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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Short description|Himachali-style building}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name = Chehni Kothi
|partof =
|location = [[Banjar, India|Banjar]], [[Himachal Pradesh]]
|image = Chehni Kothi2.png
|caption = Chehni Kothi
|map_type=India Himachal Pradesh
| map_size = 300
|map_caption = Shown within [[Himachal Pradesh]]
|type = Temple tower
|coordinates = {{coord|31.627605|N|77.358027|E}}
|materials = Stone
|height = 45 meters
|used = Temple
|condition =
|ownership =
|open_to_public = No
|controlledby =
}}

'''Chehni Kothi''' is a traditional [[Kath kuni architecture|Kath Kuni]]-style fortified tower with a temple inside, located in Chehni village, [[Banjar, India|Banjar]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], India.<ref>{{Cite news |title=The story of Himachal's traditional architecture, Kath Kuni |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/the-story-of-himachals-traditional-architecture-kath-kuni/articleshow/94325411.cms |access-date=2024-09-01 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> The 350-year-old 12-storey-high structure is made in the "Kath Kuni" method (''Kath'' meaning "wood", and ''Kuni'', "corner"), using only stones and wood without cement or nails. It has a temple inside, but was originally built as a fort.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chehni Kothi {{!}} Himachal Pradesh, India |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/tirthan-valley/attractions/chehni-kothi/a/poi-sig/1553207/1340220 |website=www.lonelyplanet.com |publisher=Lonely Planet |access-date=30 August 2024 |date=2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Suryanarayanan |first1=Archita |title=Lessons from the hills |url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/homes-and-gardens/mountain-architecture-building-climate-himachal-ladakh/article68575955.ece |website=The Hindu |publisher=THG Publishing Pvt. Ltd. |access-date=30 August 2024 |language=en-IN |date=30 August 2024}}</ref>

The tower’s age is uncertain, but it is generally regarded as a several-century-old structure (often dated to the 17th century) and is one of the largest surviving wooden towers of its kind in the Western Himalayas. Its layered wood-and-stone construction and sloping slate roof exemplify the indigenous building techniques of Himachal Pradesh.

== History ==
The origins of '''Chehni Kothi''' are obscure, but local tradition and travel accounts date the structure to the early modern period. A recent article notes that Chehni Kothi is a "17th-century wooden fortress" at Chehni village.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joshi |first=Parth |title=Travel: Hidden gem of Himachal |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/features/travel-hidden-gem-of-himachal/ |access-date=2025-06-24 |website=The Tribune |language=en}}</ref> According to one account, the tower served as the fortified residence of a local ruler (often referred to in lore as "Queen Chaini"). In this view, Chehni Kothi originally functioned as a defensive stronghold for the village, with thick stone walls on the lower floors and wooden living quarters above. An adjacent shorter tower historically served as the temple's treasury, guarded by a local official known as the Dev Bhandari or Sundar Bhandari.<ref name="Abhyankar">{{Cite web |last=Abhyankar |first=Shoma |date=2019-05-27 |title=Himachal Pradesh: A look at the traditional Kath Kuni architecture |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/himachal-pradesh-traditional-kath-kuni-architecture/ |access-date=2025-06-24 |website=Architectural Digest India |language=en-IN}}</ref>

By the 19th century Chehni Kothi was an established temple complex. Regional histories imply that it has survived several natural disasters; in fact, it has long been celebrated for withstanding Himalayan earthquakes.<ref name="Abhyankar"/> Later narratives claim that the tower suffered partial damage during the great 1905 Kangra earthquake. Whether or not this accounts for the tower’s current height, villagers later undertook repairs and community-led restoration work to stabilize the building.<ref name="Trawell">{{Cite web |title=Chehni Kothi / Traditional Fort, Kullu - Timings, Trekking, Camping, Best Time to Visit |url=https://www.trawell.in/himachal/kullu/chehni-kothi-traditional-fort |access-date=2025-06-24 |website=Trawell.in |language=en}}</ref>

