Bishnupur

Bishnupur

Situated in the Bankura district, Bishnupur is a town of terracotta temples and man-made lakes, which inherits the rich culture and prosperity of the Malla rulers. It is a popular destination for the tourists who would like to spend their days in a relax mood and also get some valuable information about the history of Bengal.

Attractions in and around Bishnupur:

Built with bricks and laterite the terracotta temples at Bishnupur are generally of Eka-Ratna types and Pancha Ratna types. The famous temples are the Shyam Ray Temple, the twin shrines of Jorbangla that is very distinctive in the comparison with other temples with two Dochala structures joined together by a Charchala Sikhara at the top, the Radhey Shyam Temple, the Nandalal Temple, the Lalji Temple, the Kalachand Temple, the Sarbamangala and Chinnamasta. The well-known Rass Mancha constructed like a step-pyramid.

To prevent the Maratha troops at bay, Raja Gopal Singh built Dull Madol cannon in 1742. Jogesh Chandra Archaeological Centre houses the remains of Malla-dynasty. The Malla Kings constructed huge ‘Bandhs’ or embankments and artificial lakes to beautify Bishnupur, the capital of Mallas. They built these ‘Bandhs’ as a defensive moat to keep away their enemies. Some of these iridescent lakes are - the Lalbandh, Krishnabandh and the Jamuna Bandh.

Bishnupur is famous for its pottery, particularly the attractive terracotta horse called Bankura, which is the mascot of Bankura handicraft. If you visit at Bishnupur, you must buy the Baluchari and tussar silk sarees, bell metal and shell handicraft and the quaint circular playing cards called ganijifa, which are the specialties of Bishnupur.

Best time to go to Bishnupur:

Bishnupur is a place, where you can visit at any time of the year. The yearly Jhapan festival, which held in August attracts the visitors. Bishnupur Mela held in the last week of December also draws the attention of the visitors as well as locals.

Where to stay at Bishnupur:

There are numerous budget accommodation facilities available in Bishnupur ranging from a number of private hotels to West Bengal Tourism lodges, a Municipal Tourist Lodge and the PWD Inspection Bungalow.
To get more information about accommodation in Bishnupur, contact: West Bengal Tourism Centre at BBD Bagh, Kolkata, Telephone: 033 – 2485917 and 033 – 2485168.
Or
Tourism Centre at Netaji Stadium Eden Gardens, Kolkata, Telephone: 033 – 2488242 and 033 - 2488286.

How to get to Bishnupur:

By road, Bishnupur is 151 km away from Kolkata and many bus services are accessible from Kolkata’s Esplanade and Shahid Minar Bus Terminus to Bishnupur. By rail, Bishnupur is 219 km away from Kolkata and well connected with Kolkata through various direct trains from Howrah to Bishnupur.

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