"A land without ruins is a land without memories and a land without memories is a land without history"
-Abram Joseph Ryan
Some 140 kms away from Kolkata, lies a land where magic was created around three centuries ago by using Terracotta - Baked clay. Today, only the ruins remain, telling a story of how the devotion of the Malla Kingdom made talented artisans weave countless stories through the terracotta reliefs.
The highways leading to Bishnupur from Kolkata are in a pathetic state, therefore the journey itself is a forgettable one, however, the moment I reached, Bishnupur, the land transported me to a different era altogether- the age of Royalty, the age of devotion, the age of grandeur, the age of mysticism.
From Rasmancha to the Jore Bangla Temple, each of the 11 temples is unique with exquisite artwork on burnt clay- Terracotta. As stones were not in abundance during earlier times, the Malla rulers used baked clay to weave magic into the walls of these temples. Narrating the glorious past, these terracotta reliefs provided an insight into the lives of people during the golden era depicting stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata with beautiful intricacies.
Not just for the temples, Bishnupur is also known for for its Baluchari sarees and Bishnupuri Gharana of Music which follows the Dhrupad style of Indian Classical Music.
Once inside these magnificent temples, I could feel myself transported to an era when these beautiful temples would have been lit up with gleaming diyas under the twinkling skies. I could dream of this land where art breathed life through terracotta. I could imagine the strains of a tanpura with courtesans singing in the Bishnupur Gharana and the emperors rewarding them mesmerized by their talents ! With these dreams, I have tried to capture the ruins of Bishnupur through some photographs, which narrate the story of its grandeur.
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| Columns at Rasmancha |
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| At Rasmancha |
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| The Rasmancha |
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Complete view of Rasmancha
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| Intricate Terracotta art at Jore Bangla Temple |
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| Geometric Designs on Terracotta |
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| Every ruin has a story to tell |
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| Spire of the Radha Govinda Temple |
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| Grandeur in Ruins |
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| Terracotta Tales |
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| Entering a land of mysticism |
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| Spire of Lalji Temple |
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| Jore Bangla Temple |
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| Gateway to the Malla Kingdom |
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| Gateway to Malla Kingdom |
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| Gateway to the Malla Kingdom |
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| Beauty in Ruins |
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| At the Gateway |
Ravaged by time, stalked by shadows and ghosts of the past
What was once a regal land, standing proud and strong
Bishnupur's soul is nothing more but a ruin
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All the pictures speak for themselves...........they depict the long years they've been through...........rain, hail or sunshine. Loved the architecture. Will try and visit sometime......specially loved the symmetry and designs of the Jore Bangla Temple.....it looks so neatly done ! Very nice pictures and a nice blog to go through ! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot ma'am !
DeleteThese pictures are WOWWWW Arpit
ReplyDeleteBeautifully captured
You are a true wanderer
Though these places and monuments are not that grand but in your pictures they look so Royal and beautiful that one feels like visiting them
Amazing work
Keep clicking and posting and giving an opportunity to your bloggers to visit such historical places through your pictures
Thank you so much sri !
DeleteWhat pictures!! Did not know we have something so interesting in our state... Amazing writing.. Can very well imagine the greatness and the royalty of the place by your writing and pictures!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much !
DeleteDude when you click the pichhhhaaa it reveals a secret about a secret....... the more this picture tells you the less we all know about it..........
ReplyDeleteLife itself is a secret !
DeleteBro every time i see pics clicked by you or any article wrote by you, mind boggles how 1 person is gifted with so many qualities. You are simple genius maalik :)
ReplyDeleteIts your eyes that make everything special !
Delete