== Architecture and Construction Techniques ==
Chehni Kothi exemplifies the traditional [[Kath kuni architecture|kath-kuni]] construction technique of [[Himachal Pradesh]], which uses alternating layers of timber and stone to create sturdy, earthquake-resistant walls. The term kath kuni itself derives from the Sanskrit kashth (wood) and kona (corner), reflecting the method of laid logs at the corners of stone masonry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alvarez |first=Liliana |date=2022-11-06 |title=Kath Kuni Architecture: Origin and Development |url=https://amazingarchitecture.com/articles/kath-kuni-architecture-origin-and-development |access-date=2025-06-24 |website=AmazingArchitecture |language=en}}</ref> In Chehni Kothi’s case, each course of the wall consists of roughly cut local stone interspersed with horizontal beams of deodar wood. Notably, no mortar or metal fasteners are used. The weight of the stone and the interlock of wood pegs ("kadil" joints) hold the structure together. A high stone plinth raises the building above ground level to protect it from [[snowmelt]] and moisture, while the wood layers provide flexibility. This double-skin wall is effective at insulating the interior and dissipating seismic forces. The air gaps within the wall cavity allow [[thermal insulation]] and also act as a built-in [[shock absorber]] during tremors.<ref name="Abhyankar"/>
[[File:Kath- Kuni House.jpg|thumb|A Traditional Kath Kuni style house near Chehni Kothi]]
The tower’s superstructure rises steeply from the base. Chehni Kothi’s main temple tower is often described as having nine storeys, around 45 meters.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shabab |first=Dilaram |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Kullu/z8uPDwAAQBAJ |title=Kullu: The Valley of Gods |date=2019-02-26 |publisher=Hay House, Inc |isbn=978-93-86832-92-4 |language=en}}</ref> The lower four levels are mostly stone, forming a broad, sturdy base, while the upper five levels are largely wooden. Entry to the tower is via a stone doorway at ground level, and a wooden staircase inside leads up to the shrine chambers. Midway up the tower is a projecting wooden balcony that encircles the building, about 12 metres above ground, providing an intermediate floor and an observation platform. The [[Roof pitch|steep multi-tiered roof]] of Chehni Kothi is fashioned from locally quarried [[slate]] shingles set over [[Rafter|wooden rafters]]. This “pent-and-gable” roof design, with each successive tier smaller than the one below, is characteristic of Himachali temple towers. The overlapping slate not only sheds snow efficiently but also adds weight that holds the wooden beams firmly in place. Typical of [[Pahari culture|Pahari style]], the exposed wood elements, beams, brackets, and balcony pillars are often carved with decorative motifs.<ref name="Abhyankar" />

Structural surveys have documented visible cracks in the tower’s masonry, likely due to seismic stress and age. A 2023 structural field investigation noted cracks on the Chehni tower walls.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sharma |first=Ashutosh |date=December 2023 |title=Kath-Kuni architecture: field investigations and material characterisation |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370894258_Kath-Kuni_architecture_field_investigations_and_material_characterisation |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Structures and Buildings |volume=177 |pages=712-727}}</ref>

== Cultural and Religious Significance ==
[[File:Fagli.jpg|thumb|Villagers from Chehni Kothi performing the traditional Fagli dance during local celebration.]]
Chehni Kothi has long functioned as a temple in addition to being a fort-like edifice. The uppermost chamber of the tower houses an image or images of [[Hindu deities]], and villagers perform worship there on auspicious occasions. Locally the complex is often referred to as the [[Bhagwati Temple|Bhagwati temple]], indicating that the principal goddess Bhagwati (a form of the Mother Goddess) is venerated in the tower. (The worship of a Devi in the tower aligns with a broader Himachali tradition of rural goddess cults.) The presence of a temple at the top storey is evidenced by the small sanctum-like niches and idol figures reported in visitor account.<ref name="Trawell" /> Beyond its religious role, Chehni Kothi has gained wider recognition as an emblem of ''Himachali heritage architecture''. Scholars and conservationists cite it as a key example of traditional hillcraft. The tower has been featured in studies of vernacular Himalayan design and is often mentioned in travel literature on Himachal Pradesh’s cultural legacy.<ref name="Abhyankar" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{coord|31.62765|77.35810|format=dms|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kullu district]]

Chehni Kothi - Revision history

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