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{{Short description|Submerged location in West Bengal, India}}
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Telkupi
|native_name =
|alternate_name =
|image = File:A Submerged Deul at Telkupi.jpg
|alt = Old temple in front of a river
|caption = A submerged deul at Telkupi
|map_type = India West Bengal # India
|map_alt =
|coordinates = {{coord|23.666362|N|86.606561|E|display=inline,title}}
|location = [[Raghunathpur subdivision]], [[Purulia district]]
|region = [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
|type = Ancient settlement
|part_of =
|length =
|width =
|area =
|height =
|builder = Rudrasikhara
|material =
|built = 11th century
|abandoned =
|epochs =
|cultures =
|dependency_of =
|occupants =
|event =
|excavations =
|archaeologists =
|condition =
|ownership =
|management =
|public_access =
|website = 
|notes =
| designation1 =
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date =
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| designation1_criteria =
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| designation1_free1name =
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}}

'''Telkupi''' (or '''Tailakampi''') is a submerged location of archaeological interest in [[Purulia district]] of [[West Bengal]], [[India]]. The area, along with most of the temples situated there, was submerged in 1959 as a consequence to the construction of a dam across [[Damodar River|Damodar river]] at [[Panchet]] in [[Dhanbad district]], then in [[Bihar]].

== Geography ==
{{OSM Location map
| width=450| height=300| zoom=10
| coord={{coord|23|35|0|N|86|41|0|E}}| float=left|caption='''Places in Raghunathpur subdivision in Purulia district'''<br/>M: municipal town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, H: historical/ religious centre, T: tourist centre<br/>Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|23|36|0|N|86|28|19|E}} | label-pos1=right|label1= Santaldih| numbered1=CT| mark-title1= [[Santaldih]] (CT)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1=#A40000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|23|35|5|N|86|28|34|E}} | label-pos2=right|label2=Kanki| numbered2=CT| mark-title2= [[Kanki, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord3={{coord|23|32|50|N|86|31|5|E}} | label-pos3=right|label3=Dubra| numbered3=CT| mark-title3= [[Dubra, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord4={{coord|23|29|52|N|86|33|43|E}} | label-pos4=left|label4=Chapari| numbered4=CT| mark-title4= [[Chapari]] (CT)
|mark-coord5={{coord|23|28|56|N|86|31|32|E}} | label-pos5=left|label5=Shankara| numbered5=CT| mark-title5= [[Shankara, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord6={{coord|23|37|12|N|86|28|19|E}} | label-pos6=left|label6=Nabagram| numbered6=CT| mark-title6= [[Nabagram, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord7={{coord|23|40|48|N|86|48|15|E}} | label-pos7=left|label7=Saltore| numbered7=CT| mark-title7= [[Saltore]] (CT)
|mark-coord8={{coord|23|40|30|N|86|49|10|E}} | label-pos8=top|label8=Hijuli| numbered8=CT| mark-title8= [[Hijuli]] (CT)
|mark-coord9={{coord|23|40|26|N|86|50|15|E}} | label-pos9=right|label9=Parbelia| numbered9=CT| mark-title9= [[Parbelia]] (CT)
|mark-coord10={{coord|23|38|18|N|86|38|16|E}} | label-pos10=right|label10=Achkoda| numbered10=H| mark-title10= [[Achkoda]] (H) |shape-color10=#AA6666
|mark-coord11={{coord|23|28|48|N|86|33|37|E}} | label-pos11= right|label11=Anara| numbered11=R| mark-title11= [[Anara, Purulia]] (R) |shape-color11=#C42222
|mark-coord12={{coord|23|37|1|N|86|33|10|E}} | label-pos12=right|label12=Cheliyama| numbered12=R| mark-title12= [[Cheliyama]] (R) |shape-color12=#C42222
|mark-coord13={{coord|23|35|40|N|86|45|31|E}} | label-pos13=left|label13=Gobag| numbered13=R| mark-title13= [[Gobag]] (R) |shape-color13=#C42222
|mark-coord14={{coord|23|31|17|N|86|27|5|E}} | label-pos14=left|label14=Haraktor| numbered14=H| mark-title14= [[Haraktor]] (H) |shape-color14=#AA6666
|mark-coord15={{coord|23|36|29|N|86|47|57|E}} | label-pos15=left|label15=Harmadih| numbered15=R| mark-title15= [[Harmadih]] (R) |shape-color15=#C42222
|mark-coord16={{coord|23|39|40|N|86|49|30|E}} | label-pos16=right|label16=Nituria| numbered16=R| mark-title16= [[Nituria]] (R) |shape-color16=#C42222
