View allAll Photos Tagged Chamba
The 29th Asakusa Samba Carnival 2009
Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo, Japan
There were too many people in front of me, so I just shot at random holding the camera over my head with my arms extended in full length. Luckily, enough of her body parts occupied the frame. By the way, "chamba" (also spelled as tsamba or tyamba) is the Tagalog word I can roughly translate as "luck" or "chance"
I think the trick to Oscar's abuelitos living for as long as they have with as few health problems and limitations as they have is that they've never stopped working, never stopped being engaged and responsible for things. They move a lot and carry things and climb on things. Especially his abuelita, who takes responsibility for everything (and, concomitantly, is much healthier than her husband). Here is Oscar's abuelito trying to replace the roof of the palomar (pigeon house) that he built years ago. Oh, and behind him is the really poor barrio on the hill in which homes are often destroyed by mudslides, esp. this year of record rain and flooding.
Vill. Chhatrari (right in the centre of map).
Located around 45 kms from Chamba, Vill. Chhatrari is 8kms upwards on a link road from Luna, a station on left bank of Ravi on Chamba-Bharmour road. The road half-way from Chamba to Chamera Hydro Project (Stage-II) (not shown on map) is fine, but gets rough beyond that. Drive Carefully. The village houses one of the most unique idols of Goddess Shiv Shakti which dates back to 7 Cent. AD
The place can even be accessed via a trek from Naddi in Dharamsala which passes from closeby (Check map above). Its aptly named as Ghasturi Jot: Sliding Pass :)
Besides the passes that lead from Dhauladhar ranges ( e.g. Minakani Pass, Ghasturi Pass and the most popular Indrahar Pass) into this side of Chamba valley, three important routes lead through Pir Panjal into Lahul. These passes are comparatively tougher than those on Dhauladhar side, their names being : Kugti Pass, Chobia Pass and Kalicho Pass (see top right on map)
In August 2011, with the grace of Mahadeva & divine interventions, i crossed into Lahul via Kugti Pass. This was the first time i entered this country hidden beyond the habitable worlds. The pass is definitely one of the toughest i have come across till now. Its a ruthless terrain which demands lot of things to go in your way, especially the weather & time. In August 2011 most of things weren't on our sides. It took us 8 hours to reach Bharmour from Chamba (normally its 4 hours). Major road blocks meant that we had to walk our way towards Kugti village as well (though vehicles ply half-way). We made it quite easily to the base. And the local friends from Kugti village, we'd persuaded to go with us, were overwhelmed seeing the amount of snow on the top of Pass.
Actually only one of them 3 had crossed the pass few times & was a trained guide in mountain rescue. The other two were not as experienced as us, but definitely were more strong owing to their routine at the village. Surprisingly we caught up with a local Gaddi fellow at the base, who was attempting to go to the other side past two days to fetch his livestock, but piles of fresh snow had left him with bloodshot eyes & more faith in the power of mountains.
We stayed at the base for 2 more nights along with that Gaddi fellow. And on the second morning made our way to the top of pass early morning.
© Anshul Soni, All Rights Reserved.
This image is NOT available for use on websites, blogs or any other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.
Ancient ladakhi buddhist gompa, Chamba Monastery, situated on the banks of the Indus river at the small historical town of Basgo in Ladakh.
Himachal can be classified into three belts.
1> Chamba belt (Left),
2> Kullu, Manali belt (Center),
3> Shimla, Kinnaur belt (Right)
The people from these belts have almost identical clothing style - a Pahari cap & a warm wollen coat. By the color of the cap you can identify the region of the person; here the green cap signifies U.S.A (Upper Shimla Area :) (Shimla,Rampur & Kinnaur region).)
The red color cap signifies the Chamba region & the mixed color signifies the Kullu region.
Thanks for looking.
-----------------------------
For more photographs please visit me at SunilParashar.com.
tisa is a small village in chamba district of himachal pradesh,still virgin as far as tourism and other adventure activities is concerned. it shares its boundary with doda distt of jammu and kashmir state. churah means four signifying that it lies in center of four lands.
The 29th Asakusa Samba Carnival 2009
Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo, Japan
There were too many people in front of me, so I just shot at random holding the camera over my head with my arms extended in full length. Luckily, enough of her body parts occupied the frame. By the way, "chamba" (also spelled as tsamba or tyamba) is the Tagalog word I can roughly translate as "luck" or "chance"
18 June 2013. Shangil Tobaya: Following a meeting of international Special Envoys to Darfur and Sudan, conducted at the headquarters of the African Union - United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR) and Joint Chief Mediator, noted that the participants were unanimous in expressing their continuing support for the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and calling for its full implementation. In a press conference following the meeting, the JSR also noted that the meeting’s participants unanimously voiced concern over the deterioration of the security situation in Darfur and the reduction in funding available to aid agencies and humanitarian actors in the region.
