A magical world outside of Calcutta

By Mehru Jaffer

BISHNUPUR, India (JP): Endless stretches of emerald green countryside roll on for miles just beyond the heat and dust of Calcutta, India's most cosmopolitan city.

Here the rain often pours down to mingle with the red earth, and together they are used to create the terra-cotta tiles the area is renowned for.

The air is so fresh it hurts the lungs and the only sound heard is that of the gentle hammers of artisans, most famous for making highly stylized terra-cotta Bankura horses, the smallest from six inches tall to gigantic ones several feet in height. These long-necked horses with intricate decorations serve as the official trademark for all Indian handicrafts.

Bishnupur, a center for handicrafts and the site of several terra-cotta temples built between the 16th and 18th centuries, is 200 kilometers from Calcutta.

Taking an early morning train from the teeming city affords travelers an entire afternoon of enjoying the lush landscape dotted with picturesque lakes, some of which are covered with lotus barely able to keep themselves above water as they droop lazily under the weight of their own beauty.

Legend

According to legend, the masons of the region did not know what to do when their mighty king was smitten with love for Lord Krishna. As he fell further into the cult of Krishna, the king desired that his devotion for his beloved creator be immortalized in a place of worship.

But there were no stones to be found in the region, so the masons used bricks made from the red earth 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 colorful experience, as tea and snack vendors are constantly at one's service. Outside the railway station stands a group of rickshaw drivers. If you hire a rickshaw driver, he will serve as your guide for the rest of the day at a price so modest it is embarrassing to put into print.

The rickshaw will carry you through the lanes of a settlement within the ancient walls of a fortress now lost, transporting you to 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 over an area as large as modern-day Wales for 900 years, the most glorious period being between the 16th and 18th centuries. There is evidence that this kingdom had maritime ties with both the Mediterranean region and Mesopotamia.

It is the nature of the soil and climate that allows thick vegetation to grow and destroy deserted buildings, and with it most traces of ancient history. It is a miracle then that this group of temples still stands almost untouched, although there is no evidence left of the opulent forts the rulers must have lived in.

Most unique about the temples, all within a radius of one kilometer, is the hybrid forms used in their construction. Such rooftops have never been seen before; the style is a spontaneous mixture of indigenous architecture inspired by local huts made of thatched bamboo. The cornices 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 during annual festivals. The structure has a three-story terrace running around it with the innermost area resembling a virtual labyrinth. The sanctum of the temple is a square space no 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 is a five-towered temple built on a low platform. Individually designed terra-cotta tiles cover the walls, depicting stories from the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics, along with the hunting expeditions of kings. The tiles are joined together in such symmetry that even upon close inspection the facade seems like one continuous wall.

The tiles are even more ornate and decorative in the later temples built in celebration of the celestial love between Radha and Krishna.

The sleepy countryside, with 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 concentrations of temples, adding to the mystery and romance evoked by these abandoned masterpieces.