Birbhum – Blog of Kinjal Bose

Jor Bangla Temple, Itanda

The district of Birbhum has a number of temples of varying shapes and sizes of which brick-built temple of Jor Bangla type dedicated to Goddess Kali at Itanda deserves special mention. It is possibly the only jor bangla temple of the district.

Radhabinod Temple, Joydev Kenduli, Birbhum

The district of Birbhum has a number of terracotta temples of which Radhabinod Temple at Joydev Kenduli in Ilambazar block deserves special mention. This brick-built nabaratna temple houses the idols of Radhabinod and Radhika and has excellent terracotta works on its facade.

Twin Deul Temple of Supur, Birbhum

Supur, a village south of Surul in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district of West Bengal is just a little over five kilometres from Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station. It is also close to River Ajay.

Durga Puja of Surul Sarkarbari

Durga Puja is celebrated in a grand way in many zamindar houses of West Bengal. I have been travelling to such bonedi houses for the last few years. This year on Nabami I had been to Surul Sarkarbari or Surul Rajbari which is roughly 5 kilometres from Bolpur railway station in Birbhum. Here Maa Durga is worshipped in two houses – baro taraf and choto taraf with much splendour.

Hathtola Mahaprabhu Temple, Ilambazar, Birbhum

Ilambazar in Birbhum houses a number of temples of which Hathtola Mahaprabhu Temple deserves special mention. The temple is situated a little less than 20 kilometres from Bolpur. It is a brick-built temple with terracotta decoration on all sides.

Gopal & Lakshmi Janardan Temple, Ghurisha, Birbhum

Birbhum district in West Bengal has a number of terracotta temples of which the nabaratna Gopal & Lakshmi Janardan Temple in Ghurisha located in Illambazar block deserves mention. Richly decorated with terracotta this temple was founded by Kshetranath Dutta in 1145 Bangabda ie, way back in 1739 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.