Bhuri Singh Museum, Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh India

Bhuri Singh Museum at Chamba opened formally on 14-09-1908, it is named after Raja Bhuri Singh who ruled Chamba from 1904 to 1919. Bhuri Singh donated his family collection of paintings to the museum. The idea to open a public museum came from J. Ph. Vogel, an eminent Indologist who was serving A.S.I. and who through an intensive exploration had discovered, read and analyzed old inscriptions dispersed far and wide in the territory of Chamba state. These inscriptions mostly in Sarda script shed important light on the mediaeval history of Chamba. The prasastis of Sarahan, Devi-ri-kothi and mul Kihar are now preserved in the museum.

Paintings of Bhagwat Purana and Ramayana in peculiar style are inspired by Basohli idiom of painting whereas Krishna, Sudama, Rukmini vivah and Usha-Anirudh and portraits in prime Guler-Kangra style were executed by the artists who were patronized by the Chamba rulers. The embroidered Chamba-Rumals are related in style since their drawings were made by pahari painters though the embroidery was done by the household ladies.

Bhuri Singh Museum is in the bustling market place of Chamba. It's a comparatively tiny museum but clean, well maintained and interesting to wander through. Raja Bhuri Singh, whom the temple is named after ruled Chamba from 1914-1919 and when he died, donated his family’s entire collection of art to the museum. He was encouraged by J. Ph. Vogel, a well-respected Indologist who had devoted his life's work to reading and studying inscriptions from and in every corner of Chamba.
Written in the Sarda script, these inscriptions contain almost all of Chamba’s history and these can be seen at the museum. In fact it was actually Vogel's idea to open the Museum in the first place and this has now become the home of many unusual artefacts such as painting of the Bhagwat Purana and Ramayana in the style influenced by the Basohli idiom of paintings. The paintings depict Lord Krishna, Sudama, the wedding of Rukmini and Usha-Anirudh.
Several portraits in the Guler-Kangra style commissioned by rulers can also be seen at the Bhuri Singh Museum. Another point of interest are the rumaals embroidered handkerchief-like pieces of cloth that follow the Pahari or Kangra style of painting, but done with thread and by women.