Beyond Terracotta: Rediscovering the Shyam Chand Temple of Bankura

Shyam Chand or Shyam Chand Rai temple was a temple built during the 17th century in Bishnupur sub-division of Bankura district. The temple was dedicated to the worship of Shri Krishna in the form of Shyam Chand. Shri Krishna is termed as Shyam because which means “dark skinned’’, whereas Chand or Chandra refers to moon as shri Krishna had the serene and radiant personality which shined like moon, hence Krishna was worshipped as Shyam Chand. The temple was built by the queen Suvarnamani of Mallabhum kingdom. The temple reflected the Bengal- krishna worship practices in later medieval Bengal. The temple was a Bengal architectural marvel of Mallabhum reign in Bishnupur and the temple was established with the promotion of Gaudiya Bengal Vaishnavism among the malla dynasty. There are certain references of the temple dedicated to the worship of Radha- Krishna, however most specifically fond of worshipping lord Shri Krishna as Shyam Chand.

Augmenting the course of its history, we delve upon the fact that it was built under Queen Suvarnamani- wife of   Raghunath deva Singha of Mallabhum kingdom in 1660 AD. The temple classifies itself within the beautiful temple architectural style of Bengal Pancha-ratna style also known as Bishnupuri style of architecture. In the present scenario we trace its location at Garbar, Dakshinbarh, Baital, Bankura district in West Bengal India and is protected under West Bengal Preservation of Historical Monuments and Objects and Excavation of Archaeological sites Act, 1957. This monument is currently being owned by the West Bengal heritage commission.

The Historiographic sketch projected confines The Shyam Chand temple was built by Queen Suvarnamani, the wife of Raghunath deva Singha. The queen was also known as Queen Churamani Devi was a patron of the arts and culture in the 17^th century, mallabhum kingdom. She was a devotee of lord Krishna and commissioned the construction of the temple of Shyam Chand. The temple was regarded as a hub of Bengali vaishnavite culture and promoted the Krishna cult in Bishnupur in the 17th century. The king Raghunath deva Singha, was himself a great patron of Vaishnavism as his father Bira Hambira had embraced Vaishnavism during his reign. Moreover, in the history of mallabhum kingdom, the most beautiful temples, especially Vaishnava temples were built in Bishnupur during the reign of Raghunath singha., Bishnupur flourished as the temple town of Bengal. There can also be markings regarding growth of Gaudiya Vaishnavism during Raghunath’s reign as per the preaching of Srinivas acharya. There is an inscription traced in the outer wall of the temple dating back to 1660 AD. The four-line inscription on the outer wall reads as follows: "Srila Sriradhikrishna padapankajna sannidhye | rastu grahageshake veer hambir jakhanta raghunatha nareshasta subarnamani samkhaya | maha prem see" which denotes the honour and respect in the feet of the deity by Bira Hambira's son Raghunath Dev and his wife queen Suvarnamani.

Progressing upon current ecological parameters it can be traced that the temple lies near Chapai, a small river near the nearest village Ankur. The temple is established upon a grazing land filled with natural vegetation and is also surrounded by certain trees. There is a presence of certain form boundaries around the temple. To the east and north- west of the temple are a few mud pits which are supposed to be walls of old or later medieval age.

The architectural detailing marks a well – built up featured temple. Extrapolating the features, we see as follows, - The Shyam Chand temple holds a unique Pancha-ratna format of architecture which is found to be developed during the later medieval Bengal period. The temple holds architecture that is found to be developed to be developed during that mostly reflects the architectural smoothness of Bishnupur during Malla kings, especially during Raghunath singha. The temple has Pancha- ratna with ridged Rekha turrets and porch on triple archway. The temple stands over a plinth considerably a little higher above the ground with certain stairs in pedestal or slope form. The turrets of the temple have ridged pyramidal shikharas. The central tower along with corner ones are curvilinear and its roof is pit – styled or thatched. The thatched roof is accompanied by curved cornices. The temple faces to the east has three porched archways as entrances. Similarly, there are also three porched archways on its left and right-side walls as other forms of entrances. The temple measures 36 feet (1.8 m) in length and nearly 40 feet (12m) in height.   Besides the tripled archway features, a narrow circular nave surrounds them. From each of the outer covered verandas he can enter the circular path. A semi-circular staircase ascends from the southern entrance or side to the upper fluted chala, the atakona, the central pinnacle which is much larger than the corner fluted- sikhar, chauko, pancha-ratna, pinnacles and consists of a group of eight chalas with inner wall atakona and roof steps. Thakur or Lord Shyam Chand and Radhaji is brought to an altar on the floor of the central tower with an open atrium all around during certain religious occasions. Single-storied buildings and roofs of narrow circular paths are built in the style of central pinnacled sanctum sanctorum connected and attached to the 'bhat'. Radhakrishna idol is placed in the big niche in the western wall of the Thakur-ghar. There is no interior decoration except for some geometrical and floral designs in the old style of stone around the outer arches and on three sides of the entrance door to the sanctum sanctorum. The Nat-mandir is double storeyed and the edges of the outer walls of temple are carved intricately with semi-curved ridges and the temple is adhered to its unique building style native to Bishnupur. Pranab ray, author via visitor narrates that the temple is an exquisite example of Bishnupur architecture and says that the stone-built temple is large in size and he describes the roof as pit style or thatched style and he also describes that temple was built in 966 malla year.

