Clay is considered one of the oldest building materials known to mankind after stone. Clay was being used for all purposes due to being available abundantly and its high supply. Baked clay became so common that it became permanently used by people. This baked clay is called terracotta. Its name may reveal a heavy, dark and lousy material, but man has transformed it into a lighter material. Around the 15th and 16th centuries AD, terracotta was used in different households for daily activities like pottery, sculptures and toys. Over time it has evolved as a building material, especially in West Bengal. And prior to this, stone was used as a building material. But it lost its importance in such regions due to its unavailability and the availability of good alluvial soil. Around the 15th-20th centuries, terracotta was used, as it was cheap and easily available.
(source: facebook)
(source: Travelsetu)
Bishnupur is a sub-divisional headquarter of Bankura and is known as the land of terracotta temples. Bishnupur means city of Lord Vishnu; the kings who ruled the place were Vaishnavites. During the height of its power, Bishnupur served as the capital of Mallabhum, a vast region. In addition to preserving the Bishnupur Gharana, a regional type of classical music, this area is still well recognised as a thriving hub for traditional crafts in terracotta, metal, silk, and cotton weaving. The town of Bishnupur is about 152 km from Kolkata, and it is easily accessible via railways. The Bishnupur Temple complex consists of about 20 temples. The famous ones are Rasa Mancha, Jor Bangla, Shyama Raya, Kalachand, Nandalala, and Radha-Madhava.
History
When Bishnupur was at its most powerful and illustrious, it was a Bengali urban complex that still has the aroma of an old city. In Bengal, temples were the primary vehicle for creative expression at periods. Between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, Bengali brick temples were constructed. Bengali temples display a diverse array of shapes and styles. The alluvial delta of the Ganges River makes up the majority of the temples’ geographic distribution.
The Malla dynasty was established around 695 AD in the Mallabhum region. The founder of the dynasty was Raghunath, the heir of an old Ksatriya family who gained the title of Adi Malla. Bishnupur rose under the glory of Bir Hambir, the greatest king among the Malla rulers. During the reign of Raghunatha, who is also recognised for having constructed several magnificent temples in this area, Bishnupur gained considerable prominence as a hub for learning Sanskrit and classical music. In around AD 1656, Raghunatha Singha’s son Bir Singha succeeded him. Bir Singha constructed a fort in Bishnupur to ensure the safety of his capital; the remains of this fort may be discovered in the Sankharipara region. He had built seven temples throughout his territory, establishing himself as a notable temple-builder as well. Bir Singha’s successor was Durjana Singha. Following Durjana Singha, his son Raghunatha Singha II took over, and it was under his reign that Bishnupur’s musical culture reached its pinnacle. The demise of Raghunatha was succeeded by bad times and the collapse of Bishnupur; these events began with the Marathas’ attacks and the Zamindars of Bardhaman’s expansionist plans. The direct heir of Raghunatha Singha II, Gopala Singha, had developed into a fervent Vaishnavite. The successors of Gopala Singha were Krishna Singha and Chaitanya Singha. The Malla family endured a great deal of hardship under Chaitanya Singha. In 1805, the East India Company sold the estate to cover land revenue debt, and the Bardhaman Zamindars bought it.
Architecture
There are about thirty terracotta temples in the region of Bishnupur which are mostly well preserved. Out of which twenty have been under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India. The temples of Bishnupur can be divided into different categories. They are as follows:
- Deul type: The temples are distinguished by a single tower that resembles the Nagara style, a kind of architecture found in northern India. Bengal has few of these temples, while Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and other northern Indian states have several. They are found to be in poor condition. Among these are the temples of Mallaesvara, Krishna-Balarama, Kesara-raya, and Nikunjabihari.
Deul temple
(source: Flickr) - Bangla type: Temple complexes are frequently distinguished by the Bangla architectural style, which developed in Bengal during the Middle Ages. The fundamental shape of these buildings is similar to the thatched hut. On the ground level, these are square or rectangular, with roofs that slope on either two or four sides.