The Special Envoys Retreat, held on 17 and 18 June in El Fasher, North Darfur, focused on current developments across the region, including the state of the peace process as well as the security and humanitarian situation. As part of the program, the envoys, along with UNAMID representatives and the diplomatic corps taking part in the event, visited Shangil Tobaya in North Darfur, where they toured a new health care centre in the Shadad camp for internally displaced persons. The healthcare centre, constructed with funding from UNAMID’s quick-impact project programme, treats nearly 100 patients every day.
Also in Shangil Tobaya, JSR Chambas and the delegation witnessed a mediation and reconciliation workshop organized by the Mission’s Civil Affairs section. The workshop, one of many such meetings designed to address inter- and intra-tribal conflict, focused on different beneficial aspects of peaceful coexistence. “I am happy to see that you are coming together to discuss how to resolve your differences,” said Dr. Chambas in his address to the participants. “I encourage you to continue to pursue peaceful means to resolve conflict and to live together harmoniously.”
The JSR and other members of the delegation met with community representatives, including the commissioner of Dar al Salaam locality, traditional leaders and women’s and youth group representatives. They discussed the situation on the ground and community needs, most notably those relating to the provision of education, healthcare, water and sanitation facilities as well as vocational training.
Dr. Chambas briefed the community representatives on several issues, including UNAMID’s efforts to provide security and the Mission’s work to support the peace process. “The search for peace started some time ago, and many people are working tirelessly to help resolve community grievances,” he said “We need you all to play your role in bringing durable peace to all Darfuris.”
During the meeting, the JSR announced the launching of two quick-impact projects in Shangil Tobaya and Dar al Salaam localities.
Photo by Rania Abdulrahman - UNAMID
Once more the storm is howling, and half hid
Under this cradle-hood and coverlid
My child sleeps on. There is no obstacle
But Gregory's wood and one bare hill
Whereby the haystack- and roof-levelling wind,
Bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed;
And for an hour I have walked and prayed
Because of the great gloom that is in my mind.
-WB YEATS-
© Anshul Soni, All Rights Reserved.
This image is NOT available for use on websites, blogs or any other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.
1 July – 31 December 2016
By Mohamed Ibn Chambas
Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNOWAS
New York, 13 January 2017
Monsieur le Président, Distingués membres du Conseil,
1. C’est un honneur pour moi de me retrouver devant cette auguste assemblée, pour une mise à jour de la situation en Afrique de l'Ouest et au Sahel. En addition au rapport du Secrétaire général sur les activités du Bureau des Nations Unies pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest et le Sahel au cours de la période du 1er juillet au 31 décembre 2016, je voudrais vous informer des récents développements et tendances et de leur impact dans la région.
2. Pour commencer, je voudrais souligner que beaucoup de progrès ont été réalisés depuis notre dernière rencontre en juillet 2016. Notamment, les citoyennes et citoyens de la région ont démontré leur maturité et leur volonté d'exercer librement et pacifiquement leur droit de choisir leurs dirigeants. Je veux citer pour exemple le Cap-Vert et le Ghana, qui ont mené à bien des élections présidentielles, dans le strict respect des normes et standards en la matière, confirmant leur statut de modèle dans la région, et au-delà.
Mr. President, Distinguished Council Members,
3. On 1 December, voters waited patiently to cast their ballots in presidential elections in The Gambia, which took place against a backdrop of opposition members being in prison and a communication shutdown. I shared the joy of many witnessing the announcement of the results by the Independent Electoral Commission and the concession speech by President Yahya Jammeh on 2 December. Conversely, we were saddened by the quickly unfolding political crisis resulting from President Jammeh changing his mind and deciding to reject the results, citing irregularities, calling for fresh elections to be managed by a new independent Electoral Commission, and eventually lodging a petition aiming to invalidate the results of the December 1 polls.
4. On 13 December, I took part in the ECOWAS Heads of State mission to The Gambia and since then have been facilitating interactions and negotiations aimed at ensuring a peaceful transfer of power from the outgoing President to President-elect Barrow. On 17 December, at the 50th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and government, ECOWAS agreed to uphold the results of the 1 December elections and decided to take all necessary actions to enforce the results. UNOWAS is fully involved in supporting the ECOWAS-led mediation, which continues to explore all avenues towards a peaceful transfer of power. A High-level delegation has returned to Banjul today, 13 January, in an attempt to persuade President Jammeh to abide by the elections results and step down. They plan to leave no doubt about the determination of ECOWAS to use all necessary means, including force, to have the will of the Gambian people upheld. Should this be deemed necessary, ECOWAS intends to seek the endorsement of the AU Peace and Security Commission and the formal approval of this Council to deploy troops to the Gambia.
Mr. President, Distinguished Council Members,
5. Despite a pre-election period that was at times marked by high political tension, the people of Ghana lived up to their reputation to hold elections that serve as an inspiration for the rising tide of democracy throughout the African continent. I salute outgoing President John Dramani Mahama for his gracious acceptance of the results, and I congratulate President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on his victory. While credit is due to the people of West Africa, I would also like to acknowledge the country’s regional and international partners who jointly accompanied these important milestones.
