Terracotta Tale- Bishnupur, Bahulara, Joypur, Gokulnagar, Dihar and Panchmura.

Bishnupur- the temple town, the paradise of Terracotta. Nothing new to say about this nice historical destination, at least in IndiaMike. So many beautiful threads are here

I'm grateful to -

http://www.indiamike.com/india/west-...anipur-t65921/

Bishnupur: temple town and cultural hub of West Bengal

Bishnupur calling

and some others here.

With all these nice trip reports I just can add some of my snaps only.

But ours' was a Terracotta trip really. Besides Bishnupur, we didn't add Mukutmanipur or Biharinath-Susunia in those 2.5 day's trip. We just traveled around the ancient terracotta structures near there - Buahulara, Gokulnagar, Joypur, Dihar are some places around Bishnupur with some other beautiful terracotta art work.

We visited Panchmuda/Panchmura too - the place famous for Bishnupuri terracotta horse creators.

At the end we visited 'Abhibyekti' - an exceptional center of art at Chhandar village near Beliatore, the birth place of Jamini Ranjan Roy.

Looking forward to the rest of this report, DJ! But there is always something new to say about such a destination.

Thank you TD,

Perhaps you are right. The threads of Chiradip and mousourik are so good, well informed..... really adorable.

I'll continue to share my experience too and adding the other spots as I mentioned and the photos

Hope you'll like it.



1. we reached Bishnupur By Rupashi Bangla Express.

2. The jack fruit tree at Bishunupur railway station where Maa Sarada took some rest while going Jairambati.

Waiting for your trip report from yesterday....
Now here we go....
waiting for more pics...

Thank you legend.

Here are some of Rasmancho.

Bishnupur – the terracotta temple city and I longed for this destination for years. Truely speaking, very few of our group members were interested for such visit through history. This time a smaller one with six females only get set for this cultural hub of West Bengal- first time for everyone.

As a conventional trip of that zone, Bishnupur-Mukutmanipur-Bankura is the triangle. But we thought for some different one with terracotta only.

‘Next week you can visit.....’ series of Telegraph are really excellent collections. This time I followed some of it’s suggestions.

My TR will show some glimpses of those places – Bahulara, Gokulnagar, Joypur and Dihar.

Presently here are some delicate art work in terracotta :



About the 'Naba-Nari-Kunjar' (nine-women comprised in an elephant) we heard from our guide Achintya babu that this can be seen in Rajasthani paintings and in Ramrajatala in Howrah, there is temple for worshiping this 'Naba-Nari-Kunjar'. Some says it is Radha with her eight 'sakhi' (very intimate companions)

I found some interesting information here too :

http://przmm.blogspot.in/2008/08/int...-and-love.html

Great starting...want more pictures..

Just to chime in with the general encouragement, Sutapa, the terracotta in post # 6 above is exquisite, and delightfully photographed. Please post more of the same. I have not yet visited Bishnupur, though I have visited it 'virtually' through the reports by mousourik, khak, vonkla, and others.

Thanks a lot soumik. I'll post soon.


So nice of you TD...... actually I thought to post those fantastic art work in numbers here, but I must say, very less I can place in consideration of numerous frames of beautiful depictions thereon. Lots of lots of stories, thinking, living, doing of people were carved there..... more than half were destroyed though by time and, yes by us too (some temple structures are made un-reachable as people liked to pinch/ nip those fine art work ).

I'll love to post my snaps here

All the temples in proper Bishnupur are mesmerizing

The delicate art on red bricks, on stone are awesome ..... In Rasmanch like structures, there are figures in big size. But in Shyam rai temple, Jor Bangla etc. the delicacy is unbelievable.

Ramayana were told almost in every temples there. Ravana with his ten heads is easily detectable everywhere. About 'Malla Kings' - their fighting, wrestling, hunting, working, enjoying music, dance etc. are presented so beautifully

Twelve 'abatar' of God Bishnu, other God and Goddess, Shri krishna and Radha, Bhagabaan Budhha were also pictured there.

Jajabar you amaze me with your sudden, exciting and luckily so frequent trips! Amazing observations and enthusiasm ... after all it's not easy to stand still on mustard seeds

and thanks for rejuvenating my Bishnupur trip memories

Thanks a lot anunoy

I saw your blog and the photos anunoy. Very beautifully written and the photos!!!! AWESOME.

The beautiful temples of Bishnupur were constructed during the rein of Malla dynasty from 16th to 18th century. Most of them are single-towered temples and most of those single towered temples are of Laterite stone made. Others are of bricks. You can visit all those temples in proper Bishnupur area covering a whole day.

The précised list of those marvelous temples –

Ras-Manch, Shyamrai and Jor-Bangla or Kestaray (Krishna-rai) temple- the three unique pieces of architectural marvel can be covered using a single ticket purchased at the entry point. On weekends and other holidays the temple premises are attractively illuminated in the evening. Songs of Bishnupur Garana are played there, but we missed the songs as we reached after 7.30pm on Saturday.

Rasmanch is very near to Tourist lodge.
Jor-Bangla Temple and adjacent Radhasayam and Lalji temple.

Madanmohan temple is a brick-made single-towered temple, in Sakharibazar.
Mallweshwar Temple- built in 1622, on the western side of Madan Mohan Temple.
Sridhara temple -lies to the North West region of the Madan Mohan temple

Go behind the Tourist Lodge and reach the famous Dalmadal Cannon. Near there are Chinnamasta Temple and Nandalal Temple, Radha Madhab Temple and Radha Gobinda Temple.

Shyamrai Temple - A Pancha Ratna temple, said to be the best temples of Bishnupur (North) in terms of terracotta motifs.

Mrinmoyee Temple – with those nine trees grew from the same base in the yard. Near by - Bishnupur Palace, Lal Bai Mahal, Gumgarh, Radheshyam Temple, Mahaprabhu Temple (ruined ), Jugal Kishore Krishna Balaram Temple.

SatiKunda on the banks of Shyam Bundh. On the east side of Sayambandh is Patpur Temple.

Some more of those beautiful temples-

Besides temples there are some other wonderful places to cover.

Stony Gateways- built by Mallaraj Bir Sing in mid-seventeenth century.
Stone Chariot- possibly built in seventeenth century, located on the north east corner of small stoney gateway.

The lalgarh, Acharya Jogeshchandra Archeological Museum were also our destinations.