Ancient buildings and terracotta temples of Baidyapur and Gopaldaspur

 

Ancient buildings and terracotta temples of Baidyapur and Gopaldaspur

Youtube LInk: https://youtu.be/VMvp9k0NBq0

Baidyapur is a village in Kalna II CD block in Kalna subdivision of Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal.  The Baidyapur village is a rich site of 17th-19th century terracotta architecture, notably featuring a Navaratna (nine-pinnacled) temple, aatchala temples, and the unique Jora Deul.

Baidyapur is on the Boinchi-Kalna Road and the nearest railway station is Bainchigram railway station on the Howrah-Bardhaman main line.

Until the end of the 17th century, Baidyapur was just another nondescript village in Bengal, with the only heritage building of note being the 16th century Jora Deul. The fortunes of the village dramatically changed in the 1680s, when a gentleman named Haradhan Nandi settled here from East Burdwan’s Memari region, and started a small business dealing with food grains. The family business prospered, enabling a descendant of the Nandi clan to purchase large tracts of land in Malda in 1795 and establish a zamindari. By the mid-1900s, the family had amassed a wealth of Rs 5,00,000 from their estate. The now large extended family lived in Baidyapur, with various members constructing temples, a kachari house and administrative buildings in the village. These collectively now form a major proportion of the heritage buildings in Baidyapur. Many of these structures can still be visited today, but their current state of preservation varies significantly.

Jora Deul

Baidyapur Jora Deul was built in 1550 by Subhananda Pal. The two brick-built temples, with square bases probably had domed top in their original shape. Their facades are of carved bricks. The main temple faces east and the small north and they are interconnected with a passage and is datable to c.1550 A.D. The larger temple has an inscription over its domway.

Brindavan Chandra Temple

A short distance south-east from Jora Deul is the massive Brindavan Chandra Temple, also known as Vrindavan Chandra or Brindabon Mandir. Set within a compound enclosed by a high wall, the upper portion of the this nine-pinnacled flat roofed temple dominates the village. The entrance to the temple is usually through a large set of green doors in the compound wall, flanked by stucco lions and a decaying grand building opposite with more crumbling stucco ornamentation.

We could not go inside as the temple remains almost closed for the major portion of the day. But it is worth visiting.

Baidyapur Jora Poramatir Shib Mandir and Rashmancha

Located 400m south-west of the Jora Deul on the Baidyapur Old Road are two small atchala temples with some notable terracotta ornamentation. Although there is no foundation stone so their precise date and builder is unknown, the Nandi family’s significant influence on the village would probably suggest that this family is behind their construction. On google maps they are tagged as Pora Mathir Shiv Mandirs, although I have no idea if that is the correct name for them. The two temples face each other; temple 1 has its entrance to the west, temple 2 has it’s entrance to the east. Both temples only have ornamentation on two sides, the front and northern elevations. It’s the setting these temples now find themselves in which is perhaps a little incongruous, as they now reside in a clearing which seems mostly dedicated to the storing of huge water pipes, a situation that seems to have persisted for over a decade now. It’s a far cry from how this landscape looked some ~200 years ago when these temples were first constructed. The terracotta ornamentation is quite extensive and there is a Rashmancha too.

 

As one walks through the roads of Baidyapur, one travels through the timelines of the mid 19^th century through the baithakkhana, kachari bari and Puja bari.

Puja Bari:

Established between 1832 and 1835 CE, the Pujabari is quite a large complex built in the Indo-Anglo style of architecture. At the heart of the building is a central courtyard flanked by twenty-two pillars supporting a two-floored verandah, with a temple at the northern end (one of many in the complex).

The actual name of this place is Rajbari, named after the Nandi family deity Rajrajeshwari (Narayan Shila), which confusingly results in some thinking this is a palace for the Zamindar family. To locals it is known as Pujabari, where all significant rituals of the Nandi family were organised.

 

Dried out pond

A dried out pond on the opposite side of the road in front of Pujabari is where all puja rituals started. Even today, this building is at the center of village festivals such as Durgotsava, Janmashtami, Lakshmi Puja, and Kali Puja.

