|| Terracotta temple || depicting Ramayana 🌸
West Bengal India || 🇮🇳
Located 40km NW of Kolkata in the Jangipara block of Hooghly district, the late 17th century
* Rajrajeshwar Temple * .
Look Just how detailed and intricate the terracotta artwork is.
And What an awful state Bengal is. Even though it is under the protection of the State Archaeology authorities, you couldn’t see any evidence that this temple was being maintained at all. It is overgrown with trees, roots having penetrated into the structure to the extent that some quite large cracks have now formed. The entire platform is covered with vegetation rendering it near impossible to enter, plus of course there is always the risk of snakes as a result. This is quite a common theme in West Bengal
Despite all this clear decay, the front decorated elevation of the temple is remarkably mostly intact, although goodness knows for how much longer.
|| The central panel above the triple arched entrance showcases terracotta panels depicting the scenes from the Ramayana War, with Rama and Lakshman fighting against the ten headed Ravana and an oversized Kumbhakarna ||
The panel above the third (right) arched entrance contains quite an unusual scene, possibly unique (see image 4). It depicts two vultures feasting on a human corpse, and indeed there are quite a few other examples of vultures all over the terracotta work.
This is of course a little perplexing, as vultures are considered a symbol of bad luck and misfortune for Hindus. Quite why they appear here in this obscure remote village is a mystery that I doubt anyone will be able to solve.
The panels adorning the base of the temple also contain some quite elaborate images, including ships, boats, royal processions and scenes from the life of Krishna.
source
Kindly restore the temple