Laxminarayan Temple, Arki

Laxminarayan Temple is a popular tourist destination that was built by Chattar Singh in the years 1664-90 AD in the town of Arki. Built in the 10th century, this shrine is devoted to the Hindu God Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi. The temple was built by Raja Sahil Varman in the Shikhara architectural style and is said to be the biggest and oldest of all the temples in the Chamba region. It has a Bimana, which is a shikhara and a garbgriha having a small antralaya, as well as a structure that looks like a mandapa.

A statue of Narasimhan, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is also present in the temple. The temple was left untouched by the Muslim rulers who invaded the country in the medieval times. Its wooden roof is built in such a way that it offers a strong protection against snowfall. The temple complex also houses the shrines of RadhaKrishna, Shiva Temple of Chandergupta and Gauri Shankar.