Chamunda Devi Temple in Chamba was our last sightseeing stop of the day. I don’t know what happened, but we suddenly decided to head towards Bharmour.
The Chamba to Bharmour distance by road is around 59–60 km. We were quite clear that we would not visit Bharmour this time. But while sitting at Chamunda Devi Temple,Chamba we checked the route on Google Maps and started reading about the famous Chaurasi Temples in Bharmour. That was enough to change our plan, and we decided to go.
Usually, people, especially travelers, avoid travelling to Bharmour from Chamba late in the afternoon. Even though the distance is only around 59–60 km and Google Maps shows around 2–3 hours of travel time, the road conditions are not always easy. If you are experienced with mountain driving and drive carefully, you can probably cover the distance in a similar time. However, the main reasons for avoiding this route late in the day are the road conditions and the narrow, single-lane roads in many sections up to Bharmour.
Bharmour is located in the northwestern part of Himachal Pradesh and is one of the more remote areas of Chamba district. By “remote,” we don’t mean that it is not a good place. In fact, Bharmour is full of natural beauty, but it has fewer modern facilities compared to cities.
Earlier, we thought Bharmour was simply a village, but we were wrong. Bharmour is a sub-division of Chamba district and is known for several important places, including Chaurasi Temple Bharmour (84 Temples of Bharmour), Bharmani Mata Temple, Kugti Village, Kartik Swami Temple Kugti, and Manimahesh Lake.
Bharmour is also known as the “Abode of Shiva,” which means the home or residence of Lord Shiva. The local tribal communities strongly believe that the mountain peak of Manimahesh Kailash in Bharmour is the gaddi (throne) of Lord Shiva, where he resides. Because of this belief, the people living in and around the Bharmour region are traditionally known as Gaddis. This is why Bharmour is deeply connected with the identity and culture of the Gaddi people and is often associated with the land of Shiva’s Gaddi.
Chamba to Bharmour: An Unexpected Journey
It was 15:30 on 25th June 2026 when we started our drive from Chamba to Bharmour. Driving through the mountains, with the huge Ravi River flowing on one side of the road, made the journey feel quite unique. You will also see the popular Chamera-III Hydroelectric Project on the way.
The road to Bharmour is a combination of all types of roads—steep, plain, tight, and even off-road sections. We crossed Bhatog, Chhatrari, and Kharamukh. Finally, after a 2.5-hour drive, we reached Bharmour. Kharamukh is a major point where the road divides towards Bharmour, crossing the Ravi River.
As you drive upward from Kharamukh towards the Bharmour entry point, you will find a beautiful spot with a board saying “Mera Bharmour.” It is a point where you can stop for a while and see the entire Bharmour town at once. It is really something that makes you feel like you are somewhere close to Shiva. Snow-covered mountains with sunlight falling on them, while everything around you starts getting darker, create a beautiful view.
After spending around 10–20 minutes there, we drove straight to our hotel, Hotel Gaurkund, which was near Chaurasi Temple Bharmour, after crossing the entire Bharmour market. We didn’t stop anywhere and went straight to the hotel because we had decided to attend the evening aarti at the temple.
We reached the hotel at around 18:45, checked in, and decided to have tea.
Having tea while enjoying the mountain view took up more time than we expected. Because of this, we missed the temple’s evening aarti. So, we decided to attend the morning aarti, which was already part of our itinerary, while the evening aarti had been an additional plan.
A Morning in Bharmour That Felt Different
Of all the mornings I have lived through, none has ever made me feel as fresh and alive as the morning of June 26th.
My eyes opened at 5:15 AM, and there was no alarm. It felt like they simply opened on their own. I was feeling surprisingly fresh, even though we had been travelling continuously for the last week.
I opened the curtain of my room, and what I saw was something amazing.
On top of the snow-covered mountain, I could see the first light shining brightly. It literally looked like a glowing candle or a burning fire against the cold morning sky. The light falling on the snow was so pure and bright that it immediately grabbed all of my attention.
For those few moments, my mind completely emptied. All the daily worries, past anxieties, and future stress seemed to disappear. I just stood there, looking at the mountains and experiencing that rare feeling of being completely present, away from the usual mess of everyday life.
For around 20 minutes, I didn’t even know where I was. Once I came back to normal, I called my team members and asked them to join me for morning tea in my room.
While having tea, I asked them how they were experiencing the morning in this place. They were really happy, and one thing was common among all of us, we were feeling fresh even though we had been exhausted from the last seven days of continuous travelling.
