Gokulchand Temple

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Gokulchand Temple
An ASI Listed Monument
Gokulchand Temple Gokulnagar Bankura.jpg
Gokulchand Temple
Religion
Affiliation Hinduism
Location
LocationGokulnagar
Bankura district
StateWest Bengal
CountryIndia
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Shown within West Bengal
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Gokulchand Temple (India)
Geographic coordinates 23°02′28″N87°27′42″E / 23.0412°N 87.4617°E / 23.0412; 87.4617
Architecture
Type Bengal temple architecture
Style Pancharatna style
Founder Raghunath Singha
Date established1643;382 years ago (1643)
Official name: Gokul Chand Temple
TypeCultural
Reference no.N-WB-31

Gokulchand Temple is a 17th-century stone built pancharatna temple in Gokulnagar village in the Joypur CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Contents

Geography

Gokulchand Temple
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8km
5miles
River
Dwarakeswar
Damodar River
Madanmohanpur
T
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Patit Dommahal
T
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Maynapur
T
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Hadal Narayanpur
T
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Gumut
T
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Gokulnagar
T
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Dwadashbari
T
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Balsi
Purbapara
T
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Baital
T
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Akui
T
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Dihar
T
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Dharapat
T
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Kotulpur
CT
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Sonamukhi
M
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Bishnupur
M
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Joykrishnapur
R
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Laugram
R
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Ajodhya
R
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Radhanagar
R
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Patrasayer
R
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Jayrambati
R
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Joypur
R
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Indas
R
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Chatra
R
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Places in Bishnupur subdivision in Bankura district
M: Municipal town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, T: ancient/ temple centre
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Location

Gokulnagar is located at 23°02′28″N87°27′42″E / 23.0412°N 87.4617°E / 23.0412; 87.4617 .

Gokulnagar is off the State Highway 2 at Salda. [1]

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

History and architecture

David J. McCutchion mentions the Gokulchand temple at Gokulnagar as one of the earliest pancharatna temples of the Malla kings. It has turrets on four columns, a kind of chhatri , instead of the corner wall sections. Along with the at-chala , the pancharatna is the most popular type of temple in Bengal. With a 45 feet square base, it is built of laterite with stucco figures. According to the badly damaged temple plate it was built in 1639 (and that obviously goes with a question mark). [2]

This pancharatna (five-pinnacled) temple at Gokulnagar is the largest stone temple in Bankura district. It is 64 ft. in height and the area of temple complex is 23,500 sq. ft. According to the ASI information board at the temple, it was built in 1643, during the reign of the Malla king, Raghunath Singha. [3] The style of construction of the temple is similar to that of the Shaymaraya temple at Bishnupur. The wall decorations depict various avatars of Vishnu and raslila motifs and other mythological incidents. [4] [5]

The temple was in a bad shape and plundered till it was taken over by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1996. The idol of Lord Krishna has long been removed to Bishnupur. The complex is abuzz with activity when the idol is brought back for 5 days during Holi and worshipped here. [1]

According to the List of Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal (serial no. N-WB-31) Gokulchand Temple is an ASI listed monument. [6]

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Gokulnagar is a village in the Joypur CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Baital is a village in the Joypur CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is a part of Dakshinbar village.

Dwadashbari is a village in the Bishnupur CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Ajodhya is a village in the Bishnupur CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Balsi Purbapara is a village in the Patrasayer CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Hadal Narayanpur are two adjacent villages considered as one in the Patrasayer CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Akui is a village in the Indas CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Laugram is a village and a gram panchayat in the Kotulpur CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Patit Dommahal is a village in the Patrasayer CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Maynapur is a village and a gram panchayat in the Joypur CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Madanmohanpur is a village in the Sonamukhi CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.

References

  1. 1 2 Sengupta, Somen. "Next week end you can be at Gokulnagar". The Telegraph, 16 January 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  2. ↑ McCutchion, David J., Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal, first published 1972, reprinted 2017, pages 10, 11, 44, 45. The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, ISBN   978-93-81574-65-2
  3. ↑ "ASI, Kolkata Circle". www.asikolkata.in.
  4. ↑ Ghose, Indrani. "Laterite temple of Gokulnagar, West Bengal". I share. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "Gokulnagar, a small village in Bankura district of Bengal". Trips Around. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  6. ↑ "List of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains of National Importance". West Bengal. Archaeological Survey of India. Archived from the original on 27 June 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
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