The Bishnupuri style was characterised by Ek ratna or the uni-spired temple, however Shyam Chand temple is an exception which reflects Pancha- ratna Bishnupuri style. The Bishnupuri style had another important feature which was the use of laterite and stucco for building the temple which made the temples more lasting and massive than old – brick-built temples.

The temple is built of laterite stones and stucco unlike the other brick and terracotta temples of Bengal. Laterite stones had several varieties as pink etc, however the temple of Shyam chand is built with a type of laterite which is dark red and coarse grained. Mortar used in this laterite fixation was prepared from powdered brick and lime. Fine but very hard pankha plaster done on roof, vaults etc. 

There was development of terracotta temple art in the later medieval period in Bengal was deeply leavened with Vaishnavism. The Radha – Krishna art was the favourite subject of terracotta artists and this form of art developed with influence of Vaishnavism was traced as the Vaishnava art. However, no such art structures are found in Shyam Chand temple other than two guardian figurines.  The two guardian figurines are made up of laterite stones found wearing turbans around their head.

The mythological or the legendary angles speculates in vivid way mentioning that According to Gaudiya Vaishnava literature, Chaitanya picked six disciples who came to be called the Goswamis and established them at Vrindavan over the course of the sixteenth century. At his behest, the six Goswamis, who were the second generation of Gaudiya Vaishnava leaders, compiled the body of theological texts that had come to define their religious tradition. In the wake of Chaitanya’s demise and the waning popularity of the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement, the Goswamis chose Srinivasa Acharya, slated to become the next Gaudiya Vaishnava leader, to redeploy their energies in Bengal. He was provided a cartload of manuscripts inscribed with the essential principles of the tradition to help him accomplish this task. While travelling through Bishnupur, Srinivas lost these precious manuscripts placed under his charge. On tracing them to the local chief, Bira Hambira of the Malla dynasty, he visited Bishnupur and electrified the court by astutely narrating and elucidating on episodes from Krishna’s life. The king was so deeply moved by Srinivas’s passion for Krishna that he fell at his feet and confessed to having arranged the theft of the manuscripts, mistaking them for worldly treasures. In a bid to make amends, Bir Hambir entreated Srinivasa and his fellow devotees to stay on and granted them the land and resources to create a sacred centre for Vaishnava devotion in the region. Aftermath of influences of Gaudiya Vaishnavism introduced by Srinivas Acharya during the reign of Raja Bira Hambira, Pradyumnapur was wholly re – designed in Vrindavan style and was renamed as Bishnupur or abode of Shri Vishnu. This incident specifies the establishment of a compact influence of Vaishnavism and growth of Radha-Krishna cult in Bishnupur; however, no specific incident is found to be traced about Shyam Chand temple.

The temple manifested in structuring of the societal condition; it was associated with worship of deity by local commoners as well as queen Suvarnamani devi and other household members of royal family members. The Shyam Chand temple was associated with priests as the Bengali Vaishnava brahmins of Bishnupur who were known as Bishnupriya Manipuris. These priests led to the worship of the deity and were as popular as the members of the royal household among the commoners. The temple proves the higher status of Bengali brahmins along with a contrasting change that took place as growth in the role & importance of women. In fact, the establishment of the temple by queen Subarnamani reflects the high status of women in the royal household. The position of women was very diverse and liberal. Women were found to be associated with religious and cultural activities, worshipping gurus and even singing, playing, dancing in the temple abode. In general, there is evidence about the diverse form of women in the then Bishnupur society varying from a role as a mother, a helpmate and sometimes as well as with sexual orientation of being a lesbian.

