The blinding winter solar provides a contact of heat to the chilly morning. Towering pines whiz previous us as we drive uphill from Tanakpur to Champawat in Uttarakhand, a distance of about 73 km As we swerve alongside the winding roads, the journey feels longer than simply a few hours. The dense forest cowl morph into valleys because the cloudless skies fan out, making a deep blue parasol above our heads. It jogs my memory of the tales across the notorious Champawat tigress who had claimed 438 individuals. She was ultimately put down by the legendary Jim Corbett who had penned his misadventures in his Maneaters of Kumaon. Champawat is a district in Uttarakhand and it includes cities like Tanakpur, Lohaghat, Purnagiri, and Barakhot amongst others with Champawat, the city as its headquarters. There are a lot of extra vacationer locations in Champawat than in Tanakpur and though we had only a day right here, we explored among the locations to go to in Champawat.
Legends of Champawat
Situated within the decrease Himalayas within the Kumaon area of Uttarakhand, Champawat has its personal mystical and divine legends. It’s believed that Lord Vishnu appeared right here within the avtaar or the type of the tortoise or “Kurma Avtaar.” There may be additionally a temple devoted to Ghatotkacha, the demon son of Bhima of the Pandavas. The Gahtku temple is the place Ghatotkacha fell when he was killed within the struggle between the cousins, Pandavas, and Kauravas within the Mahabharata. One other temple is devoted to a neighborhood deity referred to as Golu or Gwal Devta who the Kumaonis worship because the Lord of Justice. The temples are among the fundamental vacationer locations in Champawat as Uttarakhand is also known as the Dev Bhoomi.
One other legend nonetheless refers to it as being the capital of the Nagas and there’s a temple devoted to Lord Shiva referred to as Nagnath temple. Nevertheless town appeared to have been named after their sister, Champawati who meditated within the Baleshwar temple devoted to Shiva, Even right now, the Goddess right here is known as Champawati and a shrine stands right here within the historic temple advanced.
It’s most likely why the Chand dynasty who constructed the Baleshwar temple advanced named the area after the deity and made it their capital between the Tenth-Twelfth century. The Goddess additionally turned their patron and guardian deity as nicely.
Historical Baleshwar Temple Advanced
The Baleshwar temple advanced situated within the coronary heart of the city is satirically tucked away in slightly lane. An historic naula or spring stands proper on the entrance as we make our means towards the revered shrines. There are three shrines inside, the biggest devoted to Bhagwan Shiva, whereas the opposite two are devoted to Kala Bhairavar and Champawati Devi.
Whereas these temples are sheer poetry in stone, with beautiful carvings, I can even see some erotic artwork on the partitions of the shrines. There are additionally a number of carvings and sculptures stacked away alongside the partitions, most likely reclaimed from shrines.
There are additionally a number of Shiva Lingas some unusually carved together with sculptures of Nandi within the temple advanced. One of many monks informed us {that a} very darshan of the Bhagwan Shiva right here is like having obtained a darshan with the Lord himself in Varanasi.
Champawat has many extra temples devoted to Lord Shiva in addition to Baleshwar like Kranteshwar, Maneshwar, Tadkeshwar, Rishneshwar, Dikteshwar, Mallareshwar. There may be one other cave referred to as Patal Rudreshwar the place a temple stands. Nevertheless, we couldn’t go to any of those shrines which are actually among the standard vacationer locations in Champawat and hope we get one other likelihood to be again in Uttarakhand.
Locations to go to in Champawat
However there are extra than simply temples right here. There are formidable forts like Lohaghat and Banasur situated past Champawat however we determine to discover them one other day. Nevertheless pottering across the city, we see a couple of scattered monuments.
Apart from the Naula in entrance of the Baleshwar temple, we had been informed that there’s one other intricately carved Naula referred to as Ek Hathiya Ka Naula, situated simply 5 kms from the city. It was believed to be carved by a sculptor who had only one arm. Though we couldn’t go to there, we went to a different fascinating construction referred to as Kotwali Chabutra , one of many locations to go to in Champawat, which was most likely a remnant of the monuments constructed by Chand dynasty. One of many older residents who was strolling round informed us that that is most likely the place the kings sat and addressed the general public or held courtroom.
We wander across the city, soak within the sights and sounds of the native market and converse to the farmers concerning the seasonal produce that included quite a lot of lentils. The greens and fruits are recent whereas the native spices are filled with flavour. You need to attempt the native candy – Baal Mithai which they domestically name chocolate with out the white licorice-like dressing on high of it. I can’t have sufficient of the native lentils – Gahat ki Daal and Bhat Ki Daal. I even determine some native Bhaang seeds. The colorful Rajma is piled up in sacks as we purchase the Munsiyari selection in shades of purple and white. There may be at all times one thing about vibrant native marks and I simply love the sights and sounds.
Vacationer locations in Champawat
A go to to Champawat is just not full for those who don’t go to the verdant tea plantations, that are among the locations to see in Champavat. Shedding myself within the carpet of inexperienced, I’m extra fascinated by the birds that flit round.
The Himalayan bulbul comes calling because it’s joined by the mellifluous Himalayan whistling thrush and the streaked laughing thrush.
The elusive red-billed blue magpie flits across the bushes as I catch a glimpse of its blue feathers, but it surely lastly settles on a department for a couple of seconds.
There are a lot of extra birds and I’m content material to only lose myself of their songs as I go away again to Tanakpur.
Ideally, we should always have spent a minimum of three days in Champawat, exploring the neighbouring cities and sights as nicely or simply taking within the pure fantastic thing about the Himalayan city. I might have both appreciated to go to Pithoragarh or Almora from right here however maybe that’s for one more journey.
I used to be invited to Tanakpur by Uttarakhand Tourism. Maybe we may have a well-planned itinerary the following time round and go to among the standard vacationer locations in Champawat and round that we missed this time.
