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."McCutchion, David J., ''Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal'', first published 1972, reprinted 2017, pp. 1–14, 19–22. The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, ."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." The temples of pre-Muslim period can be called tall curvilinear rekha deul. Another equally common group of temples found in Pre-Mughal Bengal are temples with tiered pyramidal tower known as pirha or bhadra deul.During the earlier and later hindu period religious changes took place in Bengal which also brought some changes in the temple architecture. In their places of the other temple styles appeared two entirely new styles- hut style and the pinnacled style.
File:Classification of Bengal Temple Architecture 12.jpg, Classification of Bengal Temple Architecture

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. The stone temple at Garui in Bardhaman district of West Bengal, built in the14th century, has a Bengal hut shaped roof.Two 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.

File:Terracotta panels of Char Bangla group of temples of Azimganj in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. 56.jpg, Char Bangla group of temples at Baranagar in Murshidabad district are examples of ''ek-bangla'' temples
File:Bishnupur IMG 0951.jpg, ''Jor Bangla'' temple at Bishnupur, Bankura district
File:Terracotta Temple at Palpara.jpg, ''Char-chala'' temple at Palpara, Nadia district
File:Aatchala Shantinath Shiva Temple at Gosaibazar area of Chandrakona Town in Paschim Medinipur 01.jpg, ''At-chala'' Shantinath temple at Chandrakona, Paschim Medinipur district
File:Baro Chala temple of Buro Shiva at Jalsara under Ghatal Police Station in Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal 05.jpg, ''Baro-chala'' Buro Shiva temple at Jalshara, Paschim Medinipur district
File:Kiriteswari Temple.jpg, alt=Kiriteswari Temple, Murshidabad, West Bengal, 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.”

File:Ram Chandraji temple of Guptipara in Hooghly district 01.jpg, ''Ek-ratna'' Ramchandraji temple at Guptipara, Hooghly district
File:Ek Ratna Gopinath Temple at Radhakantapur under Daspur Police Station at Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal 28.jpg, ''Ek-ratna'' temple at Radhakantapur, Paschim Medinipur district
File:Shyam Rai Temple, Bankura.JPG, ''Pancha-ratna'' Shyam Rai temple at Bishnupur, Bankura district
File:Radhabinod temple of Joydeb Kenduli in Birbhum district 03.jpg, ''Nava-ratna'' Radha Binode temple at Jaydev Kenduli, Birbhum district
File:Haneswari and Vasudev temples3.jpg, With 13 minars Hangseshwari temple has a distinct identity, at Bansberia, Hooghly district
File:17 pinnacled Parbatinath Temple in Raghunathpur area at Chandrakona Town In Paschim Medinipur district 13.jpg, ''Saptadasa-ratna'' Parvatinatha Temple at Chandrakona, Paschim Medinipur district with 17 pinnacles
File:Gopalbari Temple Kalna.jpg, ''Panchavimsati-ratna'' Gopalbari temple at Kalna City, Purba Bardhaman district, with 25 pinnacles
File:25 pinnacle Rasmancha of Narajole Rajbari in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal 01.jpg, ''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,

File:Corner view of Flat roofed temple at Bhalki in Purba Bardhaman district.jpg, Flat-roofed ''dalan'' temple at Bhalki, Purba Bardhaman
File:Sharabhuja Gauranga Dalan temple at Panchrol under Purba Medinipur district 03.jpg, ''Dalan'' temple, Sharabhuja Gauranga temple at Panchrol, Purba Medinipur district
File:Radha Binoda temple at Panchrol under Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal 07.jpg, ''Dalan'' temple with ''rekha deul'' superstructure, Radha Binoda temple at Panchrol, Purba Medinipur district
File:Madan Mohan Bari Cooch Behar.jpg, Flat roofed ''dalan'' with dome, Madan Mohan Bari, Cooch Behar
File:Shiva temple at Puthia, Rajshahi.JPG, Flat roofed ''dalan'' with ''pancha-ratna'' superstructure in the Puthia Temple Complex at Puthia Upazila, 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.
File:KITLV 88210 - Unknown - Temples at Barakhar in British India - 1897.tif, Barakar temples at Barakar in Paschim Bardhaman district. Photograph by Joseph David Beglar in 1897. Possibly, the earliest rekha deuls still standing.
File:Siddheshwara Temple at Bahulara, Bankura.jpg, Bahulara Ancient Temple, Bankura district, 8th-11th century
File:Sat Deul 6.jpg, Sat Deul, Purba Bardhaman district, 10th century
File:Jatar Deul - WB.jpg, Jatar Deul, South 24 Parganas, 11th century
File:Deul at Banda, Purulia WLM2016-0207.jpg, Banda Deul, Purulia district, 11th century
File:Temple of Ichai Ghosh.jpg, Ichhai Ghosher Deul at Gourangapur, Paschim Bardhaman district, 16-17th century

Old unspecified temples

File:Saileswar and Sareswar temple of Dihar in Bankura district (44).jpg, Saileswar and Shanreswar temples at Dihar, Bankura district, are old Shiva temples, damaged by erosion and possibly restored in the 14th century.
File:Hakanda temple of Moynapur in Bankura district 01.jpg, Hakanda temple at Maynapur, Bankura district, built in the 18th century and badly damaged.
File:Stone Deul at Ambikanagar, Bankura - DSC 3949.jpg, Stone deul at Ambikanagar, Bankura district, was originally a Jain temple some 800–900 years old.
File:Main Temple of Dhakeswari.jpg, Dhakeswari Temple at Dhaka in Bangladesh
File:Baneshwar Shiva Temple at Cooch Behar District in West Bengal 02.jpg, The domed Shiva temple at Baneswar in Cooch Behar district
File:Sonarong Jora Moth (25).JPG, 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.


File:108 shiv temple.jpg, 108 Shiva temples at Nababhat, Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman district
File:"5. Cluster Of Temples in the village of Maluti in the Dumka district of Jharkhand.jpg, 72 temples at Maluti, Dumka district, Jharkhand - 36 temples have been destroyed
File:26 Siva Temples.jpg, 26 Shiva temples at Khardaha, North 24 Parganas district

References

{{West Bengal

Sacral architecture
Culture of West Bengal
Buildings and structures in Bangladesh
Hindu temple architecture
Indian architectural styles