Hiren Pandit: My first office visit to Dinajpur was in mid-1994; my main work was in Biral Upazila. My next visit was in late 1998, but I have visited twice, whenever it is around noon when the temple is closed. The temple is closed for a few hours after the midday prasad is given to the deity. If you want to visit the idol, it is better to go before noon or after 4 p.m. I go right when the recession is off.
Twice, the idol was not visited, blaming myself for not being able to schedule it on time. There is no way to keep the office car long; we must return to Dhaka with other colleagues. I had to come back twice to see the terracotta outside the temple. What can be done next? I think the proposal came from the family; how about planning to see Kantajew once after the child’s examination? It’s a good proposal. The decision was made without any delay. Everyone will see Kantajew as well as Ramsagar Dighi. I will appear before you about that another day. It takes about 12 hours by bus to reach at night.
Arrangements were made to eat at a hotel and stay at an NGO guest house. But this time, there was no mistake; I woke up, set off by 8 o’clock, and reached in thick fog. Everything around the temple has enjoyed collecting mustard flowers in the mustard field during winter, taking pictures as much as possible. Bringing food from the shop and eating at the guest house gives the feeling of a picnic. All food is delicious. There is a saying that hunger is the best sauce. The family members happily spent a few days in Dinajpur. However, on the day of arrival, I left in the morning and reached Dhaka at 5 o’clock.
Kantajew Mandir or Kantnagar Mandir in Dinajpur is an ancient temple in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. The temple is known as the Kanta or Krishna temple of Sanatan Dharma, famous in Bengal as the religious practice of worldly Radha-Krishna. Maharaja Sumit Har Kanta is believed to have been born here. Before the temple was destroyed in the earthquake of 1897 AD, Rabaneshu, John Henry’s photograph taken in 1871 AD shows the nine jewels of the temple.
Kantajew Temple, or Kantnagar Temple, is an ancient temple in Dinajpur. The temple is known as the Kanth or Krishna temple in Hinduism, which is a religious practice of the worldly Radha-Krishna in Bengal. This ancient temple is located in Kantnagar, a village on the banks of river Dhenpa, west of Dinajpur-Tentulia highway, in Sundarpur union, 20 km north of Dinajpur city and seven km southeast of Kaharol upazila headquarters. Kantnagar Temple, Dinajpur, Bangladesh, 1871 AD Picture showing seven of the nine jewels; an earthquake destroyed the jewels of this famous Nabaratna temple. This temple is well-known mainly because of its incredible architectural style. At the time of construction, the height of the temple’s spire was 70 feet. The structure of this three-storied temple is a unique example of architecture. But the most exciting aspect is the exquisite terracotta work done all over the body.
From the inscription on the foundation altar on the northern side of the temple, it is known that the then Maharaja Zamindar of Dinajpur Prananath Roy started the construction of the temple in his late age. After he died in 1722 AD, his favorite son, Maharaja Ram Nath Roy, completed the temple’s construction in 1752 AD as per his last wish. Initially, the height of the top of the temple was 70 feet. In 1897 AD, an earthquake hit the temple, and its pinnacles were broken. Maharaja Girija Nath did extensive renovations to the temple, but the spires of the temple were not renovated.
The temple’s outer walls are covered with terracotta plaques inscribed with Ramayana, Mahabharata, and mythological stories. There are about 15,000 terracotta tiles in the entire temple. The temple has three steps to the top. The inner deity can be seen through all the arches around the temple. While the temple premises are rectangular, the 50-foot-high temple on a stone foundation is square. All entrances on the ground floor have groined arches. The arches are separated by two brick pillars, both gorgeous and richly ornamented. Stairs led upwards from the second balcony on the temple’s western side. The temple has 21 archways on the ground floor and 27 on the second floor, but only three on the third floor.
The three-storied brick temple, fifty feet square, is built on a raised platform. Although initially, the top of the temple was once 70 feet. It is also known as Navaratna Temple, as the three-storied temple had nine pinnacles or jewels, hence the name. There are four or eight ornamented churras in the corners of the ground floor and two-storied roofs of the temple, and in the center of the three-storied roof are the remains of the central pinnacle of Brihdakara. Kantjew’s temple is famous for its beautiful terracotta work on the temple.
India’s Tamil Nadu—Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswar Temple is almost like this, but Meenakshi is much taller. Kantajew Temple is terracotta, but Meenakshi temple crafts are painted. Moreover, Meenakshi is quite large, and the spire of the temple is very tall.
The incredible architectural style is eye-popping. I learned that the top of the temple during construction was 70 feet high. The structure of this three-storied temple is a unique example of architecture. However, the most exciting aspect of it is the exquisite craftsmanship of terracotta plaques placed all over the body. This temple, with about 15000 terracotta plaques, was the most beautiful temple of undivided Bengal. Not only that, it was the 11th wonder of undivided India.