Mr. President, Distinguished Council Members,
6. In Guinea, we are concerned that the local elections, which are forecast to take place in February 2017, in accordance with the terms of the 12 October Political Agreement, may be postponed. There is still a lack of consensus between the ruling party and the opposition, regarding the balloting system. Moreover, the amendments to the electoral code, which are needed to hold the elections in February 2017, were not adopted during the recent parliamentary session. In fact, the opposition Members of Parliament withdrew from the National Assembly on the last day of this session threatening to resume street protests. UNOWAS will continue to engage Guinean stakeholders on the imperative to implement the provisions of the 12 October agreement.
7. Elsewhere in the region, a number of countries are undertaking efforts to update their constitutions, and to build the foundations for prosperous, cohesive, and democratic societies. In line with the ECOWAS vision of moving from an “ECOWAS of states" to an "ECOWAS of people”, UNOWAS continues to encourage these efforts to take place in a spirit of dialogue and participation.
Mr. President, distinguished Council Members,
8. During the reporting period, several parents in Nigeria were reunited with their daughters, who had been captured by Boko Haram in the north-eastern town of Chibok some two years ago. Enhanced efforts are underway to release more of the abductees. Several hundred terrorists have also collectively surrendered to the authorities, in part, due to the concerted efforts of troop contributing countries and partners supporting the Multi National Joint Task Force.
9. At the same time, the group’s attacks have recently become more frequent, disrupting the return of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons to their homes. With new areas liberated, the full extent of the tragedy has become all the more visible. Hundreds of thousands of children are severely malnourished, and may face starvation. While the UN has scaled up the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Lake Chad Basin countries, and in particular, in Borno State, Nigeria and Diffa Province, Niger, I am concerned that the Nigerian Humanitarian Response Plan remains less than 37 per cent funded. You would agree that we can and must do better.
Mr. President, Distinguished Council Members,
10. Amidst increasingly vocal internal demands for peace dividends to materialize, I call upon partners to support the democratic and economic consolidation of Burkina Faso, which finds itself in the middle of a volatile regional security environment. Our aim is to ensure that post conflict societies do not relapse into crisis, thus hurting peace consolidation and democratic gains. Last Friday, 6 January, in neighboring Cote d’Ivoire, it was worrisome to see former fighters who had been integrated in the armed forces, try to take control of the locality of Bouaké on account of remuneration-related grievances.
Mr. President, Distinguished Council Members,
11. Looking forward, UNOWAS will enthusiastically contribute to the implementation of your Resolution 2282 (2016) and the General Assembly’s Resolution on Sustaining Peace. My Office is an active member of the Inter-Agency Working Group on Sustaining Peace in Burkina Faso and is contributing to the development of the sustaining peace strategy in this pilot country. My good offices and the technical-level support of UNOWAS will continue to provide support to this holistic United Nations approach in Burkina Faso and throughout West Africa and the Sahel.
12. My Office will also provide support on issues related to regional stabilization, including through the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel. As members are aware, the review of this Integrated Strategy, which you had mandated, was completed late last year. Taking a critical look at the challenges of coordination against a shifting implementation environment, we remain committed to promoting and coordinating a holistic approach that addresses the root causes of deprivation, exclusion, and insecurity.
13. In line with the recommendations of the High-Level Independent Panel’s Report on Peace Operations, the Secretary-General’s Report on the future of UN peace operations, and the report of the UN Peacebuilding Review, we will continue to strengthen our collaboration with regional and sub-regional partners. To mention just a few examples, we have stepped up our partnership with the G-5 Sahel, including by facilitating cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and providing support to the G5- Regional Cell on the Prevention of Radicalization and Violent Extremism.
14. In support of the Cross-Border Security Strategy of the Mano River Union, we have facilitated platforms where representatives of the Joint Border Security and Confidence Building Units shared experiences in order to strengthen security and cooperation in a way that also binds in youth, women, and other community actors. This is but one example of an inclusive approach working together across institutions. In this regard, I call upon the Mano River Union Member States, as well as the broader international community, to provide the minimal resources required to maintain and expand the Units’ operations.
Mr. President, Distinguished Council Members,
15. UNOWAS is collaborating closely with the other United Nations missions in the region and, in the context of the drawdown of the missions in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) and Liberia (UNMIL), we are intensifying our collaboration and information-sharing at leadership and technical levels.
16. Before I conclude, Mr. President, allow me to mention that the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission continued the emplacement of pillars for the definitive demarcation of the border between those two countries, accompanied by confidence- building activities on both sides of the border. The Mixed Commission remains a shining example of what long-term commitment and effective cooperation can achieve.
Mr. President, Distinguished Council Members,
17. Rest assured that my Office will redouble its efforts to prevent conflict and sustain peace in West Africa and the Sahel.
