Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Surya Temple has white shrine and koneru known as Sahed Bandh. Its walls are decorated with a variety of sculptures depicting social life and floral designs that have eroded over time. There are three tall brick deuls with stucco decoration. The other temples at Deulghata, mostly of stone, have fallen down. “All the three have triangular corbelled entrances with towers built up by interior corbelling. The corbelled entrance of the southern temple is high and graceful with a delicate curve. All of them have rich curved brickwork with stucco application. They depict chaityas and miniature rekha motifs. The stucco application includes scrollwork with geese and foliation, dwarfs familiar from Pala–Sena age art. The stucco is fine and would appear to date from the same period as that on the Bahulara and Satdeulia temples.” The first temple is 60 feet tall with distinctive decoration. “Floral designs and Hindu and Jain symbols can be seen on the walls”. The second temple is similar to the first. “A small image of Ganesh is distinguishable inside. There are also images of divinities similar to figures in the Nepali Hindu paintings.” The third temple is in bad shape.

Deulghata, literally meaning “the land of temples” in Bengali, is considered as one of the rich heritage sites of Purulia district as it bears the marks of ancient Indian history, especially Jainism. There were three brick temples out of which two are extant at present. The third one which was the biggest of the three collapsed a few years back because of a man-made accident. These are standing on the bank of river Kasai in Jaipur Boram village, almost 30km from Purulia town. Apart from these brick temples, there are some signs of a couple of stone temples too. Overwhelming natural beauty of Palash and Shimul encircles the whole place.