The festival's prominence indicates the pomp and popularity of Vaishnava cult in ceremonial hue. The Shyam Chand temple upholds the practice of worshipping lord Shyam Chand – a sub-incarnation of Shri Krishna who is worshipped along with Shri Radha. The temple built in Baital reflects the growth of Vaishnavism in regional or local spheres by the efforts of queen Suvarnamani. The temple had been held with a holy atmosphere of bhajans and kirtans as in the style of gaudiya Vaishnava devotees. The kirtans can be divided into two types which include daily kirtans and kirtans that were performed during special occasions. In general, most of the natmandir of the temple were found to be single storied whereas in case of Shyam Chand it is found to be double- storied, suggesting that the upper and lower level provided separate spaces had been used for daily and special occasional kirtan. 

The temple celebrated certain Vaishnava festivals with pomp and joy which included Janmashtami, Jhulana, Dola and Rasa etc. Janmashtami is celebrated as a fabulous festival as the birth of lord Shyam Chand or shri Krishna. The festival has been celebrated in a great pomp and show as being celebrated in Vrindavan, the birth place of Krishna. Gaudiya Vaishnava performs Aratis in honour of deity and performs offerings as fruits, dairy products and sweets. During Special occasions the deities were dressed particularly lavishly, usually in silk- and gold-embroidered brocades, often ordered from Varanasi by pious and generous devotees. Yellow was preferred for draping the dark- hued Krishna and red for the golden-complexioned Radha. Blue was also popular for Radha’s garments, but it was the only colour forbidden for Krishna’s garments, possibly because he was believed to have been blue- skinned like the peacock’s throat. Their jewellery was brought out from bank storage vaults. Expensive gemstones and other pieces of jewellery were also given by devotees on such occasions to express gratitude for vows taken and prayers that had been fulfilled, or to mark particular events in their personal lives. Special garlands of seasonal flowers had also been offered till date. Priests adorned the deity images in all this finery in preparation for the festivities. Together with the change of place, the fancy attire transformed the images of Krishna and Radha from what they were in their more ordinary clothing and daily lives.

In Jhulan, - the swing festival, priests continued to take the bedecked divine images to the shrine on the second level. Devotees partake of the deities’ pleasure from the courtyard below and offer flowers or holy water. The evening ritual of Arati, was the final service performed before the night sets and that concludes the daily cycle of worship, was also performed in the upper shrine on this day.

The Bengali bhakti cult led the inception of a novitious school the Bishnupur Gharana, a form of singing that follows the Dhrupad tradition of Hindustani music, one of the two forms of Indian classical music. It originated in Bishnupur, West Bengal, India in the late 18th-century. The school first developed during the reign of Raghunatha Simha I (1626-1655), the builder of numerous Vaishnava temples. Its first exponent was one Bahadur Sen, who claimed a relationship with Tansen, the celebrated court-musician of Akbar. It was further developed during the reign of Raghunātha Simha II (1694-1730). 

The characteristic development of this school was Dhruvapada which earned respectability throughout northern India. In the 17th century, during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Islamic fanaticism was at its peak in the Mughal Empire, and thus many musicians moved to the court of the Maharaja of Bishnupur who was a known patron of the arts. The famous Dhrupad Singer Bahadur Khan of the Senia Gharana, descendant of Tansen, the famous singer of the Mughal Court, fled to Bishnupur and sought refuge in the court. Bahadur Khan was not only a vocalist but could also efficiently play instruments like Veena, Rabaab and Sura-shringaar. The king, Raghunath Singh Deo II, accepted him with great honour as his court singer. The Maharaja also announced that anyone having a sweet voice and interested in music could learn from Bahadur Khan without any fees. Thus, music was an integral part of Shyam Chand temple and its religious culture and devotion to God. The Bishnupur Gharēnā was patronised by leading Rajas and Zamindars of West Bengal. But Dhruvapada was distinctly classical, and it hardly influenced the four styles of Kirtans which developed during the sixteenth century. 

Shyam-Chand temple is a unique and lesser known architectural marvel, which spun its own hues of history, culture, traditions and music in the rich heritage of Bengal, promoting one of the best theological aspects of Puranic Hinduism, Vaishnava – cult and Krishna Consciousness. Queries of Hinduism’s influence at the regional and sub-marginal find its way to this piece of wonder.

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