Baijnath Temple
temple · 27.2 km away
temple1 h 19 min from Palampur
Narbadeshwar Temple, Sujanpur Tira
Narbadeshwar Temple at Sujanpur Tira is a Shiva temple built in 1802 in the Panchayatan style, with painted walls of scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
What it is
Narbadeshwar Temple, in the old town of Sujanpur Tira, is a Shiva temple built in 1802 by Maharani Pransani Devi, the wife of Raja Sansar Chand Katoch. It is built in the Panchayatan style, and its walls carry paintings of scenes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Sujanpur Tira, also written Tira Sujanpur and Sujanpur Tihra, sits on the Beas in Hamirpur district, and was one of the centres of Kangra-style miniature painting.
Photos: Ms Sarah Welch (CC0) · Timothy Gonsalves (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
By road it is 41 km from Palampur, about 79 minutes by car. The route runs out of the Kangra Valley into Hamirpur district, so leave early and treat it as the day's main stop.
The visit
The old town is built around a large open ground, the Chaugan, which began as a training ground for warriors and is now a public square for festivals. The Katoch palace and fort stand above it, and several other temples in the town date from the same period. The painted walls of this temple are the reason to come; light matters, so aim for late morning.
When to go
Any month, though summers here run hot. See when to visit Palampur for the valley's pattern.
Around it
The valley's own stops are back near Palampur: Baijnath Temple and the tea gardens. The two-day plan covers Baijnath, and how to reach Palampur has the arrival table.
Plans that include this
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Day plan · First visitClassic
One day in Palampur — the tea gardens and Andretta
A one-day Palampur plan: the tea gardens at the edge of town, then Andretta, the artists' village where Norah Richards lived. Free copyable plan.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
1 night · 2 days · First visitClassic
Two days in Palampur — tea, Andretta and Baijnath Temple
A two-day Palampur plan: the tea gardens and Andretta on day one, then Baijnath Temple, a Shiva temple built in 1204 AD, on day two. Free copyable plan.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →Nearby places
Questions people ask
When was Narbadeshwar Temple built?
It was built in 1802 by Maharani Pransani Devi, wife of Raja Sansar Chand Katoch, and is dedicated to Shiva. It is a protected monument and is built in the Panchayatan style, with a central shrine and smaller shrines around it.
What is painted on the walls?
The walls carry paintings of scenes from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The town was one of the centres of Kangra-style miniature painting, and the temple's murals are the large-scale version of that tradition. Look at them in good light and ask before photographing.
How far is Sujanpur Tira from Palampur?
About 41 km by road, roughly 79 minutes by car. It is in Hamirpur district, on the Beas, and is a full-day trip from Palampur rather than a quick stop, so pair it with Baijnath or the tea gardens only if you start early.