Kotalpur – Land of terracotta temple

Bengal is the land of terracotta temples. The better known ones are in Bishnupur, Aatpur, Bansberia, Guptipara and Kalna. The hundreds of other terracotta temples, spread across villages in south Bengal, also have much to offer to visitors. The Rajrajeshwar temple at Kotalpur in Jangipara block of Hooghly is an excellent example.

The temple has several images of vultures, the motif of this scavenging bird on the walls of a Hindu place of worship is considered as a symbol of misfortune. One of the terracotta panels on the Rajrajeshwar temple shows two vultures feasting on a corpse, reminding of the Parsi way of disposing of their dead.

Above it are twin panels depicting Kali and Durga. Kali is dressed in a sari, which is unusual.

The large aatchala temple, taken over by the state archaeology department, is not in good shape and is covered with overgrowth. The roots of trees have made their way deep into the structure, opening up wide cracks. And there are so many shrubs and bushes around that even approaching the temple is difficult.

Miraculously, the front face of the temple, covered with intricate terracotta work, has survived the test of time.

There is no plaque to help ascertain the date of construction and the name of the founder. Historian Narendranath Bhattacharya mentioned 1694 as the year the temple was built in his book Hooghly Jelar Purakirti but he did not write anything about who set up the temple.

The panel over the three arches at the entrance depicts scenes from the Ramayan, such as Ram and Lakshman fighting Ravan and Kumbhakarna. A decorative wheel adds to the beauty of the panel.

The base panels contain images from the life of Krishna, royal processions, ships and boats.

Kotalpur had another temple similar to the Rajrajeshwar temple right next to it. This temple, built in 1774, was recently demolished and replaced with a modern temple. The state archaeology department will hopefully protect the Rajrajeshwar temple from the same fate.

How to go?

By a Tarakeshwar local from Howrah we can reach Haripal by one hour. From there, a one-hour bus journey will take us to the past Jangipara to the village of Sitapur. From Sitapur bazaar, the Rajrajeshwar temple is a 20 minutes walking journey through the meandering village road.

Where to stay?

There are no such hotels in Kotalpur. So a return to Bishnupur have to be made for night stay.