Top 12 Ancient Terracotta Temples of Bishnupur West Bengal
Top 12 Ancient Terracotta Temples of Bishnupur West Bengal: There are 12 temples Active right now. Bishnupur (Vishnupur) in the Bankura district of West Bengal, gets its name from Lord Vishnu, the deity of the Vaishnavite Malla Kings who ruled it. Bishnupur’s glorious past is emulated in its traditional architecture and handicrafts such as pottery and weaving.
- Distance From IIT Kharagpur Is Approx. 95Km Via NH-14.
- Distance From Kolkata Is Approx. 145km Via Ahilyabai Holkar Rd/Bankura – Beliator – Sonamukhi – Khandaghosh – Nischintapur Rd/Champadanga-Dankuni Rd and SH-2
- Google Map: Bishnupur
The worst thing that I saw in Bishnupur are the auto drivers and tourist guides standing outside of the railway station and bus stand, seeing you as a tourist, they will ask for so many fees and argue with you so much that you will get upset. So if you go to visit Bishnupur Terracotta Temples, do all the research.
Well, you don’t have to worry I will guide you completely:
How Many Temples Are Left There Right Now?
There are 12 temples Active right now. Bishnupur (Vishnupur) in the Bankura district of West Bengal, gets its name from Lord Vishnu, the deity of the Vaishnavite Malla Kings who ruled it. Bishnupur’s glorious past is emulated in its traditional architecture and handicrafts such as pottery and weaving.
The town prospered in the 17th and 18th centuries and was the capital of the Malla kingdom. Under the Malla kings, Bishnupur developed a unique form of architecture involving the most brilliant and detailed terracotta work. Bishnupur is also known for its traditional handloom saris as well as terracotta pottery, artifacts, and jewelry, and the Bishnupur school of painting.
Rasmancha
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 3.5 km.
The Rasmancha is a historical temple. It was built by Mallabhum king Hambir Malla Dev. The length and breadth of this temple are 24.5 meters and the height is 12.5 meters. The base or altar of the temple is made of laterite stone and the upper part is made of bricks.
The upper structure looks like a pyramid. The middle part resembles Bengali huts and the arches of the lower part resemble Islamic architecture. During the Ras festival, all the Radha Krishna idols of Bishnupur town used to be brought here to be worshipped by the citizens.
Jor-Bangla Temple – 1600 A.DÂ
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.6 km. Jor-Bangla Temple, also called Keshta Rai Temple, has a typical architecture that is found in the southern part of Bengal. The temple was built by Malla King Raghunath Singha.
The structure resembles two traditional ‘do-chala’ village huts put together side by side. One of them serves as a porch and the other, which is behind the former, serves as a shrine. The curved roof of this pair of huts is surmounted by a ‘char-Chala shikhara. The base of the temple is a square of size 11.8m X 11.48m, and the height above the platform is 10.7m.
The walls are decorated mostly with terracotta panels describing scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata along with floral and geometrical patterns.
READ MORE: Tapoban Valmiki Ashram – Nayagram – Jhargram – West Bengal
Pancha Ratna Temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.4 km.
Pancha Ratna Temple was built by King Raghunath Singha, the temple boasts ancient architecture and exhibits the cultural richness of those ancient days. The entire structure of the temple is protected by rope fencing which helps to preserve the historical grandeur of the Pancha Ratna Temple.
The terracotta designs that are beautifully carved on the walls of the temple fetch tourists from far and wide places.
Madanmohan Temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 6.2 km.
Madan Mohan Temple built by Durjana Singh Dev King in the late 17th century is a clear symbolization of Bishnupur’s eternal bond with stone and terracotta temples and worship of various gods and goddesses of Hindu mythology.
Dedicated to Lord Madan Mohan, an incarnation of Vishnu, the temple cannot skip the eyesight of devotees and also leisure tourists.
Lalji Temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.8 km.
Lalji Temple was built in 1658 CE by Malla king Bir Singha II in Eka-Ranta style. This temple has been devoted to Radha-Krishna. This temple bears similar architectural concepts to many of the earlier temples.
It is built on a square-raised plinth, consisting of ornamental stucco decorations on low-relief carvings. Descriptive and ornamental arches and an encompassment around the temple are typical features of the temple.
Radha Shyam Temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.6 Km.
Radha Shyam Temple in Bishnupur was constructed by King Chaitanya Singha. Devoted to Lord Krishna, the temple is located near another historical shrine Jor-Bangla Temple.
Along with the Radha and Shyam (Lord Krishna), the sanctum also includes the images of Nityananda and Chaitanya. In the temple vicinity, there is another shrine that houses the idols of Lord Jagannath of Puri and also Nityananda and Chaitanya.
Nandalal Temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.2 km.
Nandalal temple was built in the second half of the seventeenth century. It is an ‘Eka-Ratna’ style temple made of rust-colored laterite. The temple constructed on a low platform has a square base and a Bengali ‘Chala’ type curved roof. A single tower or ‘sikhara‘ is resting on the roof.
Structurally it has similarities with the Radha Madhav temple. That means there are covered porches on all four sides around the innermost sanctuary where the idol is kept, and there are three arched openings at each of the two adjacent sides of the temple. Very little decoration or bas-relief is still present on its walls. Once there was a stone carving of different patterns and figures covered with stucco work on the wall, which is mostly washed out.
Kalachand temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.5Km.
The temple is surrounded by an aura of greenery. During our visit, we were lucky enough to see migratory birds, especially pelicans. Kalachand temple was built by Malla King Raghunath Singha in 1656 A.D. on a low platform of laterite blocks.
The temple has a square base of 11.1m X 11.1m and a height of 9.2 m above the platform.
Radha Govinda Temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.5 km.
Radha Madhab Temple
The distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.5 km.
Radha Madhab Temple was built in 1737 by the ruling Malla dynasty and is dedicated to Radha and Krishna.
Jor Mandir (Twin Temples)
Distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4.3 km.
A complex of three temples is known as the Jor Mandir. These temples were built by Malla King Krishna Singh in 1726. Jor Mandir Temple Of Bishnupur is Famous For Its Terracotta Temples.
Chhinnamasta Temple
Distance From Bishnupur Railway Station is 4 km.
This is a modern temple with a concrete structure although grown popular due to the deity inside and proximity to the famous cannon Dolmadol. Built by the Guin family of Midnapore.
How to reach?
- Bishnupur is connected by Air, Train, and Bus from other places as follows :
- The nearest airport is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport which is about 150 km from Bishnupur.
PLEASE VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
