Bengal temple architecture

Bengal temple architecture is about temple styles developed and used in Bengal, particularly the chala, ratna and dalan temples.

Background

According to David J. McCutchion, historically the religious architecture in Bengal may be divided into three periods: the early Hindu period (up to the end of the 12th century,or may be a little later in certain areas), the Sultanate period (14th to early 16th century), the Hindu revival period (16th to 19th century). “The coming of the Muslims at the beginning of the 13th century marked a sharp break with the past. After an initial century of anarchy and consolidation, marked by iconoclastic destruction and militant ‘sufi’ proselytiising, Hindu chiefs and Muslim overlords settled down to some sort of compromise in a common front against Delhi... Bengal, as we know it today, became an independent entity for the first time. During the following two centuries a distinctive Bengali culture took shape.”

The temples of the pre-Muslim period have nearly all disappeared and from the few that are there the predominant is the tall curvilinear rekha deul, akin to the Odishan style. Another type that is similar to styles in Odisha is the pirha.

“Between the earlier and later Hindu periods astonishing religious changes took place in Bengal: the worship of Vishnu gave way to that of Radha-Krishna, of Chamunda to that of Kali; Surya fell entirely out of favour; curious folk cults like that of Dharmaraja or Dakshina Raya arose.” There have also been changes in temple architecture. The rekha deul continues, the pirha has become rare, other old forms have disappeared. Two new styles are predominant – the hut (chala) style similar to the mud hut with a thatched roof and the pinnacled (ratna) style which is closest to Islamic traditions.

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  Classification of Bengal Temple Architecture 1

Evolution of Temple Architecture in Bengal

Chala temple

The ek-bangla or do-chala consists of a hut with two sloping roofs, following the pattern of huts, mostly in East Bengal villages. It was first adopted in Muslim architecture, a prominent example being the Maosoleum of Fateh Khan at Gauda. Two such huts, one forming a porch in front and the other being the shrine at the back constitutes the jor-bangla – “Bengal's most distinctive contribution to temple design”.

In West Bengal, the hut roof generally has four sides and the char-chala temple is built on this model. When a miniature is built on the roof, it becomes an at-chala. The char-chala temples started coming up around the 17th century. Apart from the main shrines, nahabatkhana or entrance gateways also have char-chala roof.

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  Do-chala tomb of Fateh Khan at Gauda, Malda district – example of Muslim use of this style

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  Char Bangla group of temples at Baranagar in Murshidabad district are examples of ek-bangla temples

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  Jor Bangla temple at Bishnupur, Bankura district

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  Char-chala temple at Palpara, Nadia district

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  At-chala Shantinath temple at Chandrakona, Paschim Medinipur district

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  Baro-chala Buro Shiva temple at Jalshara, Paschim Medinipur district

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  Kiriteswari Temple at Kiritkona in Murshidabad district is a char-chala having curved cornice and with an ek-bangla porch

Ratna temple

The curved roof of a ratna temple “is surmounted by one or more towers or pinnacles called ratna (jewel). The simplest form has a single central tower (eka-ratna), to which may be added four more at the corners (pancha-ratna)”. The number of towers or pinnacles can be increased up to a maximum of twentyfive. The ratna style came up in the 15th-16th century. Muslim domed temples are very rare, except possibly in Cooch Behar.

“Ratna style temples are the composite type of architecture… The lower part of the temple has all the features of the curved cornices and a short, pointed spire crowns the roof and this will be adorned with the introduction of ratnas or kiosks.”

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  Ek-ratna Ramchandraji temple at Guptipara, Hooghly district

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  Ek-ratna temple at Radhakantapur, Paschim Medinipur district

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  Pancha-ratna Shyam Rai temple at Bishnupur, Bankura district

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  Nava-ratna Radha Binode temple at Jaydev Kenduli, Birbhum district

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  With 13 minars Hangseshwari temple has a distinct identity, at Bansberia, Hooghly district

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  Saptadasa-ratna Parvatinatha Temple at Chandrakona, Paschim Medinipur district with 17 pinnacles

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  Panchavimsati-ratna Gopalbari temple at Kalna City, Purba Bardhaman district, with 25 pinnacles

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  Panchavimsati-ratna rasmancha at Narajole, Paschim Medinipur district, with 25 pinnacles

Dalan temple

The flat-roofed (dalan) temples “with their heavy cornices on S-curved brackets they too have a long Indo-Islamic place and temple tradition” and then was influenced by European ideas in the 19th century. It was easier to build. In the long run, this style lost its special identity as religious architecture and got mixed up with domestic architecture. In some temples a dome has been added,

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  Flat-roofed dalan temple at Bhalki, Purba Bardhaman

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  Dalan temple, Sharabhuja Gauranga temple at Panchrol, Purba Medinipur district

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  Dalan temple with rekha deul superstructure, Radha Binoda temple at Panchrol, Purba Medinipur district

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  Flat roofed dalan with dome, Madan Mohan Bari, Cooch Behar

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  Flat roofed dalan with pancha-ratna superstructure in the Puthia Temple Complex at Puthia, Rajshahi District, Bangladesh

Rekha deul

The traditional rekha deul is predominant in the western districts of Bengal. Some are smooth curvilinear, and others are ridged curvilinear. In the smooth type, the sikhara is free of horizontal bars and in ridged type, it is closely ridged with bars. The ratha projections are generally deep and spaced, and sometimes decorated. The crowning amalaka is generally large and flat. There are large and small types of deuls. Many of the very small types dispense with the complicated styling. It went on developing from the late 7th century or early 8th century to around the 12th century, increasing its complexity and height but retaining its basic features.

The Odisha temple is considered remarkable for its plan and elevation. The base is normally square in Hindu temple architecture. The structure of the temple is marked by vertical offset projections called rathas (on plan) and pagas (on elevation). The main temple (the rekha deul) rests on a high platform called pista. The assembly hall is called jagamohan, through which the devotees reach the main temple. The deity is placed in the garbhagriha, over which the sikhara rises.

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  Barakar temples at Barakar in Paschim Bardhaman district. Photograph by Joseph David Beglar in 1897. Possibly, the earliest rekha deuls still standing.

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  Bahulara Ancient Temple, Bankura district, 8th-11th century

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  Sat Deul, Purba Bardhaman district, 10th century

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  Jatar Deul, South 24 Parganas, 11th century

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  Banda Deul, Purulia district, 11th century

Old unspecified temples

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  Saileswar and Shanreswar temples at Dihar, Bankura district, are old Shiva temples, damaged by erosion and possibly restored in the 14th century.

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  Hakanda temple at Maynapur, Bankura district, built in the 18th century and badly damaged.

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  Stone deul at Ambikanagar, Bankura district, was originally a Jain temple some 800–900 years old.

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  Dhakeshwari Temple at Dhaka in Bangladesh

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  The domed Shiva temple at Baneswar in Cooch Behar district

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  Sonarang Twin Temples at Sonarang village in Munshiganj district, Bangladesh

Grouped temple

Temples of identical style and size are sometimes grouped together. Two identical Shiva temples are called a Jora Shiva temple. Groups of four, six and twelve Shiva temples are quite popular. The most elaborate groups existing have 108 Shiva temples.

Nava Kailash housing 108 Shiva temples at Kalna City, Purba Bardhaman district

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  108 Shiva temples at Nababhat, Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman district

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  72 temples at Maluti, Dumka district, Jharkhand - 36 temples have been destroyed

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  26 Shiva temples at Khardaha, North 24 Parganas district

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  Puthia temple complex at Puthia, Rajshahi district