Je vous remercie de votre attention.
Chamba (Hindi: चम्बा) is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312 people. Located at an altitude of 996 metres above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River (a major tributary of the Trans-Himalayan Indus River), at its confluence with the Sal River.
Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Kolian tribes in the 2nd century BC, the area was formally ruled by the Maru dynasty, starting with the Raju Maru from around 500 AD, ruling from the ancient capital of Bharmour, which is located 75 kilometres from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahil Verma) shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati (Chamba was named after her). From the time of Raju Maru, 67 Rajas of this dynasty have ruled over Chamba until it finally merged with the Indian Union in April 1948, although Chamba was under British suzerainty from 1846 to this time.
The town has numerous temples and palaces, and hosts two popular jatras (fairs), the "Suhi Mata Mela" and the "Minjar Mela", which last for several days and involve music and dancing. Chamba is also well noted for its arts and crafts, particularly its Pahari paintings, which originated in the Hill Kingdoms of North India between the 17th and 19th century and its handicrafts and textiles.
HISTORY
Chamba has an ancient history, which is inseparable from that of the surrounding district of Chamba. The earliest rulers were Kolian tribes. In the 2nd century BC the Khasas and Audumbaras were in power in the region. In the 4th century AD during the Gupta period, the Thakurs and Ranas ruled. From the 7th century, the Gurjara Pratiharas or the Rajput dynasty came into power.
The recorded history of the Rajput rulers is traced to an eminent individual named Maru who is said to have moved to northwest India from Kalpagrama, around 500 AD. He founded his capital in the Budhal river valley at a place called Brahmaputra, which later became known as Bharmour or Bhramaur, which is situated 75 kilometres to the east of the present day Chamba town. For three hundred years, kings of Rajput Dynasty ruled from their capital in Bharmour.
However, in 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahila Verma), King of Bharmour, shifted his capital from Bharmour to a more centrally located plateau in the lower Ravi valley, and named the city Champavati, after his daughter. There is some variation in the story to how exactly this transition came about in the historical records of Chamba. One version tells how Varman, who, after being childless for a significant period, was blessed with ten sons and a daughter, named "Champavati". It was Champavati who urged her father to build a new capital town in the valley. However, obstacles stood in the way to relocating his capital, given that the king had previously granted the land in the modern Chamba vicinity to the Kanwan Brahmins. A solution was found in the form of offering a gift of eight copper coins called chaklis on the occasion of every marriage that took place in the Brahmin family, if they would agree to surrender their land to pave the way for the new capital. With the land thus obtained, the new capital was built and named as Champa after Chamapavati, the King’s daughter, which, over the years, was simply shortened to "Chamba'.
A variation of this origin of Chamba is that it originated as a hermitage which Champavati, a devout Hindu, used to frequent. The king, being suspicious of his daughter's fidelity, one day investigated and followed her to the hermitage, but surprisingly he found neither his daughter nor the hermit there. Suddenly he was said to have heard a voice which informed him that his suspicions were ill founded, admonishing him and informing him that his daughter had been taken away from him permanently as a punishment of his lack of trust in her morals. The King, fully chastened, sought redemption for his sin by expanding the hermitage into a temple, named in his daughter’s honour and built a city around the temple. Today this temple, called the Champavati Temple, belongs to the Royal family and the King’s daughter is venerated as a goddess. Every year, since 935, the Minjar festival or fair has been held. It lasts for 21 days, coinciding with the first day of Baisakhi.
Since Raja Sahil Varman, the dynasty ruled without successful invasion for around a millennium, until the British gained power. The isolation of the town and its rugged hilly terrain is believed to have been a contributing factor to this unusual state of security. Later, Mughal emperors Akbar and Aurangzeb did attempt to annex Chamba but were unsuccessful in subjugating this territory into their kingdoms. Raja Prithvi Singh (1641-1664 AD), who was on amiable terms with Emperor Shahjahan was instrumental in introducing the court life styles of the Mughals.
Many progressive reforms and developments were made in Chamba under the British. In 1863, the first Post office was established in Chamba and a daily mail service and a primary school. In December, 1866, a hospital was opened by Doctor Elmslie of the Kashmir Medical Mission. In the late 1860s two new roads to Dalhousie via Kolri and Khajiar were built. Gopal Singh, who ruled from 1870 to 1873, after abdicating, was responsible for building the grand Jandarighat Palace as his summer residence.
After India becoming an independent nation in August 1947, the princely state of Chamba finally merged with India on April 15, 1948 along with the other princedoms of Mandi-Suket State, Sirmour State and all of those in the Shimla hills.