|mark-coord17={{coord|23|30|42|N|86|31|12|E}} | label-pos17=right|label17=Para| numbered17=H| mark-title17= [[Para, Purulia]] (H) |shape-color17=#AA6666
|mark-coord18={{coord|23|38|50|N|86|48|30|E}} | label-pos18=right|label18=Sarbari| numbered18=R| mark-title18= [[Sarbari]] (R) |shape-color18=#C42222
|mark-coord19={{coord|23|36|45|N|86|31|25|E}} | label-pos19=left|label19=Usir| numbered19=R| mark-title19= [[Usir]] (R) |shape-color19=#C42222
|mark-coord20={{coord|23|36|10|N|86|33|31|E}} | label-pos20=right|label20=Banda Deul| numbered20=H| mark-title20= [[Banda Deul]] (H)| shape-color20=#AA6666
|mark-coord21={{coord|23|37|30|N|86|46|20|E}} | label-pos21=left|label21= Garh Panchkot| numbered21=H| mark-title21= [[Garh Panchkot]] (H)| shape-color21=#AA6666
|mark-coord22={{coord|23|39|58|N|86|36|23|E}} | label-pos22=right|label22=Telkupi| numbered22=H| mark-title22= Telkupi (H)|shape-color22=black| label-size22=13|label-color22=black 
|mark-coord23={{coord|23|34|46|N|86|45|42|E}} | label-pos23=left|label23=Ramkanali| numbered23=R| mark-title23= [[Ramkanali Junction railway station]] (R) |shape-color23=#C42222
|mark-coord24= {{coord|23|36|40|N|86|50|21|E}}| label-pos24=right|label24=Murulia| numbered24=CT| mark-title24= [[Murulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord25= {{coord|23|30|23|N|86|41|37|E}} | label-pos25=right|label25=Arra| numbered25=CT| mark-title25= [[Arra, Purulia|Arra, India]] (CT)
|mark-coord26={{coord|23|29|10|N|86|39|45|E}} | label-pos26=right|label26=Kantaranguri| numbered26=CT| mark-title26= [[Kantaranguri]] (CT)
|mark-coord27={{coord|23|30|10|N|86|40|12|E}} | label-pos27=left|label27=Adra| numbered27=CT| mark-title27= [[Adra, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord28={{coord|23|25|19|N|86|39|43|E}} | label-pos28=right|label28=Lapara| numbered28=CT| mark-title28= [[Lapara, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord29={{coord|23|32|50|N|86|40|12|E}} | label-pos29=top|label29= Raghunathpur| numbered29=M| mark-title29= [[Raghunathpur, Purulia]] (M) |shape-color29=#800000
|mark-coord30={{coord|23|34|30|N|86|50|40|E}} | label-pos30=right|label30=Baranti| numbered30=T| mark-title30= [[Baranti]] (T) |shape-color30=green
|mark-coord31={{coord|23|26|10|N|86|41|0|E}} | label-pos31=right|label31= Kalloli| numbered31=R| mark-title31= [[Kalloli]] (R) |shape-color31=#C42222
|mark-coord32={{coord|23|26|11|N|86|40|13|E}} | label-pos32=left|label32=Kashipur| numbered32=H| mark-title32= [[Kashipur, West Bengal]] (H) |shape-color32=#AA6666
|mark-coord33={{coord|23|38|0|N|86|52|30|E}} | label-pos33=left|label33=Madhukunda| numbered33=R| mark-title33= [[Madhukunda]] (R)|shape-color33=#C42222
|mark-coord34={{coord|23|35|20|N|86|49|27|E}} | label-pos34=right|label34=Muraddi| numbered34=R| mark-title34= [[Muraddi]] (R) |shape-color34=#C42222
|mark-coord35={{coord|23|34|45|N|86|48|24|E}} | label-pos35=bottom|label35=Ramchandrapur| numbered35=R| mark-title35= [[Ramchandrapur, Purulia]] (R) |shape-color35=#C42222
|mark-coord36={{coord|23|31|44|N|86|51|50|E}} | label-pos36=left|label36=Santuri| numbered36=R| mark-title36= [[Santuri, Purulia]] (R) |shape-color36=#C42222
|mark-coord37={{coord|23|32|53|N|86|43|35|E}} | label-pos37=right|label37=Bero| numbered37=R| mark-title37= [[Bero railway station]] (R) |shape-color37=#C42222
|mark-coord38={{coord|23|31|10|N|86|40|51|E}} | label-pos38=right|label38=Joychandi Pahar| numbered38=R| mark-title38= [[Joychandi Pahar]] (R) |shape-color38=#C42222
|mark-coord39={{coord|23.6556|N|86.7486|E}}| label39= Panchet |labela39= Hill| label-color39 = #C42222 | label-angle39=-50| label-pos39=bottom| label-size39=10| mark-size39=0| mark-title39 =none
|mark-coord40={{coord|23.6736|N|86.6886|E}} |label40=Panchet Dam|labela40= Reservoir| label-color40 = #77A1CB| label-angle40=0| label-pos40=top| label-size40=10| mark-size40=0| mark-title40 =none
|mark-coord41={{coord|23.6102|86.9303}}| label41=Damodar River| label-color41 = #77A1CB| label-angle41=5| label-pos41=top| label-size41=10| mark-size41=0| mark-title41 =none
|arc-coordA={{coord|23|40|0|N|86|33|0|E}}|arc-textA= JHARKHAND| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=-50| arc-gapA=3.5| arc-radiusA=0.43}}

