Chehni Kothi / Traditional Fort, Kullu - Timings, Accessibility, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 60 km from Kullu, 7 km from Banjar and 66 km from Mandi, Chehni Kothi is situated at Chehni village of Banjar valley in Kullu Manali. Chehni is also famous for its twin tower temples.

Chehni Kothi is a 1500 years old structure and it was the fortified residence of King Raja Rana Dhadhia. Chehni is 57 km from Kullu by road followed by 3 km uphill trek. The fort was partially damaged during earthquake in 1905. At present the fort is 60 feet high. A restoration program carried out by the locals helped in the restoration of this temple.

The tower temple of Chehni is the tallest standing structure of its kind in Western Himalayas. The Bhagwati temple more popularly known as Chehni tower is nine tier structure with four storeys of stone structure holding the top five tiers of the temple. A wooden staircase is fixed near the entrance, which can be used to reach the upper levels of the temple. A projected balcony, 12 meters above the ground, serves as the intermediate point to the tower. The topmost storey houses idols of few gods.

Right across this temple is the temple of the Shringa Rishi, presiding deity of the Tirthan - Banjar valley. This tower is about 30-35 meters tall and only locals are allowed into the temple. These two towers are separated by an open courtyard.