Buildings in Chamba were traditionally constructed using local materials. Buildings were made out of dry stone masonry, with the walls and floors of the older houses plastered with a concoction of clay and cow-dung. Thick wooden beams were used to support the walls, paying attention to durability and to withstand earthquakes, and wooden cantilever construction was often used to support the verandas. The staircases and doors were made from wood, with the doors often decorated in religious reliefs and flanked by two lamps to light it at night. Before the arrival of the British, who introduced slate roofs to Chamba, roofs were covered with planks, coated in clay. Few of these houses remiain today, although a number still have wood-clay roofs in villages in the suburbs.
The old heritage monuments, which are palaces and temples are located in the old town (east of the Chaugans), on the lower slopes of Shah Madar hill. They were built in the lower valley where the two rivers and steep thickly forested hillsides provided a strong defense. Located here is the 10th century Champavati Temple, said to have marked the birth of the town, the Lakshmi Narayan group of temples (built from 10th-19th century), the 10th century Sita Ram Temple, Bansi Gopal temple, Kharura Mohalla and Hari Rai temple, the 11th century Sui Mata Temple and Chamunda Devi Temple, and the Akhand Chandi palace, overlooking the Chaugan, which has since been converted into a college. Additions were made to the palace in the form of the Zenana Mahal and the Rang Mahal in the 18th century. The temples built in Chamba demonstrate a strong Kashmiri influence with their stone temple architecture and temple iconography. Given their age however, only their unicellular layout with fluted pillars has been retained.
31 July 2014. El Fasher: The UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, addresses the Mission's staff at the town hall meeting at the UNAMID headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur.
Photo by Albert González Farran, UNAMID - www.albertgonzalez.net
14 July 2013. Khor Abeche: (Left, on bed) A UNAMID police woman, based in Khor Abeche, South Darfur, recovers in the UNAMID hospital in Nyala from the injuries suffered in an ambush yesterday, when seven peacekeepers were killed and 17 military and Police personnel, among them two female Police Advisers, were wounded. The patients received the visit of the UNAMID leadership (from left to right), the Joint Special Representative, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Police Commissioner, Hester Andriana Paneras, and the acting Force Commander, Lieutenant General Paul Ignace Mella (from Tanzania).
The incident, which began at 9:00 hours, occurred approximately 25 kilometers west of the Mission's Khor Abeche team site.
The UNAMID team came under heavy fire from a large unidentified group. Following an extended firefight, the patrol was extracted by UNAMID reinforcements that arrived from the Mission's Khor Abeche and Manawashi team sites.
Photo by Albert González Farran, UNAMID
Built around 700 AD, the temple is entirely in wood. Wood carvings can be found both inside and outside the temple. The temple is an ASI site.
This magnificent piece of rock is situated in Pir Panjal Range, District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India and is a part of the massif called Bara Kanda.
© Anshul Soni, All Rights Reserved.
This image is NOT available for use on websites, blogs or any other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.
Quito (Ecuador) 24 de febrero de 2023
Taller de Ilustración para estudiantes del Colegio San Gabriel con el docente Geovanny Chamba - Gachy de parte de La Metro.
Foto: Ximena Padilla / La Metro
18 June 2013. Shangil Tobaya: Following a meeting of international Special Envoys to Darfur and Sudan, conducted at the headquarters of the African Union - United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR) and Joint Chief Mediator, noted that the participants were unanimous in expressing their continuing support for the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and calling for its full implementation. In a press conference following the meeting, the JSR also noted that the meeting’s participants unanimously voiced concern over the deterioration of the security situation in Darfur and the reduction in funding available to aid agencies and humanitarian actors in the region.
The Special Envoys Retreat, held on 17 and 18 June in El Fasher, North Darfur, focused on current developments across the region, including the state of the peace process as well as the security and humanitarian situation. As part of the program, the envoys, along with UNAMID representatives and the diplomatic corps taking part in the event, visited Shangil Tobaya in North Darfur, where they toured a new health care centre in the Shadad camp for internally displaced persons. The healthcare centre, constructed with funding from UNAMID’s quick-impact project programme, treats nearly 100 patients every day.
Also in Shangil Tobaya, JSR Chambas and the delegation witnessed a mediation and reconciliation workshop organized by the Mission’s Civil Affairs section. The workshop, one of many such meetings designed to address inter- and intra-tribal conflict, focused on different beneficial aspects of peaceful coexistence. “I am happy to see that you are coming together to discuss how to resolve your differences,” said Dr. Chambas in his address to the participants. “I encourage you to continue to pursue peaceful means to resolve conflict and to live together harmoniously.”
The JSR and other members of the delegation met with community representatives, including the commissioner of Dar al Salaam locality, traditional leaders and women’s and youth group representatives. They discussed the situation on the ground and community needs, most notably those relating to the provision of education, healthcare, water and sanitation facilities as well as vocational training.
Dr. Chambas briefed the community representatives on several issues, including UNAMID’s efforts to provide security and the Mission’s work to support the peace process. “The search for peace started some time ago, and many people are working tirelessly to help resolve community grievances,” he said “We need you all to play your role in bringing durable peace to all Darfuris.”
