Tourist City in Vishnupur

201 km by rail and 152km. by road from Calcutta is Vishnupur, the seat of power of the Malla dynasty who ruled over a large part of Bengal for nearly a thousand years before the British came. The Mallas ruled till the advent of the Muslims and relics of their reign survive till today.

Among the later Hindu kings of Bengal, the Malla occupy a place of distinction not only or their military prowess but because of their patronage to the development of distinctive styles of arts, architecture, sculpture, and music. During the reign of Veer Hambir and Raja Raghunath Singh and Veer Singh, Vishnupur became one of the principal centers of culture in Bengal.

The distinct style of temple architecture with a single tower resting on a square building with the curved roof of a Bengali hut has been the most characteristic feature of Vishnupur temples. Most of the temples here are in two big concentrations- the Shyam Rai, Jore Bangla, Radha Shyam, Lalji, Krishna Balram, Nikunja Bihari, and Kesari Rai within the fort area and the Kalachand, Radha Madhav, Radha Govinda, Jore Mandir, and Nandalal temples over an area to the South and South West of Lalbundh. The Malleswar, Madan Gopal and Madan Mohan temples are to the North of the fort. Besides, there is the Ras Mancha, the earliest extant religious edifice at Vishnupur built by Veer Hambir, representing an architectural style all its own.

There are a number of ‘bundhs’ or water reservoirs, namely, Lalbundh, Krishnabundh, Shyambundh etc. A number of cannons are there, exposed to weather for centuries and yet free from rust. One of these is ‘Dal Madal’.

Vishnupur developed a distinct style of music, i.e. Vishnupur Gharana of which perhaps the most famous exponent was Jadu Bhatta.

Places To See
Vishnupur is famous for its temples. The Shyam Ray Temple, constructed in 1643, has terracotta walls depicting Lord Krishna and his gopinis frolicking in the garden.

Beside the Shyam Ray Temple are the twin temples of Jorbangla, built in 1655. On the walls are scenes of battles fought long ago, hunting expeditions, and social life of the people, which give an idea of society during those times.

Built in 1758 out of laterite rocks is the Radhey Shyam Temple, which leads to the ruined Rajbari. Adjacent to it is Goddess Durga's Sri Mandir, where Durga Puja is held traditionally every year.

Sarbamangla Temple and the Chhinnamasta Temple are two other famous temples.

The Raas Mancha, a shrine built in the form of a stepped pyramid, dates back to the early 17th century, when Vishnupur was steeped in Vaishnavism. During the Raas Festival, all the Vaishnavite deities of the other temples were carried in a grand procession and assembled here.

During the reign of Vir Singh, a number of lakes were artificially created. Krishna Bandh, Jamuna Bandh, Kalindi Bandh, Poka Bandh and Lalbandh are some of them.

Lalbandh has an interesting legend behind it. Raghunath Singh II, after crushing a rebellion, brought back a Muslim danseuse, Lalbai. Jealous of her rival, Raghunath's queen murdered her king and drowned Lalbai in this lake. Locals claim that the wails of Raghunath and his drowned mistress can still be heard over the waters.

The Dol Madol Cannon is another landmark that echoes history. In 1742, during the reign of Raja Gopal Singh, this cannon was used to repulse the troops of Maratha leader, Bhaskar Pundit. The 3.8-m. long cannon has a barrel with a diameter of 28.5 cm. Built by experts, its exquisite engravings are clearly visible even today.

A visit to the Jogesh Chandra Archaeological Centre at Vishnupur is a must for tourists. It houses artefacts of the Malla kings. Items collected through periodic excavations are kept here. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and again from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The last week of December sees the start of the popular Vishnupur Mela. A variety of cultural programmes are held over the week. The festival has received the status of a National Fair.

Snake shows and snake fights, locally known as jhapan, are conducted by snake charmers during mid-August.

Vishnupur is famous for its sarees, the traditional Indian women's dress, especially for the baluchari and tassar silk varieties.

Terracotta and wooden horses, in a design unique to Vishnupur, are souvenirs that tourists are fond of picking up, along with dhokra art souvenirs and religious souvenirs representing Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

How To Get There
By rail directly from Calcutta (201 km) on the southeastern section. There are regular buses from Calcutta run by the Calcutta State Transport and the South Bengal State Transport Corporation.