Introduction

It is said that Bengal has always been a center of attraction for its brilliant architecture and artistic grandeur. Often considered the hub of art and creativity, Bengal’s soil is dotted with numerous temples and pilgrimage sites. Ranging from marbles and stones to bricks and clay, the architecture of such temples constitutes a variety of material. Yet, temples made out of terracotta or ‘baked earth’ have always been a hallmark.

Bathed in gentle shades of rust and brick, the mellow red Terracotta Temples stand as a testament to Bengal’s artistic expression. Interestingly, terracotta temples are not mere heritage sites of attraction. As suggested by the continuous footfalls of devotees, a great deal of these temples’ popularity lie in Bengal’s stagnant religious faith.

Terracotta Temples: Tracing Its Roots

Terracotta art has been an age-old milestone in India’s sphere of art and craft. Yet, interestingly, this prestigious artform has its roots in the Indus Valley Civilization.
From vessels and pottery to toys and deities, terracotta was used in the making of objects of daily need. However, by the 15th- 16th century AD, terracotta slowly emerged as a building material for temples, in West Bengal. One of the prime reasons behind this preference for terracotta, in the sphere of architecture, was the unavailability of stones. Moreover, the alluvial plain along the roaring Ganges has shaped much of Bengal’s civic area, further influencing the use of terracotta in the building of temples.

The presence of a major chunk of these temples across the alluvial plains of the Ganges further explains the popularity and preference for clay in West Bengal. Thus, dating back to the 16th century, these temples constitute a range of sacred religious sites, contributing to India’s heritage of art and creativity.

Architecture of Terracotta Temples

Over successive generations, the terracotta temples have shaped the religious, architectural and social discourse of West Bengal. Yet, a study of their structures reveals certain repetitive features occurring across multiple of such temples. For instance, the curved entrance, arches and domes as well as cornices and roofs remain central to a range of terracotta temples across Bengal.

In some cases, the terracotta temples have been categorized in terms of their roofs, colloquially referred to as ‘chala‘. The roofs or chalas have brilliant variations, prompting structured differences. Interestingly, the concept of ‘chala’ has been derived from the architecture of straw huts prevalent in rural Bengal.

Do-chala Temple

Two sloping roofs converging at a curved ridge make up the structure of do-chala temples. Drawing inspiration from the traditional thatched-hut structure, the do-chala form has its roots in Islamic architecture. An early example of this style is the Tomb of Fateh Khan in Gaur. It was constructed of stucco over brick. Moreover, this Indo-Islamic architecture has an external measurement of 9.35 by 8.35 m (30.7 by 27.4 ft). Adding to the wonders of this monument, this tomb has three doorways on its west, north and southern side.

If we study the Char Bangla Temple of Baranagar, we’ll see that the structure contains four do-chala Shiva temples. These temples are clubbed together. The northern temple of this cluster dates back to the early 1760s. These temples also constitute a unique feature, i.e, their triple entrances. David McCutchion, a pioneer in the field of ‘Hindu terracotta and brick temples of Bengal’, has suggested that apart from the Baranagar group, this ek-bangla style of architecture is rarely found anywhere else in West Bengal. The Char Bangla Temple of Baranagar is also included in the List of Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal.

Char-Chala Temple

The regular char-chala structure is marked by the converging of four sloping roofs at a central point. Sometimes, there is a small tower on top. For an enhanced understanding, we can study the Raghunathjee Temple in Ghurisa.

Founded by late Raghunath Bhattacharya, this char-chala structure dates back to the 1633 AD. A unique feature of this temple lie in its usage of ‘terracotta panels’. These panels depict a series of celebrated scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. Besides decoration, these panels also serve the purpose of storytelling, perhaps, retaining the essence of age-old myths within its brilliant architecture.

Nonetheless, despite the prevalence of the char-chala style in traditional Bengal huts, the temple form remains unique and rare.

At- Chala Temple

At-chala temples have a distinctive eight-roofed structure. Here, the roof is arranged in two tiers. The lower tier has four curved, sloping roofs converging at a point, replicating the char-chala style. The upper tier consists of a miniature replica of the lower tier structure, set right above them.

The Madan Gopal Temple, established by the Banerjee family in 1730 is a prime example of the at-chala temple structure. The Paschim Para Shiva Temple, located at a village named Surul, is also a prominent architecture of the at-chala structure.

Legends Along Terracotta Panels

The Terracotta Temples of Bengal has enhanced Bengal’s reputation in the sphere of art and architecture. Recent data shows that the World Heritage Centre has declared Bishnupur as a world heritage site. This key achievement is primarily due to Bishnupur’s wide asset of Terracotta Temples. A study of India’s early architecture and art forms reveals a deep interconnection between religion and creativity. David McCutchion has divided Bengal’s religious architecture into three distinct periods i.e Early Hindu, the Sultanate and the Hindu Revival. Thus, Bengal’s history has a major influence upon its architect and literature. Naturally, the terracotta temples serve to retain numerous instances of Bengal’s history and literature. The popular myths of Ramayana and Mahabharata as well as skilled replication of daily lifestyles are often carved onto the walls of these temples. As suggested by Dineschandra, the “Pauranik Renaissance” of the 14th century had a massive impact upon Bengal’s architecture during that time. The emergence of Vaishnavism across Bengal in the 16th- 17th century has left obvious traces across the Radha Krisha temples of that time.

If we look at the structure of the Radha Vinod Temple, we can see that it is an interesting representation of the nava-ratna style of architecture. A closer look at the temple walls would reveal the brilliant
terracotta carvings that portray scenes from Ramayana and Krishna Leela. However, the most distinguished feature of this temple is perhaps its depiction of Baul singers. This temple consists of a unique terracotta plaque portraying a Baul singer with an ek-tara. The ek-tara, a single-string instrument, has massive significance in the tradition of Baul Sangeet. Thus, through these intricate depictions, these architectures also preserve the essence of Bengali culture.

The Gauranga Mahaprabhu Temple of Hath-tala at Illambazar consists of a chaal-chitra of Durga in wave pattern. Certain terracotta relics depict the daily activities of the commoner in rural Bengal. The central arch panel of Lakshmi Janardan Temple at Illambazaar has multiple of such examples including the portrayals of milking of cows and other essential processes.

The Terracotta Artisans

The terracotta plaques offer a glimpse into the early culture of Bengal. In earlier times, caste was a determinant of profession. Hence, the Acharyas and Sutradharas worked together, contributing to the artistic and architectural excellence in Bengal. The regulations of Shilpa Shastra combined with the keen observation of daily life and culture had its apparent depiction in their works.

Due to the condition of illiteracy governing much of Bengal’s population, the artists have little opportunity to familiarize themselves with the religious texts, Puranas, mythology and epics. Thus, they relied on the works of local poets who told stories and popularized songs and dramas, benefitting the village population. Eventually, these stories took shape, leaving traces of their wide influence on artforms and architecture of that era.

Conclusion

Over time, the mellow red of sunbaked clay has faded into shades of ash-traced brown. Layers of dust has settled on to the corners. Yet, the stories remain etched to the heart of Bengal’s age-old architectural milestone. These temples have witnessed the turbulences of nature and time. Slowly adjusting to the Bengal’s diverse religious trends and movements, these temples have followed the ebb and flow of time. Sometimes, they carry the weight of ancient legends and myths. At other times, these temples are simply a window into the medieval ways of life. Today, the terracotta temples of Bishnupur remain included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tentative List. Yet, the warmth of Bengal’s tradition and stories linger along the nooks and crannies of the temples.

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