During the meeting, the JSR announced the launching of two quick-impact projects in Shangil Tobaya and Dar al Salaam localities.
Photo by Rania Abdulrahman - UNAMID
I clicked this beautiful lady during my recent trip to Chamba, Uttarakhand (India). She was initially reluctant to pose, but after half an hour of negotiation she finally gave up! :-))
I am still searching on Web on the name of this species, any help from flickr friends will be really great.
Species: Nymphalidae
Village Chhatrari is situated amidst the benign hills, with Pir Panjal in its North, Dhauladhar Ranges in South and Kailas the Abode of Mighty Lord Shiva in East, far away from the clutter and chores of this mundane world.
Chamba (Hindi: चम्बा) is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312 people. Located at an altitude of 996 metres above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River (a major tributary of the Trans-Himalayan Indus River), at its confluence with the Sal River.
Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Kolian tribes in the 2nd century BC, the area was formally ruled by the Maru dynasty, starting with the Raju Maru from around 500 AD, ruling from the ancient capital of Bharmour, which is located 75 kilometres from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahil Verma) shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati (Chamba was named after her). From the time of Raju Maru, 67 Rajas of this dynasty have ruled over Chamba until it finally merged with the Indian Union in April 1948, although Chamba was under British suzerainty from 1846 to this time.
The town has numerous temples and palaces, and hosts two popular jatras (fairs), the "Suhi Mata Mela" and the "Minjar Mela", which last for several days and involve music and dancing. Chamba is also well noted for its arts and crafts, particularly its Pahari paintings, which originated in the Hill Kingdoms of North India between the 17th and 19th century and its handicrafts and textiles.
HISTORY
Chamba has an ancient history, which is inseparable from that of the surrounding district of Chamba. The earliest rulers were Kolian tribes. In the 2nd century BC the Khasas and Audumbaras were in power in the region. In the 4th century AD during the Gupta period, the Thakurs and Ranas ruled. From the 7th century, the Gurjara Pratiharas or the Rajput dynasty came into power.
The recorded history of the Rajput rulers is traced to an eminent individual named Maru who is said to have moved to northwest India from Kalpagrama, around 500 AD. He founded his capital in the Budhal river valley at a place called Brahmaputra, which later became known as Bharmour or Bhramaur, which is situated 75 kilometres to the east of the present day Chamba town. For three hundred years, kings of Rajput Dynasty ruled from their capital in Bharmour.
However, in 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahila Verma), King of Bharmour, shifted his capital from Bharmour to a more centrally located plateau in the lower Ravi valley, and named the city Champavati, after his daughter. There is some variation in the story to how exactly this transition came about in the historical records of Chamba. One version tells how Varman, who, after being childless for a significant period, was blessed with ten sons and a daughter, named "Champavati". It was Champavati who urged her father to build a new capital town in the valley. However, obstacles stood in the way to relocating his capital, given that the king had previously granted the land in the modern Chamba vicinity to the Kanwan Brahmins. A solution was found in the form of offering a gift of eight copper coins called chaklis on the occasion of every marriage that took place in the Brahmin family, if they would agree to surrender their land to pave the way for the new capital. With the land thus obtained, the new capital was built and named as Champa after Chamapavati, the King’s daughter, which, over the years, was simply shortened to "Chamba'.
A variation of this origin of Chamba is that it originated as a hermitage which Champavati, a devout Hindu, used to frequent. The king, being suspicious of his daughter's fidelity, one day investigated and followed her to the hermitage, but surprisingly he found neither his daughter nor the hermit there. Suddenly he was said to have heard a voice which informed him that his suspicions were ill founded, admonishing him and informing him that his daughter had been taken away from him permanently as a punishment of his lack of trust in her morals. The King, fully chastened, sought redemption for his sin by expanding the hermitage into a temple, named in his daughter’s honour and built a city around the temple. Today this temple, called the Champavati Temple, belongs to the Royal family and the King’s daughter is venerated as a goddess. Every year, since 935, the Minjar festival or fair has been held. It lasts for 21 days, coinciding with the first day of Baisakhi.
Since Raja Sahil Varman, the dynasty ruled without successful invasion for around a millennium, until the British gained power. The isolation of the town and its rugged hilly terrain is believed to have been a contributing factor to this unusual state of security. Later, Mughal emperors Akbar and Aurangzeb did attempt to annex Chamba but were unsuccessful in subjugating this territory into their kingdoms. Raja Prithvi Singh (1641-1664 AD), who was on amiable terms with Emperor Shahjahan was instrumental in introducing the court life styles of the Mughals.
Many progressive reforms and developments were made in Chamba under the British. In 1863, the first Post office was established in Chamba and a daily mail service and a primary school. In December, 1866, a hospital was opened by Doctor Elmslie of the Kashmir Medical Mission. In the late 1860s two new roads to Dalhousie via Kolri and Khajiar were built. Gopal Singh, who ruled from 1870 to 1873, after abdicating, was responsible for building the grand Jandarighat Palace as his summer residence.
