Shantinatha Shiva Temple
| Shantinatha Shiva Temple | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Location | |
| Location | Chandrakona Paschim Medinipur district |
| State | West Bengal |
| Country | India |
  Shown within West Bengal  Shantinatha Shiva Temple (India) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 22°44′18″N 87°31′08″E / 22.7382°N 87.5189°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Navaratna |
| Completed | 1828 |
Shantinatha Shiva Temple is a nava-ratna temple, built in 1828 at Mitrasenpur, Chandrakona in Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal, India.
Geography
[edit]Location
[edit]Shantinatha Shiva temple is located at 22°44′18″N 87°31′08″E / 22.7382°N 87.5189°E.
The temple
[edit]David J. McCutchion says that the lower structure of the pinnacled or ratna design is a rectangular box with a curved cornice. The roof follows the curvature of the cornice, and “is surmounted by one or more towers or pinnacles called ratna (jewel). The simplest form has a single central tower (eka-ratna), to which may be added four more at the corners (pancha-ratna)”. By increasing the towers or pinnacles to nine (nava-ratna), thirteen, seventeen and twentyone up to a maximum of twentyfive. The ratna style came up in the 15th-16th century. The earliest nava-ratna temples in Midnapore were probably in the Sabang area in the early 18th century. McCutchion classifies the Shantinatha Shiva temple as a West Bengal nava-ratna with ridged turrets. He mentions that at Chandrakona (both at Dakhinbazar and Mitrasenpur), the four lowest turrets are octagonal with curved ridging and the upper five pancha-ratna with straight ridging. Built in 1828, it has rich terracotta and measures 19’ 6” square.[1]
The Shantinatha Shiva temple, with nine pinnacles, has exquisite terracotta which showcases the Ramayana battles, several scenes from Krishna lila, Bhisma on a bed of arrows, Dasavtar of Vishnu, several musicians etc. Local authorities have renovated the temple using many colours. However, the details of the terracotta relief are still there.[2]
The Shantinatha Shiva temple is a state protected monument.[3]
See also - Other temples at Chandrakona: Chandrakona Jorbangla Temple, Malleswara Shiva Temple, Parvatinatha Temple
Shantinatha Shiva temple picture gallery
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References
[edit]- ^ McCutchion, David J., Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal, first published 1972, reprinted 2017, pages 8-10, 52. The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, ISBN 978-93-81574-65-2
- ^ Gupta, Amitabha. "The Crumbling Temples of Chandrakona". Live History India, 4 May 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ List of State Protected Monuments as reported by the Archaeological Survey of India Archived 2013-05-23 at the Wayback Machine.
External links
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