Just about 132 kms from Kolkata lies the architectural teraccota Marvels of Bishnupur. It is an ancient temple City located in Bankura Dist of West Bengal .The town is famous for the terracotta temples made from the locally available laterite stones. It's easily reachable by various trains from Kolkata and serves as a refreshing and close to the roots weekend destination from the twin cities.
To reach Bishnupur We took Rupasi Bangla train from Howrah station which took almost 3.5 hrs to reach the temple city. After reaching there we headed towards Raasmancho.there we put up at the Bishnupur tourist lodge. It was ideal site to stay because the temples and ruins were quite closer and could be reached by foot only. The food served was also yummy.
Here are few glimpses of the tourist lodge .
After having a refreshing sleep..we started with some delicious breakfast and started towards the ruins early. The signage in front of Ruins were quiet useful. We also got a calender with details of the temples.
Bishnupur was ruled under the Gupta period by local Hindu kings who paid tribute to Samudra Gupta. The land is also called Mallabhum after the Malla rulers of this place. The Malla rulers were Vaishnavites
and built the famous terracotta temples during the 17th and 18th century at this place. The legends of Bipodtarini Devi are associated with Malla Kings of Bishnupur.[1]
The origins of Bishnupur as a religious and cultural hub with its distinctive temple architecture is closely tied to the Gaudiya Vaishnava devotional movement of the sixteenth century in eastern India and Bengal in particular (then known as Gaud or Gaur). The bhakti saint and social reformer, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a brand of spiritualism marked by an emotive and intimate devotion to the Hindu god Krishna, the central deity of the tradition.
Similar to the contouring of Vrindavan that had been carried out in the sixteenth century by Chaitanya and the Gaudiya Vaishnava devotees [1], temples burgeoned in Bishnupur, constructed to establish the ritual worship of images.
The deities installed in these temples were named after the icons worshipped and enshrined previously at Vrindavan, notable examples being Rasamancha Madan Mohan, Shyam Raya, Radha Raman, Keshto Raya, Madan Gopal, Murali Mohan, Gopinath, and so forth. The narratives surrounding their miraculous discovery and revelation are also comparable to those of Vrindavan.
Some Glimpses of the amazing Rasmancha
The Jor Bangla Temple
Madan Mohan Shyam Rai and various other temple
Bishnupur is not only famous for the unique architecture of the temples but also famous for its terracotta craft and its own Bishnupuri and Baluchari silk sarees mostly made of tussar silk. So I could not stop myself from indulging in some double and triple thread Balucharis with superb craftmanship of local cartisans. Because if you want to buy Authentic Baluchari- this is the place-
There is also a snake festival in August, Ultorath and the Bishnupur fair in December. Also durga puja and kali puja or diwali is celebrated with pomp here. The Rajbari Durga Puja (also popular as Mrinmoyee Maa er pujo) was started on 994 AD, which makes it the oldest Durga Puja in entire Bengal region including today's Bangladesh,Odisha .
There is also a snake festival in August, Ultorath and the Bishnupur fair in December. Also durga puja and kali puja or diwali is celebrated with pomp here. The Rajbari Durga Puja (also popular as Mrinmoyee Maa er pujo) was started on 994 AD, which makes it the oldest Durga Puja in entire Bengal region including today's Bangladesh,Odisha .