If you want to go on a temple tour within Bengal, you cannot go wrong with Bishnupur.

One of the Malla kings, Jagat Malla, is said to have built a temple of goddess Mrinmoyee and shifted the capital of Mallabhum here in 995. The Malla kingdom became a hub of the Vaishnab culture once the 49th Malla king, Bir Hambir (1586-1621), became a disciple of guru Srinivas Acharya. His descendants constructed many more temples in and around Bishnupur.

We started our tour at the Rasmancha. Built around 1600 by Bir Hambir, this is where idols used to be displayed in public during the Ras festival.

Our next stop was the ekratna Madanmohan temple with a dochala gate and a boundary wall. Built in 1694 by king Durjan Singh, it has the idol of Madanmohan, an incarnation of Bishnu. The terracotta works on its walls are very attractive.

A small chariot made of laterite stone is stationed near the entrance of Bishnupur Royal Palace, where we went next. Inside, we headed to the Laljiu temple, built in 1658. King Bir Singha had built the temple, which features ornamental stucco decoration on low-relief carvings.

The Radheshyam temple, built in 1758, has two dome-like structures with windows. It was constructed by king Chaitanya Singh. Among the artworks on its wall, Vishnu in Anantashayan posture is a must watch. Opposite Radheshyam temple is the oldest temple of Bishnupur, that of goddess Mrinmoyee. The idol is regularly worshipped here. The ruins of the Rajbari are nearby.

One of the highlights of our trip was the visit to the Jor Bangla alias Kesto Rai temple. It has a charchala sikhar, under which there are two joined dochala structures. One acts as a porch and the other as a shrine. The terracotta work on the walls depict scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

The pancharatna Shyam Rai temple is a five-minute rickshaw ride away from the palace. On the way, we passed a square structure, locally known as Gumghar (torture chamber). The Shyam Rai temple has a lot of terracotta artwork on its walls. Both Jor Bangla and the Shyam Rai temples were built by Malla king Raghunath Singh.

We also visited the Acharya Yogesh Chandra Purakirti Bhawan, the local museum. Nearby is Lalbandh, one of the seven bandhs (tanks) built by the Malla kings. Lalbandh got its name from Lalbai, the paramour of king Raghunath Singh II. Adjacent to it is the temple of Devi Sarbamangala.

After lunch, our first destination was the 12.5ft Dalmadal cannon. According to folklore, when the Maratha Bargis had attacked Bishnupur in 1742, lord Madanmohan himself fired the cannon to drive out the invaders.

The modern temple of the headless goddess, Chinnamasta, is another attraction. A road from the temple leads to a cluster of seven ekratna temples built with laterite stones. Once upon a time, their walls were covered with stucco.

The first of the temples was built in the 17th century. The Nandalal temple has almost no decoration. Opposite it are three temples, collectively known as Jor Mandir, established in 1726. The central temple depicts scenes from Mahabharata and lord Krishna’s life on its walls. Down the road is the Radhamadhab temple that has a dochala mandap with 10 columns.

The oldest structure in the cluster, the Kalachand temple, was built in 1656 by raja Raghunath Singh. The Radhagovinda temple, established in 1729, has a small terracotta chariot.

We spent the afternoon shopping the famous Baluchuri saris and terracotta souvenirs.

Going

The Purulia Express and the Rupasi Bangla

Express are two of the

options from Howrah

station. A drive to

Bishnupur will take about five hours.

Staying

There are several hotels, including a lodge run by the tourism department.