Terracotta Temples of Uttarpara

Kinjal Bose

The municipal town of Uttarpara located in the Hooghly district enjoys the rare distinction for being the first municipality of West Bengal in 1853. Later in the year 1964, Kotrung was joined along with Uttarpata thereby forming what we know today as the Uttarpara-Kotrung Municipality.

Coincidentally, Uttarpara is also home to the then biggest public library in India – Uttarpara Jaikrishna Public Library established in 1859. The town also home to a number of temples located by the side of the Ganges – twin Shiva temples in ‘Mandirbati’ area and two aatchala (eight-roofed) Shiv Mandir with a pancha ratna (five pinnacled) temple with terracotta panel in the middle of the same temple complex.

The principal deity in all the three temples is Lord Shiva – the name of the deity in the left aatchala temple is Baba Omkarnath; that of the pancha ratna temple is Baba Panchanan and of the right aatchala mandir is Baba Siddhinath.

The temples were founded by Late Panchanan Bandopadhyay, son of Late Durgacharan Bandopadhyay on the auspicious day of Maha Shivaratri in 1795 (1201 Bangabda). All the temples are erected on a raised platform, possibly to get relief from the tide water as the temples are located close to the Ganges.

All the three temples feature terracotta work on the exterior. The terracotta depicts stories from the Ramayana, especially the battle scenes. It also portrays stories of Krishna-leela. However, all the temples have undergone extensive renovation during which some of the earlier terracotta art work may have been lost. It is surprising to see the existence of such a temple bearing terracotta decorations so close to Calcutta.

Kinjal Bose

The original foundation plaque of the pancha ratna temple is hard to decipher although it still exists. There are two stone plaques which are located towards the base of the temple – an old plaque on the left and another comparatively new one the right from which it becomes easy to ascertain the year of foundation of the temple. There is also bull carved out of stone which is located in the elevated complex. There also exists a Kali temple which was constructed in 1968 and located just opposite to the three temples Siva temples.

At a short distance away from this temple complex are two comparatively old twin Shiva temples located in the Mandirbati area. The conditions of these temples are presently not very good as they have not undergone any restoration work. However, it’s worth a visit if you are in the vicinity.