Chehni Kothi

What it is

A tower of stone and deodar timber rising above the hamlet of Chehni on the slope north of Banjar, built in the valley's kath-kuni way — alternating courses of stone and wood, no mortar, no nails — and holding a shrine in its upper storeys. It was raised as a fort, and few wooden towers this tall still stand anywhere in the western Himalaya. It is also a home and a living shrine, not a monument with a gate.

Getting there

From Banjar's bazaar, the side road up to Shringa Rishi's temple above Bagi, 13 minutes by road. Then on foot: half a kilometre up and 27 minutes by our measure, steep, on rock steps to the hamlet. A taxi from Banjar waits at the temple. There is no road to the tower itself, and no ticket.

The visit

Look from the courtyard. Do not enter or climb the tower — the ladders are the family's and the upper floors are the shrine's — and ask before photographing anyone. An hour is enough; two is not too long if the hamlet is out and about. Go while the slope is in shade; the steps are hot by eleven in summer and ice in winter.

When to go

Any month the steps are dry: March to June and September to December. Slick in the monsoon, iced in the winter shade — shoes with grip in both. In the weeks after the winter the villages around Banjar hold Fagli, the masked festival; go as a guest if one is on, not as a photographer.

Around it

Shringa Rishi's temple below, the valley deity's. Banjar's bazaar, 13 minutes down. Bahu Lake across the valley on the Jalori side, the other half of the heritage day.

Plans that include this

All 5 plans that stop here →

Day plan · First visitTemples & heritage

Chehni Kothi in a day — Shringa Rishi's temple, the wooden tower above Banjar, Bahu lake and the bazaar

A day on the valley's heritage from Banjar: Shringa Rishi's temple, the climb to the kath-kuni tower of Chehni Kothi, Bahu's temple pond and the bazaar.

Best Mar–Jun · Sep–Dec

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2 nights · 3 days · First visitClassic

Three days in the Tirthan valley — the river, Jalori Pass and Serolsar lake, then Chehni Kothi and Jibhi

The classic three days in the Tirthan valley: the river at Gushaini, Jalori Pass and the ridge walk to Serolsar lake, Chehni Kothi and Jibhi on the way out.

Best Mar–Jun · Sep–Nov

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2 nights · 3 days · Slow travelMonsoon

The Tirthan valley in the monsoon — what still works: the river from the bank, Chehni Kothi, the park's museum and a wet Jibhi

The Tirthan valley from July to September, honestly: the river from a terrace, Chehni Kothi between showers, the park's museum, an empty Jibhi, what is closed.

Best Jul–Sep

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2 nights · 3 days · CouplesSnow

Jibhi in winter — snow on the pass road, a frozen-edged waterfall, Shoja by the fire, and Chehni Kothi in the cold

Jibhi and Shoja in December to February: the waterfall with ice on its edges, the pass road as far as the plough has been, Chehni Kothi in the cold, what shuts.

Best Jan–Feb · Dec

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7 nights · 8 days · WorkationClassic

A working week at Jibhi — a café with a signal by day, the stream and the tower in the evenings, Jalori at the weekend

Seven nights at Jibhi with a laptop: a terrace with a signal by day, the gorge, the waterfall and Chehni Kothi after work, Raghupur and Serolsar at the weekend.

Best Mar–Jun · Sep–Nov

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