The walls of the Pujabari are built around the terracotta temple structure, this is an earlier temple incorporated into the Pujabari.

 

Navaratna and Atchala Mandir

Along a lane outside the thakurbari are two small temples, the Navaratna and the Atchala. The Navaratna temple was erected by Joydev Nandi in 1602 in memory of his mother, while the Aatchala temple was built in 1853. Most of the pinnacles on the former have fallen off and many of the terracotta panels on both are worn out but some of the terracotta panels at the bottom of the Aatchala temple are still very prominent.

Opposite the temples stands a mansion with colonial-influenced architecture. There’s no clear indication who the mansion belonged to, and visitors exploring the structure will stumble across a surprising find — a temple with fine terracotta motifs, perched between the walls of the house.

Kachari Bari and Baithak Khana

On the other side of the Nandi’s sprawling thakurbari, on the road next to the Pancharatna temple is the Nandi's kachari bari, or the administrative centre of the zamindari. The historic structure which now has exposed brick is open to the public and has a Shiva temple inside.

The other side of the street has a similarly old building with Corinthian pillars, which remains closed to visitors —this used to be the Nandi’s baithak khana. If one can get in touch with a descendant of the family, they are usually gracious enough to show visitors inside. The first floor is occupied by a huge room with stained-glass windows, small chandeliers and some age-old paintings.

 

How to reach:

By Train: The closest station to Baidyapur is Boinchi, which falls on the Howrah-Burdwan Main line. A 90-minute train ride from Howrah takes visitors to Boinchi, from where local conveyances are available to reach Baidyapur.

By Road: The nearest bus stop to Baidyapur in West Bengal is located along the Boinchi-Kalna road. While it is a village primarily served by the nearby Boinchi railway station, local and private buses operate through the area connecting to neighboring towns.

By Air: The nearest airport to Baidyapur (Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal) is Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport (RDP) in Durgapur, located approximately 85–90 km away.

 

Photography and Parking:

Photography is completely allowed everywhere. Drones can be easily used.

Parking of vehicles should be done at the side of the narrow roads near the temple or the mansions. Normally no issues.

Festivals, events and customs:

·         Durga Puja: The biggest festival, celebrated with grandeur and community participation.

·         Saraswati Puja: Widely celebrated, particularly focusing on education and local community involvement.

·         Poila Boishakh: The Bengali New Year is marked with cultural programs and festivities.

·         Local Cultural Performances: Traditional Baul songs and rural folk dances are frequently performed during festivals.

·         Rathayatra: Local processions and fairs are common during this time.

·         Other Bengali Festivals: Other local pujas and traditional celebrations like Nabanna or Kali Puja are celebrated

·         Handicrafts: The area is known for local crafts, including pottery and handwoven fabrics

 

Rakhal Raja Temple, Gopaldashpur

Far from noise of city , between lush greens and unending fields of crops there stands lord krishna as the shepherd of the cattles( Rakhal raja) . Mind gets instant relief only visiting this place . You can have 'bhog' but have to collect coupon before 11 am in the morning.The temple gets closed after 7 pm in the evening and no one stays after the sandhya aarti( the evening offering). According to local myth, lord Krishna arrives here after evening. Hardly 8 km distant from nearest railway station which is Boinchi located in Howrah- Burdwan main line. Totos are easily available for transportation ( fare below 50 rs).

Shree Ramkanu Goswami, a distinguished Siddha Vaishnava saint, founded the Rakhalaraja Temple in Kalna, East Burdwan.

Goswami's journey to Kalna was marked by adversity, as he fled persecution by Kalapahar. Upon arrival, he settled in a dense forest with his family and deity, guided by an inner divine presence. Tragedy befell when his younger son passed away, a loss that Goswami unwittingly contributed to. This devastating event prompted him to renounce worldly life and seek solace in Vrindavan.

There, Lord Sri Krishna appeared to Goswami in a dream, instructing him to craft an idol from sacred wood. This divine guidance led to the consecration of the Rakhalaraja idol, initiating a tradition that endures to this day. Every Maghi Purnima, devotees bathe the deity, honoring Goswami's legacy.