After India becoming an independent nation in August 1947, the princely state of Chamba finally merged with India on April 15, 1948 along with the other princedoms of Mandi-Suket State, Sirmour State and all of those in the Shimla hills.
Buildings in Chamba were traditionally constructed using local materials. Buildings were made out of dry stone masonry, with the walls and floors of the older houses plastered with a concoction of clay and cow-dung. Thick wooden beams were used to support the walls, paying attention to durability and to withstand earthquakes, and wooden cantilever construction was often used to support the verandas. The staircases and doors were made from wood, with the doors often decorated in religious reliefs and flanked by two lamps to light it at night. Before the arrival of the British, who introduced slate roofs to Chamba, roofs were covered with planks, coated in clay. Few of these houses remiain today, although a number still have wood-clay roofs in villages in the suburbs.
The old heritage monuments, which are palaces and temples are located in the old town (east of the Chaugans), on the lower slopes of Shah Madar hill. They were built in the lower valley where the two rivers and steep thickly forested hillsides provided a strong defense. Located here is the 10th century Champavati Temple, said to have marked the birth of the town, the Lakshmi Narayan group of temples (built from 10th-19th century), the 10th century Sita Ram Temple, Bansi Gopal temple, Kharura Mohalla and Hari Rai temple, the 11th century Sui Mata Temple and Chamunda Devi Temple, and the Akhand Chandi palace, overlooking the Chaugan, which has since been converted into a college. Additions were made to the palace in the form of the Zenana Mahal and the Rang Mahal in the 18th century. The temples built in Chamba demonstrate a strong Kashmiri influence with their stone temple architecture and temple iconography. Given their age however, only their unicellular layout with fluted pillars has been retained.
Khajjiar is a hill station in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, India, located approximately 24 km from Dalhousie. Khajjiar sits on a small plateau with a small stream-fed lake in the middle that has been covered over with weeds. The hill station is surrounded by green meadows and dense forests. It is about 6,500 feet (2,000 m) above sea level in the foothills of the Dhauladhar ranges of the Western Himalayas and snowy peaks can be seen in the distance. It is part of the Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary.
Khajjiar can be reached from Dalhousie, the nearest major town and hill station, by bus in an hour or so. It has a rare combination of three ecosystems: lake, pasture and forest, all in one place
Chamba (Hindi: चम्बा) is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312 people. Located at an altitude of 996 metres above mean sea level, the town is situated on the banks of the Ravi River (a major tributary of the Trans-Himalayan Indus River), at its confluence with the Sal River.
Though historical records date the history of the Chamba region to the Kolian tribes in the 2nd century BC, the area was formally ruled by the Maru dynasty, starting with the Raju Maru from around 500 AD, ruling from the ancient capital of Bharmour, which is located 75 kilometres from the town of Chamba. In 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahil Verma) shifted the capital of the kingdom to Chamba, following the specific request of his daughter Champavati (Chamba was named after her). From the time of Raju Maru, 67 Rajas of this dynasty have ruled over Chamba until it finally merged with the Indian Union in April 1948, although Chamba was under British suzerainty from 1846 to this time.
The town has numerous temples and palaces, and hosts two popular jatras (fairs), the "Suhi Mata Mela" and the "Minjar Mela", which last for several days and involve music and dancing. Chamba is also well noted for its arts and crafts, particularly its Pahari paintings, which originated in the Hill Kingdoms of North India between the 17th and 19th century and its handicrafts and textiles.
HISTORY
Chamba has an ancient history, which is inseparable from that of the surrounding district of Chamba. The earliest rulers were Kolian tribes. In the 2nd century BC the Khasas and Audumbaras were in power in the region. In the 4th century AD during the Gupta period, the Thakurs and Ranas ruled. From the 7th century, the Gurjara Pratiharas or the Rajput dynasty came into power.
The recorded history of the Rajput rulers is traced to an eminent individual named Maru who is said to have moved to northwest India from Kalpagrama, around 500 AD. He founded his capital in the Budhal river valley at a place called Brahmaputra, which later became known as Bharmour or Bhramaur, which is situated 75 kilometres to the east of the present day Chamba town. For three hundred years, kings of Rajput Dynasty ruled from their capital in Bharmour.
However, in 920, Raja Sahil Varman (or Raja Sahila Verma), King of Bharmour, shifted his capital from Bharmour to a more centrally located plateau in the lower Ravi valley, and named the city Champavati, after his daughter. There is some variation in the story to how exactly this transition came about in the historical records of Chamba. One version tells how Varman, who, after being childless for a significant period, was blessed with ten sons and a daughter, named "Champavati". It was Champavati who urged her father to build a new capital town in the valley. However, obstacles stood in the way to relocating his capital, given that the king had previously granted the land in the modern Chamba vicinity to the Kanwan Brahmins. A solution was found in the form of offering a gift of eight copper coins called chaklis on the occasion of every marriage that took place in the Brahmin family, if they would agree to surrender their land to pave the way for the new capital. With the land thus obtained, the new capital was built and named as Champa after Chamapavati, the King’s daughter, which, over the years, was simply shortened to "Chamba'.
