CE
- Chamba State was a protectorate of Company rule in India1846 CE – 1858 CE
- Chamba State was a protectorate of British Raj1858 CE – 1947 CE
More states of Indian princely states →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Chamba State. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chamba-state
- MLA
- “Chamba State.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chamba-state. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Chamba State.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chamba-state.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Chamba State’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/chamba-state (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