However, the specialty of terracotta plates is elsewhere. These are no ordinary terracotta works. Each plaque on it depicts the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata. However, some of the plaques also show depictions of the Mughal period. However, the presentation of these plaques was unique, which is not seen in other terracotta artifacts. Its pillared cornices depict scenes of contemporary life and aristocratic hunting. In the second phase, there is a reflection of the Mughal way of life. Scenery of hunting and elaborate chariots of Mughal emperors can be seen in this step. The third step is the description of the mythological story. The stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata are described in this part.
Critical mythological stories take place in this phase, including the battle of Kurukshetra, the exile of Sita, the killing of Bakasura, etc. However, the most crucial aspect of this step is the material presentation of Lord Krishna. The stories of Lord Krishna are depicted here like the life of the people. Mythological stories are displayed from a human perspective. These plaques are a unique sign of the creativity and skill of the artisans in the mundane presentation of mythological stories. While walking in this deserted Kantnagar, 21 km from the city, I found a ruined Shiva temple and a substantial filled-up pond beside it.
You will not see such excellent terracotta plaques used in this temple anywhere else in the country. One can also go to Dinajpur, the oldest district of North Bengal, to see the famous Ras Mela of Kantajew Temple. The serene natural environment of Kantnagar is an undoubted attraction for any traveler. And yes, as a bonus to the Kantajew Temple tour, you will also see the historic Nayabad Mosque. Let us tell you that Muslim architects from India built this mosque for themselves to build Kantajew temple. Medieval architecture is also seen here.
It is not a fairytale. It is a beautiful picnic or entertainment spot. The name is Swapnapuri. It is a favorite place for people from all over the country, including North Bengal, for group picnics or sightseeing. From Dinajpur city, passing through Phulbari a little inland, you will find Swapnapuri. It was built in 1990 on about 400 bighas of land. People come here from far away, including the north, mainly for picnics. There are various entertainment facilities, including the artificial mini zoo. The zoo is no less affluent. It can introduce the people of the northern town to many animals and birds of the country and abroad.
While entering the living zoo, the main gate of Bengal’s heritage, with the face of the world-famous Bengal Tiger, enthralls and thrills the tourists. The sprawling Swapnapuri is home to excellent rest camps. The lovely garden of Swapnapuri has dense leaves, vines, and a luxury garden. Swapnapuri has come to life in the beauty of Bagbagicha under the care of skillful hands.
The temple has about 15 thousand terracotta tiles, and you will be amazed to see the terracotta on the temple walls. If you look closely, you will discover that these terracottas have nothing in common with each other. Each terracotta painting depicts a story. These terracotta pieces depict various stories of the social life of Bengal at the end of the Middle Ages, as well as parts of stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and various Puranas.
If you do not understand the terracottas of the temple, there is no problem, and if you ask the priests who live here, they will show you the pictures and explain. Myths of the four classical ages of Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali are depicted on the four walls of the temple. Covered in terracotta with pictorial stories, the temple looks like a visual representation of a mythological epic in four volumes. The terracottas of Kantjew’s temple sometimes transport you to medieval Bengal and sometimes represent mythology. You can’t imagine how much architecture can affect you until you visit the temple of Kantjew. Every year in November, the Rash Purnima fair is organized on the premises of Kantajewtemple. Numerous visitors and devotees flock to this month-long fair.
The architecture, structure, and craftsmanship make the overall view of the temple so mesmerizing that there is no other beautiful, eye-catching temple in Bangladesh. The Department of Archeology of the Government is responsible for maintaining Kantjew Temple.
There is a possibility of going to Dinajpur from Dhaka by bus and train. Buses usually leave from Dhaka’s Gabtali and Kalyanpur, bound for Dinajpur. Bus services include Nabeel Paribahan, SR Travels, SA Paribahan, Hanif Enterprises, Kaya Paribahan, Shyamoli Paribahan etc. Non-AC and AC bus fares range from Tk 1000 to Tk 2000, depending on the standard. Besides, several buses leave from Uttara in the capital for Dinajpur. Inter-city Ekta Express and Panchagarh Express trains leave Dhaka’s Kamalapur or Airport railway station for Dinajpur. The ticket price of these trains is between Tk 700 and Tk 2,000, depending on the class. Dhaka-Sayedpur air route is also available. All domestic flights from Syedpur by microbus operate on the Dhaka-Syedpur route. It may cost a little more to come and go. You can easily visit Kantajew temple by hiring an autorickshaw or CNG from Dinajpur. If you want to stay in a good quality hotel in Dinajpur city, you can stay in other hotels besides tourist motels.
Hiren Pandit is an essayist and a researcher