===Location===
Telkupi is located at {{coord|23.666362|N|86.606561|E|display=inline}}

<small>Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.</small>

== History ==
Formerly known as Tailakampi,<ref name="Basu 2004" /> Telkupi is the capital of [[Rudrasikhara]], a local ruler of the area in 11th century, who helped [[Pala empire|Pala]] king, [[Ramapala]], to recover [[Varendra]] from Bhima. The royal chronicle of Panchkot Raj of Shikhar dynasty mentions that Rudrashikhara rose to power in 1098 AD.<ref name="Basu 2004">{{Cite book|title=Banger Jatiyo Itihas, Rajanya Kanda|last=Basu|first=Nagendranath|publisher=Dey's Publishing|year=2004|editor-last=Chowdhury|editor-first=Kamal|location=Kolkata|language=bn|author-link=Nagendranath Basu}}</ref>{{Rp|223}} India historian [[Niharranjan Ray]] assumes that he ruled from 1070 to 1120.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Banglar Itihas|last=Ray|first=Niharranjan|publisher=Lekhak Samabay Samity|year=1976|location=Kolkata|page=251|language=bn|author-link=Niharranjan Ray}}</ref> [[Sandhyakar Nandi]] in his poem [[Ramacharitam]] comments that like a wildfire, Rudrasikhara, was an expert in warfare, crushed the pride of the rulers of rivers and mountains.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Ramacharitamanas|last=Nandi|first=Sandhyakar|publisher=Dibyasmriti Samiti|year=1934|editor-last=Vidyavinod|editor-first=Ayodhyanath|location=Kolkata|language=sa|quote=''samara-parisara-visarad-ari-raja-raji-ganda-garvva-gahana-dahana-davanalas-tailakampiya-kalpa-taru-[Ru]d[r]asikharah''|author-link=Sandhyakar Nandi}}</ref>

Tailakampi was a commercial hub in 10th to 13th century. It is believed{{by who?|date=October 2021}} that most of the temples were funded by the 'Banik' or business people.

