Blog of Kinjal Bose

Shyamsundar Mandir, Khardah

Khardah, a town of Barrackpore subdivision of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal houses a number of beautiful temples of which Shyamsundar Mandir deserves special mention. It is a very large “at-chala temple with porch on triple entrance.” A stone plaque on the entrance to the temple states that the temple is renovated by P. C. Robertson who happens to be the manager of Khardah Jute Mills.

Nandadulal Jiu Temple, Saibon

A beautiful temple housing the idols of Nandadulal Jiu and Radharani is situated at a place called Saibon or Saibona in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. This is the third Krishna idol after Ballavji of Serampore and Shyamsundarji of Khardah.

Radhaballav Temple, Serampore

Serampore, a sub-divisional town in Hooghly district of West Bengal is about 18 kilometres from Howrah and is the eight station in Howrah-Bandel line of Eastern Railway. Grand Trunk Road passes through this town. The town can be reached either by road or by river apart from the rail route. This town has a rich history to offer. The Danes named this town as Fredericknagar in 1757 in the name of the then King Frederick V of Denmark.

Annapurna Mandir, Bhadreswar, Hooghly

Bhadreswar, a muncipal town of Hooghly district of West Bengal, roughly 28 kms from Howrah can be reached both by rail and road. It is the 11th station from Howrah in the Howrah-Bandel section of the Eastern Railway. This industrial town is located to the south of Chandannagar. The mention of Bhandreswar can be found in Bipradas’s Manasamangal.

Annapurna Mandir, Barrackpore

A beautiful nabaratna temple, like that of the famous Dakshineswar Temple is situated in Talpukur area of the subdivisional town of North 24 Parganas – Barrackpore just by the sides of the Ganges. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Annapurna.

Barodol Mela, Krishnanagar

Krishnanagar, the district headquarter of Nadia is famous for Jagaddhatri puja which lasts for one day – Nabami; whereas in Chandannagar, Mankundu and Bhadreswar (all in Hooghly district) it is a four-day festival like the Durga Puja. Apart from Jagaddhatri puja Krishnanagar is famous for another festival – Barodol Mela.

Antpur

Antpur is a village in Jangipara block of Serampore subdivision of Hooghly district of West Bengal. The village is named after Atar Khan who was a zamindar of the area. Antpur has a number of temples along with an octagonal rasmancha and a square pancharatna dolmancha together with a thatched-roof chandimandap. But the star attraction of the temples in Antpur goes to Radhagobinda Temple built by Krishnaram Mitra in 1786 A.D (1708 as per Saka era).

Balakhana Heritage Homestay, Maheshganj Estate, Nadia

Located about 130 kilometres from Kolkata, Balakhana, now a heritage homestay in Maheshganj estate of Nadia district in West Bengal was once a Nil Kuthi (indigo planter’s bunglow). The construction of Balakhana started in the year 1780 and it took nearly five years to complete.

Terracotta temples of Uttarpara

Uttarpara, a municipal town under Serampore subdivision of Hooghly district enjoys the status of being the first muncipality of West Bengal in 1853. Later in 1964 Kotrung was added and thereafter it now becomes Uttarpara-Kotrung Muncipality.

Bawali Rajbari

Bawali, a village in Budge Budge II block of South 24 Parganas district was once regarded as a temple town. Here one can see a number of temples, of which now most are in ruins belonged to the Mondals, who were the zamindars of this area.

Rasbari Garden House, Belur, Howrah

Belur Rashbari

Belur Rasbari in Howrah district of West Bengal is located close to Belur Math and just opposite to Kuthi Ghat in Baranagar on the other side of the Ganges. This Rasbari was founded by Purna Chandra Dawn, eldest son of Shiv Krishna Dawn of Jorasanko on 21st Jaistha, 1297 and according to Gregorian calendar it was in June, 1890.

Shiv Mandir

I had gone to Chandannagar a number of times; but last year during Jagaddhatri Puja, when I was going to Bhadreswar from Chandannagar by auto via Grand Trunk Road, I noticed four Shiva temples in an enclosed courtyard. They look more or less like deuls. I was so much interested that I left the auto there and went to see them.

Dashavatar Tash (Cards)

Bishnupur in Bankura district of West Bengal is regarded as temple town. Bishnupur was once the capital of Malla kings. A new dynasty known as Malla dynasty began in 694 A.D with Adi Malla (694-710), the first king. With his accession a new type of calendar, Mallabda began. There is a difference of 101 years between Bangabda (the Bengali calendar) and Mallabda with the former starting in the year 593 A.D.

Temples of Surul, Birbhum

About five kilometres from Shantiniketan in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district of West Bengal, you will come across a village named Surul. The village comprises of a number of richly decorated terracotta temples mostly dedicated to Lord Shiva. Here apart from an aatchala temple and a pancharatna temple there are about four deuls out of which three are renovated but without losing its exquisite terracotta ornamentation.

Anandamoyee Kali Temple, Krishnanagar

There are a number of temples in Nadia district of West Bengal of which Anandamoyee Kali Temple in Krishnanagar deserves mention.