Information on Rang Mahal (Chamba, Himachal Pradesh) - History & Architecture

The Rang Mahal which is located in the Surara Mohalla, Chamba district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is one of the oldest palaces in the country. The palace is highly regarded for its architectural and historical importance. The monument has witnessed the reign of both the Hindu and British rulers.

Rang Mahal Architecture

The interior of monument has been largely designed on the basis of the local architectural style. Though not many in number, the palace has wall paintings which are splendid and shows and depicts the royal living style of the rajas and maharajas during that time. There are also paintings of Lord Krishna kept in the walls of the interior which also enhances the beauty of the palace to an extent. All the doors of the palace are carved with teak wood. There is an emporium inside the palace which depicts the embroidery work conducted by the local women. The embroidery style followed by the women are around thousand-year-old. There is a huge warehouse within the palace which was used for the purpose of material storage. The overall structure of the palace was made based on the fusion of the amalgam and the British styles of architecture. The western side of the palace was made for the purpose of granary as well as treasury. There are large number of rooms within the palace which were used by the royal family members for numerous purposes. There are also many other paintings within the fort which depicts the Punjabi style of hills and art.

Rang Mahal History

The Rang Mahal is also one of the largest palace in Himachal Pradesh and India. The foundation stone for the Mahal was laid by non-other than Raja Umed Singh in between the period ranging from 1748-1764. The later structure and design of the monument was belong to Raj Sri Singh who built the structure by the year 1860. The intention of building this particular monument by the raja was to use the same for personal accommodation and to store grain as well treasure within the palace for the royal family. Again the royal activities of the raja during that period i.e. Umed Singh used to take place in the palace itself within the durbar hall since the days of its inception. Historically, the primary foundation of the palace was laid in the 18th century while in the later scenario the raja of other dynasty who ruled the palace made considerable number of changes in the design and structure of the monument. In the present day scenario, the monument is being utilised by the government authorities to carry out administrative activities and work of handicrafts among others. Notably, many of remnants of the royal family we shifted from the palace and placed in some others galleries of the country.

Rang Mahal Tourism Importance

The Rang Mahal is one of the most visited tourist places in Himachal Pradesh. It attracts a bulk of tourists owing to its history as well as architectural beauty. The palace along with the place provides an ambience for the tourists owing to the calm surrounding atmosphere of the region i.e. Dalhousie. Again since the palace is quite near to the city area it ensures a convenient reach for the tourists through roadways. The entry time of the palace falls in between 10 am to 1.00 pm everyday while in weekends and Mondays the timings changes to 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm.