Temples of Bengal

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Brick Temples of Bengal and Terracotta Decoration

Introduction

Among the most remarkable regional groups of sacred monuments in India the brick and terracotta temples of Bengal occupy a special place. Despite their relatively modest scale, these temples exhibit a great variety of shape and form: they also display a distinctive sculptural tradition expressed in terracotta reliefs covering the temples outer walls. Several thousands of such temples are found throughout Bengal, many are now decaying due to severe monsoon rains, neglect and vandalism.The basic earthen material of the bricks and its terracotta elements are in fact, most vulnerable in nature.

The emergence of a distinctive regional culture in Bengal, from the 15th Century onwards, resulted in the evolution of local language and literature, devotional movement focused on the teachings of Shri Chaitanya and an unique style of Bengali art and architecture. During the period of Islamic rule in Bengal, Hindu revivalism soon expressed itself by constructing numerous sacred monuments, for these they borrowed from earlier temple traditions built in Orissa and North India. They even incorporated contemporary Islamic techniques and motifs in them. These temples were ornamented with terracotta plaques that completely covered one or more facades and sometimes extended inside the temple on columns and vaults.

As an expression of personal devotion and piety, these temples became symbol of power of local Rajas and wealthy landlords. Built at the end of the 19th century, many terracotta temples of Bengal bear vivid testimony of pious patronage as well as of artistic creativity. The terracotta sculptures borrow stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, imbibe devotional spirit and ecstatic rhythms in lively compositions. This indeed is a deeply religious architecture and a special form of art closely related to urban and village life of Bengal. Many of these temples are located in village settings. At places the brick temples' turrets soar above the thatched and curved roofs of rural houses.