We don’t know, maybe it was because of the energy of the place. We refer to it as the “energy” because before coming here, we had already been to Khajjiar and Dalhousie. We were already in the mountains and enjoying fresh weather, but the feeling we had here was quite different for all of us.
We decided to have breakfast after joining the morning aarti at Chaurasi Temple Bharmour. So, we got dressed and decided to get ready within the next 30 minutes.
As planned, we were in the hotel lobby and started walking towards the temple. It took us hardly 5–10 minutes, and we reached the temple gate at around 7:55 AM.
Places to Visit in Chamba Bharmour: Our Journey Begins
Now, it was the start of our day, and we had barely captured a few things for our vlog so far.
Sometimes, things go very differently. Even when you are surrounded by beautiful and scenic views, there are moments when you simply don’t want to miss the feeling or the energy of that place. You don’t even think about capturing the moment—you just let yourself be there and enjoy it.
The same thing happened with all of us. We were so involved in the moment that we hadn’t even thought about capturing anything until then.
From the temple entrance, we decided that we would explore the entire temple and also attend the morning aarti. Apart from that, we planned to spend some time on the temple premises, either meditating or simply sitting quietly and taking in the surroundings.
1 . CHAURASI TEMPLE BHARMOUR (84 TEMPLE BHARMOUR)
Chaurasi Temple Bharmour was our first sightseeing point of the day. It is believed to be around 1,400 years old and is associated with Lord Shiva.
According to ancient and local stories, this place originally belonged to Bharmani Mata. One day, Lord Shiva came here with his 84 Siddhas (enlightened yogis and saints) and asked for permission to stay for one night. The next day, they were planning to continue their journey towards Manimahesh Lake.
However, the purity of this place attracted the 84 Siddhas so much that they decided to stay and meditate here. They began intense meditation, and it is believed that their samadhis are now located here.
Because of this incident, Bharmani Mata left the place and said that she would not return to this location. She settled a few kilometres away from the temple, on the upper side of the town, from where you can see both the town and the Chaurasi Temple.
Lord Shiva felt sorry for what had happened and promised Goddess Bharmani Mata that anyone travelling to Manimahesh Lake in the future would first visit her temple. According to the belief, if anyone skips the visit to Bharmani Mata Temple, their spiritual journey to Manimahesh would not be considered complete.
From that time until today, it is believed that people visiting Manimahesh first come to Chaurasi Temple Bharmour, then visit Bharmani Mata Temple, and only after that begin their journey towards Manimahesh.
Another unique thing about this temple is that many elements here are based on the Garuda Purana. You will find references to things such as Vaitarani River, Dharamraj Temple, and the steps leading towards Patal Lok.
You will also find the Dharamraj Temple, which is believed to be the only temple in the world. It is also believed that after a person’s death, their soul visits this place at least once.
We had a really good time at the temple. We met a young Pandit Ji, who had a good knowledge of the place. He taught us many things and explained the stories and beliefs that we have shared with you above.
He also told us that these are beliefs and that he could not guarantee the information as facts. These are stories and traditions that have been passed down through generations.
Overall, our experience at this place was really great. If you are visiting Bharmour, we would definitely suggest that you don’t skip this place. In fact, we would recommend keeping some extra time to sit, explore, and spend time at the temple.
2. BHARMANI MATA TEMPLE
Bharmani Mata Temple is another renowned temple in Bharmour. As explained above, it is believed that anyone planning to undertake the spiritual journey to Manimahesh Lake should visit this temple first.
The temple is around a 30–40 minute drive from Chaurasi Temple. After having a light breakfast, we started our drive towards Bharmani Mata Temple. It is located on the upper side of the town. The roads are quite narrow and can be difficult to drive on. If you are not confident with mountain driving, you can hire a taxi.
After reaching the temple, we parked our car. Paid parking is available here, and we had to pay INR 50 for the day. From the parking area, we walked around 500 metres, crossing a few shops and homestays, and finally reached the temple.
There was a huge crowd that day. Once we reached the temple, we came to know that a local function was taking place, where kirtan and lunch were also being organised.
Visiting Bharmani Mata Temple is not only about taking darshan before going to Manimahesh. It is also about taking a shower here. People come to the temple, take a shower, and then begin their journey towards Manimahesh.
Bharmani Mata is very famous among the locals. They believe that they don’t do anything without her permission. She is considered like the guardian of their homes. Before doing anything important, whether it is a marriage or any other function, they seek her permission first.