A variation of this origin of Chamba is that it originated as a hermitage which Champavati, a devout Hindu, used to frequent. The king, being suspicious of his daughter's fidelity, one day investigated and followed her to the hermitage, but surprisingly he found neither his daughter nor the hermit there. Suddenly he was said to have heard a voice which informed him that his suspicions were ill founded, admonishing him and informing him that his daughter had been taken away from him permanently as a punishment of his lack of trust in her morals. The King, fully chastened, sought redemption for his sin by expanding the hermitage into a temple, named in his daughter’s honour and built a city around the temple. Today this temple, called the Champavati Temple, belongs to the Royal family and the King’s daughter is venerated as a goddess. Every year, since 935, the Minjar festival or fair has been held. It lasts for 21 days, coinciding with the first day of Baisakhi.
Since Raja Sahil Varman, the dynasty ruled without successful invasion for around a millennium, until the British gained power. The isolation of the town and its rugged hilly terrain is believed to have been a contributing factor to this unusual state of security. Later, Mughal emperors Akbar and Aurangzeb did attempt to annex Chamba but were unsuccessful in subjugating this territory into their kingdoms. Raja Prithvi Singh (1641-1664 AD), who was on amiable terms with Emperor Shahjahan was instrumental in introducing the court life styles of the Mughals.
Many progressive reforms and developments were made in Chamba under the British. In 1863, the first Post office was established in Chamba and a daily mail service and a primary school. In December, 1866, a hospital was opened by Doctor Elmslie of the Kashmir Medical Mission. In the late 1860s two new roads to Dalhousie via Kolri and Khajiar were built. Gopal Singh, who ruled from 1870 to 1873, after abdicating, was responsible for building the grand Jandarighat Palace as his summer residence.
After India becoming an independent nation in August 1947, the princely state of Chamba finally merged with India on April 15, 1948 along with the other princedoms of Mandi-Suket State, Sirmour State and all of those in the Shimla hills.
Buildings in Chamba were traditionally constructed using local materials. Buildings were made out of dry stone masonry, with the walls and floors of the older houses plastered with a concoction of clay and cow-dung. Thick wooden beams were used to support the walls, paying attention to durability and to withstand earthquakes, and wooden cantilever construction was often used to support the verandas. The staircases and doors were made from wood, with the doors often decorated in religious reliefs and flanked by two lamps to light it at night. Before the arrival of the British, who introduced slate roofs to Chamba, roofs were covered with planks, coated in clay. Few of these houses remiain today, although a number still have wood-clay roofs in villages in the suburbs.
The old heritage monuments, which are palaces and temples are located in the old town (east of the Chaugans), on the lower slopes of Shah Madar hill. They were built in the lower valley where the two rivers and steep thickly forested hillsides provided a strong defense. Located here is the 10th century Champavati Temple, said to have marked the birth of the town, the Lakshmi Narayan group of temples (built from 10th-19th century), the 10th century Sita Ram Temple, Bansi Gopal temple, Kharura Mohalla and Hari Rai temple, the 11th century Sui Mata Temple and Chamunda Devi Temple, and the Akhand Chandi palace, overlooking the Chaugan, which has since been converted into a college. Additions were made to the palace in the form of the Zenana Mahal and the Rang Mahal in the 18th century. The temples built in Chamba demonstrate a strong Kashmiri influence with their stone temple architecture and temple iconography. Given their age however, only their unicellular layout with fluted pillars has been retained.
BFDd Cesar Anaya Vel. 1/40 F3.5 ISO 800 2018 Se captura un objeto en movimiento a una velocidad lenta para generar sensación de movimiento.
14 July 2013. Khor Abeche: (Right, on bed) A UNAMID military peacekeeper based in Khor Abeche, South Darfur, recovers in the UNAMID hospital in Nyala from the injuries suffered in an ambush yesterday, when seven peacekeepers were killed and 17 military and Police personnel, among them two female Police Advisers, were wounded. The patients received the visit of the UNAMID leadership (from right to left), the the Police Commissioner, Hester Andriana Paneras, the acting Force Commander, Lieutenant General Paul Ignace Mella (from Tanzania), and the Joint Special Representative, Mohamed Ibn Chambas.
The incident, which began at 9:00 hours, occurred approximately 25 kilometers west of the Mission's Khor Abeche team site.
The UNAMID team came under heavy fire from a large unidentified group. Following an extended firefight, the patrol was extracted by UNAMID reinforcements that arrived from the Mission's Khor Abeche and Manawashi team sites.
Photo by Albert González Farran, UNAMID