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Bishnupur
By Mehru Jaffer
Endless stretches of emerald green countryside is
rolled out for miles just beyond all the heat and dust of Kolkata, India's most cosmopolitan city on its
eastern borders.
It is here that pouring rain often gushes down to meet
with red earth and together they go to create the amazing terra-cotta tiles. The air is so fresh in this
place that it hurts the lungs and the only sound heard here is that of the gentle hammer of an artisan's
tool, most famous for making highly stylised Bankura horses also in terra-cotta, from the tiniest at six
inches to gigantic ones that are several feet tall. In fact the long necked horses with tall, standing ears
and intricate decorations is the official logo of all Indian Handicrafts.
Bishnupur, a centre of handicrafts and site of several
terra-cotta temples built between the 16th and 18th centuries is 200 km away. An early morning train ride
from Kolkata is enough to allow the visitor an entire afternoon to enjoy the lush landscape dotted with
picturesque lakes, some of them laden with lotus buds, barely able to keep themselves above water and
drooping lazily with the weight of their own beauty. The legend goes that the masons of the region did not
know what to do when their mighty king was smitten with love for Lord Krishna. As he drowned further into
the cult of Krishna the king desired that his devotion for his beloved creator be immortalised in a place of
worship. But this is an area where no stones are found so the masons used bricks made from the local red
earth instead, to build the first temple in the late 16th century. To further please the king, the walls of
the temple were covered with filigreed terra-cotta tiles.
The journey to Bishnupur is in itself a colourful
experience as local tea and snack vendors are constantly at one's service. Outside the railway
station stand a group of manual rickshaw pullers. The thing to do is to pick one on instinct. These local
transport carriers also remain one's guide for the rest of the day, at a price so modest that it is
embarrassing to put it into print.
The jaunty rickshaw ride through lanes and by lanes of
a settlement within the ancient walls of a fortress now lost, suddenly closes in before the first cluster
of temples at Bishnupur, the capital of the Malla rulers from the seventh century. According to AP
Malik's book on the Mallas, this was a dynasty of great conquerors who later became great patrons of the
arts and architecture. They ruled for 900 years, the most glorious period being between the 16th and 18th
centuries over an area as large as modern day Wales. There is evidence that this kingdom had maritime ties
with both the Mediterranean region and Mesopotamia. After decades of Islamic influence Hinduism saw a
revival in the region, particularly of the cult of Krishna at the end of the 16th century. It is the
nature of the soil and climate that allows thick vegetation to grow here which destroys deserted
buildings and with it most traces of ancient history. It is a miracle then that this group of temples still
stand, almost untouched. Although there is no evidence left of the opulent forts that the rulers must have
used to live in.
Most unique about the temples, all within a radius of
one km, is the hybrid forms used in their construction. Such roof tops have never been seen
before. The style is a spontaneous mixture of indigenous architecture that is inspired by local huts
made from thatched bamboo. The cornice and eaves are curved exactly like the bamboo framework of a
villager's hut, bent deliberately by the Bengali to drain off the water from the frequent rainfall.
The first temple is a pyramid like structure where idols and images of gods were brought only during the
annual festivals. The structure has a three storeyed terrace running around it with the inner most area
resembling a virtual labyrinth. The sanctorum of the temple is a square space not more than 15 square feet
which is devoid of all natural light. It is here that the kings performed their most sacred rites and
rituals in the hope of quenching their spiritual thirst.
The second one is a five-towered temple built on a low
platform. Individually designed terra-cotta tiles depict stories from the two epics of the
Mahabharata and Ramayana along with the hunting expeditions of kings on its walls. The tiles are joined together in
such symmetry that even at a close look the facade seems like one continuous wall.
The work on the tiles gets even more ornate and
decorative in the temples built later in celebration of the celestial love between Radha and Krishna. The
sleepy countryside that has its horizon perpetually silhouetted by the
magnificent temples of the Mallas wakes up twice a year when devotees flock here in
August and December for religious festivities. Apart from these two interruptions human settlements have
largely stayed away from the two main concentration sites of the temples, only adding to all the mystery
and romance evoked by the abandoned beauties in brick.
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