- Chala type: There are also towers of the sikhara type, which resemble spires and have amalaka finials with faceted sides. Typically, these temples are referred to as ratna type. Depending on the towers, they are called ekaratna, pancaratna, or navaratna.
- Rasa Mancha type: One noteworthy example is the Rasa-mancha, which was constructed by Bir-Hambir but is also a very unusual building in and of itself! An architectural shape is provided by the structure’s many components, including the arched galleries, the terrace around the pyramidal height, and the domed finial.
Style and Ornamentation
Islamic Builder introduced a wide range of strip patterns and emulated the motifs and patterns on stone which belonged to an earlier period. Large-scale figurative art was more preferred and popular than non-figurative art. The implementation of the glazed tiles that were so commonly found on Islamic constructions during the Sultanate period is one notable feature missing from any late mediaeval temple. These temples’ façades were typically separated into panels by curved, horizontal, and vertical bands. A unique rhythmic effect is produced in works above arches, intricate friezes, and panels by the frequent repetition of identical panels.
(source: Google)
A significant amount of elegance and beauty are added to the temples by the magnificent ornate carvings that adorn many of them. The walls on each side of the arched openings, the architraves, and the enormous pillars supporting the temples’ arched entrances also have these designs. In general, these carvings may be divided into two types.
- Some of these may be found in panels that are made up of intricate geometric or ornamental linear patterns, floral and vegetal themes that feature various kinds of birds and animals, or little shrines that are repeated as beautiful decorations.
Ornamentation of Pillar
(source: Flickr) -
Panels that mostly depict scenes from the Ramayana or Krishna-Lila tales include the remaining images.
- Independent human figures, scenarios depicting daily social life, hunting scenes, individuals riding horses or bullock carts, people being carried in palanquins, and similar situations can all be found.
Construction Technique
During this time, indigenous construction forms were converted into permanent materials for the first time. Together with curving borders and terracotta façade decorating, hut shapes were replicated in brick vaulting. This kind of architecture was made using traditional Islamic methods of building arches, vaults and domes, and brick along with terracotta and yellow sandstone that was readily accessible locally was the material utilised.
(source: Google)
It is evident that well-placed horizontal brick courses often make up the brick core of temples. Bricks stacked as stretchers are also used to construct vaults and domes. Bricks are trimmed to create tapering voussoirs in arches. Vaults are constructed using curved brick layers, as are the swollen shapes of temple roofs and cornices. Many temple façades in the 18th and 19th centuries were plastered over and adorned with terracotta figures.
Terminated Bricks were placed in mortar made of lime and brick powder. Snail shells were processed to produce lime. Temple walls, vaults, and roofs were covered with fine yet extremely durable pankha plaster. The terracotta plaques’ surface skin is meticulously stitched into the building’s brick core.
Current Status
Since 1997, the temples of Bishnupur have been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tentative List. Recently the World Heritage Centre decided to announce Bishnupur as a world heritage site. The Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH) formulated and designed documentation and preservation work on Bishnupur Temples. At present these temples have become the symbol of tourism attraction and are highlighted through several articles, books and even newspapers. At present, about twenty such temples have been protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). ASI has recognised the temples as “Monuments of National Importance”.
(source: D’source)
Conclusion
Temple is a component of the historical environment. These temples were made for religious purposes. According to the religion of the king, the ornamentation structure of the temple becomes changed with the changing concept of religion. These temples are part of the cultural environment, but ultimately they become a cultural resource for tourism. A column of laterite has a visual attraction or appeal. But we often disregard our rich heritage lightly because we are unaware of it. A temple is a place of worship and a form of cultural expression in the middle of nature. Temple is an intangible resource, as it is a symbol of religion. A mixture of tangible and intangible resources is found in the temple of the study area, and the main emphasis is made on the ornamentation. Thus, the temples of Bishnupur, built by the Malla kings, stand as a testament to the unique blend of Bengali architecture, religious beliefs and artistic skills, showcasing the cultural and artistic achievements of the Malla dynasty through their intricate terracotta panels and distinct architectural styles.