== Temples ==

=== Description by Beglar ===
In 1878, an Armenian-Indian archeologist [[Joseph David Beglar]], gave the first ever description about the temples of Telkupi in his report to the [[Archaeological Survey of India]].<ref name="Debala 2">{{cite book|title=Tekupi – a submerged temple site in West Bengal|last=Mitra|first=Debala|date=1969|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|series=Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India|volume=76|location=New Delhi|chapter=II|author-link=Debala Mitra|url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.48718/}} [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Memoirs_of_the_archaeological_survey_of_India_no.76.pdf Alt URL]</ref>{{rp|6}} According to his report, the place was full of temples and the number was higher than any other place in the [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]] region. The temples were divided into three clusters, the largest group among them was situated to the north of Telkupi village near the Damodar river, the second group to the west of the village and the third group to the south-eastern part of the village.<ref name=Beglar>{{Cite book|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Report_of_a_Tour_through_the_Bengal_Provinces/Telkupi|title=Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli; in 1872-73|last=Beglar|first=Joseph David Freedone Melik|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|year=1878|series=Report of the Archaeological Survey of India|volume=VIII|location=Kolkata|chapter=Telkupi|author-link=Joseph David Beglar}}</ref>{{Rp|[[s:Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872–73.djvu/194|170]]}}

==== First group of temples ====
* '''No. 1:''' This south-facing temple, made of stone, was situated in the northernmost part of the first cluster, consisting of a single cell, with a [[lingam]] as the deity of worship inside, situated {{convert|2|ft}} below the still of entrance. The temple was not much ornamented. Beglar noticed that the upper part of the temple was almost intact at the time of his report.<ref name=Beglar/>{{Rp|[[s:Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872–73.djvu/194|170]]}}
* '''No. 2:''' This south-facing stone-made temple had a sculpture of [[Gajalakshmi]] over the entrance, with a lingam inside. Beglar found the upper portion of the temple broken and accumulated sand in the cell rose {{convert|6|in}} of the still of entrance.<ref name=Beglar/>{{Rp|[[s:Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872–73.djvu/194|170]]}}
* '''No. 3:''' This west-facing temple, with a lingam inside, was similar to No. 2 temple but Beglar found the upper portion missing and the sill of the entrance buried {{convert|4|ft}} below accumulated rubbish.<ref name=Beglar/>{{Rp|[[s:Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872–73.djvu/194|170]]}}
* '''No. 4:''' This east-facing almost-ruined temple had a sculpture of lotus over the entrance and a well-preserved four-armed statue of [[Vishnu]] was inside the temple as the deity of worship.<ref name=Beglar/>{{Rp|[[s:Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872–73.djvu/194|170]]}}
* '''No. 5:''' This east-facing temple, had a sculpture of [[Ganesha]] over the entrance. Beglar found the upper portion of the temple missing.<ref name=Beglar/>{{Rp|[[s:Page:Report of a Tour Through the Bengal Provinces of Patna, Gaya, Mongir and Bhagalpur; The Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum and Birbhum; Bankura, Raniganj, Bardwan and Hughli in 1872–73.djvu/194|170]]}}

==Telkupi picture gallery==
<gallery widths="230px" heights="170px">
File:KITLV 88196 - Unknown - Temple at Telkupi in British India - 1897.tif|Unknown temple at Telkupi - photographed by JD Beglar in 1898. Collection: Leiden University Library, Royal Netherlands Institute of South East Asian and Caribbean Studies
File:KITLV 88197 - Unknown - Temple at Telkupi in British India - 1897.tif|Unknown temple at Telkupi - photographed by unknown person in 1897. Collection same as first photograph
File:KITLV 88198 - Unknown - Temple at Telkupi in British India - 1897.tif|Unknown temple at Telkupi - photographed by unknown person in 1897. Collection same as first photograph
</gallery>

==References ==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Garh Panchakot}} – it includes Telkupi

{{Non-extant Bengal places}}
{{Purulia topics}}
{{Temple towns in West Bengal}}
{{Jain centres in West Bengal}}

[[Category:Tourist attractions in Purulia district]]

Telkupi - Revision history

LeoSpragg093: Created New Pg.