The Timeless Beauty of Bishnupur

I have an abiding interest in monuments and heritage structures. One can find an interesting ancient structure in every corner of our country.
On this International Day of Monuments and Sites, let me draw attention to the first site I visited two decades ago. It was an eye opener for me as I was totally awestruck that such beautiful structures can be built of mud. The terracotta temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal are a marvel. I had seen pictures of the terracotta warriors of China, but to find an entire complex of temples built with clay was a revelation. Built by the Malla kings between 10th and 17th centuries, these temples are dedicated to Vishu and hence the name Bishnupur. The unavailability of stone in the region probably led to the use of terracotta in building these structures. Often paucity of traditional building materials energizes the artisans to explore new mediums and the temples of Bishnupur are an enduring testimony to their innovative spirit and skills. 
Ahalya and myself spent an entire day visiting all the monuments. Since they are made of earth, vagaries of weather have taken a toll on many of them. But the ones that remain well preserved are a treasure to behold. The attached photo is that of Shyam Rai temple. It is the most profusely carved temple in Bishnupur. It has one main shikara on top with four on all sides and hence referred to as the Pancharatha temple. The intricate floral motifs and delicately carved scenes from the Puranas come alive as the rays of sun gently caress them. I couldn’t take my eyes off the enchanting ‘Rasamandala’, portraying Radha and Krishna surrounded by the gopis, linking their arms to form a circle .
We spent several hours visiting other temples, each one distinctly beautiful. Terracotta temples are not unique to Bishnupur and there are several others in many parts of West Bengal. The temples at Bishnupur stand apart in terms of their exquisite, intricate work in terracotta. 
It is not just these creations in clay that set Bishnupur apart. There are a host of interesting repositories interwoven into the cultural landscape of the region.
Foremost among them are the Baluchari saris.One of the unique features of these saris is that they tell stories, from the Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Unlike the Banarasi saris, the Baluchari does not include zari work, and instead relies exclusively on the silk thread-work for effect. We were keen to see how they are actually made and visited a weaver. He was working on a big loom in a dark, subterranean space with only a small lamp as the source of light. Weaving a Baluchari saree is a time intensive, laborious process. The designs are first sketched and then copied on to punching cards which are used in the Jacquard loom to weave the pattern. The cards have punched holes which correspond to the design. Thousands of punched cards are required for one design. It takes almost 4-6 weeks to weave a single sari. When we had a glimpse at some of the finished products, we were wonderstruck at the stunning details and the sheer artistry.
Another distinctive craft of Bishnupur are the Dashavatar cards. All the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu are drawn on these cards. The ‘Dashavatar card game’ is reportedly a highly complicated one, with numerous rules and regulations,  played using 120 cards by five people. They are much like the Ganjifa cards of the Mysore region.
Can music be far behind? Bishnupur Gharana is a  Dhrupad style of music. It flourished among the musicians of the region and is known to have influenced many of the songs composed by Rabindra Nath Tagore. 
As we were leaving after an absorbing day, when I looked back, the temples were glowing in the last rays of the setting sun, an image that is deeply imprinted in my mind’s eye.
Bishnupur is a repository of a rich cultural heritage which is not confined to the beautiful monuments alone, but also finds expression in various textiles and crafts. It is imperative to protect, conserve and reconnect with them and tune our ears into their timeless stories.
Do pen your thoughts/reflections here!