We had darshan and spent some time with the locals, gathering a lot of information about the place. While having breakfast earlier, we had already come to know about Kugti Village and Kartik Swami Temple Kugti. Although we were already aware of these places, by breakfast time, we were becoming more and more sure that we might try to visit and explore them too.
Finally, at Bharmani Mata Temple, we met a local girl who told us that it is easy to visit Kugti Village and Kartik Swami Temple on the same day. She encouraged us to do it since we were already there, saying that it was only a matter of a day.
After darshan and exploring the area, we had lunch. Immediately after lunch, we started our journey back towards Bharmour. We spent preferably 3–4 hours at the temple before starting our return journey.
It was another really nice experience for us. We heard the locals singing traditional songs and kirtan. Even though we could not understand the language, the music was still very tempting and enjoyable to listen to.
After this, we came back to the town, explored the local market, and finally made all the plans to visit Kugti Village and Kartik Swami Temple. We gathered all the information we needed and planned everything for the next day.
In the evening, around 5:30 PM, we decided to revisit Chaurasi Temple to attend the evening aarti and spend some more time there. And with that, our day on June 26th came to an end. It was a really good experience visiting both temples and spending time there.
3. KUGTI VILLAGE AND KARTIK SWAMI TEMPLE
On 27th June, we started our journey to Kugti Village and Kartik Swami Temple at around 6:00 AM.
This entire journey, from exploring the village to trekking towards the temple was something beyond our expectations.
Kugti is a beautiful and historic mountain village hidden deep inside a green wildlife sanctuary. From the village, you have to take a 5–6 kilometre uphill trek to reach Kartik Swami Temple. The trek offers a magical and panoramic view of the Himalayan mountain range.
The entire experience felt completely different from our daily lives. There was no connectivity, and we were surrounded only by nature. Exploring Kugti Village, Kugti Wildlife Sanctuary, and the beautiful trek towards Kartik Swami Temple made the journey even more special.
Starting our day at 6:00 AM and continuing until the evening was an amazing experience. The entire day was full of adventure, self-realisation, and pushing ourselves beyond our limits.
Meeting groups of shepherds, interacting with local people, trekking with limited things, and spending so much time in nature helped us understand ourselves better and feel more connected to nature.
I have written a separate blog on “Kugti Village to Kartik Swami Temple Kugti”, where I have shared all the details and my complete experience.
Please go through the following link to Kugti Village to Kartik Swami Temple Kugti to know everything you should know before travelling there.
This was all for our day. After completing the journey, we drove back to Bharmour and stayed at the same hotel.
4. THE MANIMAHESH LAKE YATRA
Manimahesh Lake was one of the famous places to visit in Chamba and Bharmour that we had to skip during this trip. We couldn’t cover it because of our limited time, but yes, we will definitely come back next time and visit it separately.
A visit to Manimahesh Lake requires at least 2–3 days. It is also a high-altitude pilgrimage site that opens every year for a limited period. It usually opens in the month of August, around Krishna Janmashtami, and closes around Radha Ashtami.
According to local stories, Manimahesh Lake sits in the courtyard of Lord Shiva’s house. Some say that the lake was not always there. Long ago, Lord Shiva stayed high in the mountain peaks and meditated for hundreds of years. It is believed that he created this holy lake for the welfare of humanity.
Some also believe that visiting the lake, praying there, and taking a bath in its holy water can wash away one’s sins.
One of our team members has already visited Manimahesh Lake, and according to him, the place feels completely different. He said the experience gives you goosebumps. It is something that you have to experience yourself, but according to him, it is definitely not an ordinary place.
This is all we could share about Manimahesh Lake for now. We will definitely come back with our own authentic experience and a detailed blog on the Manimahesh Yatra.
Our Bharmour Journey Comes to an End
After spending two days in Bharmour and covering some of the best and most famous places to visit in Chamba and Bharmour, we can say that it was truly worth visiting this place.
We understand that it can be difficult to cover everything in one trip, but if you have a week, you can explore much more. And trust us, you will never feel that coming to Bharmour was the wrong decision. It is truly an amazing place.
In our next blog, I will take you along with me on a drive from Chamba to Killar via Sach Pass. This is something I have never experienced before. I will be driving and covering the entire journey with my team, while also shooting a vlog for Real Himachal YouTube, just as we did for Kugti Village to Kartik Swami Temple Kugti and our Bharmour, Himachal Pradesh journey.
Stay tuned with us, and thank you for reading our blog. Feel free to ask questions or share your suggestions if you have anything. Your feedback means a lot to us.
