TEMPLES OF SRIBATI – HIDDEN TREASURES OF BENGAL

Sribati is a quaint little village nestled deep in the rural heartland of Burdwan district, somewhere near Katwa town. This apparently insignificant village holds a treasure trove in the form of three beautiful terracotta temples built by the Chandra family who were once very rich traders and residents of Sribati. It is said that the family had their origins in Gujrat and their forefathers came to Bengal about 400 years ago and set up trade at this village. Having business acumen in their blood they were quick to identify the opportunities that lay in river trade by Hoogly and it’s tributaries, flowing nearby, giving them access to vast areas in Bengal. The family prospered and they owned several barges and boats which sailed upstream and downstream with various merchandise including salt. They gradually earned a fortune and built mansions and three temples dedicated to lord Shiva in this village.

However their good fortune did not last and slowly the downfall started. Today at Sribati village one can see the ruins of once magnificent mansions and the impressive Thakur Dalan which silently speaks of their once glorious past. Descendants of the family stay at the village till date, though there are many fragments in the family and today nothing remains of their past economic exuberance which is evidenced by the ill maintained and neglected state of the houses.

However it’s the three temples which stood the vagaries of time and still standing tall. It’s a cluster of three temples. The Centre temple is built in Pancharatna Style (Five Turrets each at the four corners and one at the center) and houses a white Shiva Linga. The temple on the right has octagonal base and the one on the left has a square base. Both have tall ‘Shikhara’ or the top dome in ‘Deul’ style. The octagonal temple has the black Shivalinga of Chandreshwer and square temple has the linga called Bishwashwer. These temples are believed to be more than 200 years old.

Temples of  Sribati - View from the front

The outer walls of these three temples have the most exquisitely crafted terracotta panels I have seen on any temple including the much more revered temples of Bishnupur. I was mesmerized by the sheer variety and the intricate workmanship of the terracotta panels. I have never seen such varied subjects depicted on terracotta panels on temple walls. I could see curving of floral designs, I could see intricately entwined figures of mythological animals, demons and humans, curving of goddess Durga and other gods and goddess. Apart from the matters related to religion, gods and mythology, I could see panels depicting day to day life. There are artworks of European soldiers with different head gear and weapons, as well as people with mongoloid features. Figures of traders with prominence of boats as the family prospered in river trade. The details of the human figures are mind-blowing, they are just not vague curving of human shapes but the artisans created them with minute details capturing the crease of the clothes and expression on the faces. Same can be said for all other panels. It’s the intricate detailing which makes these temples stand out amongst the other terracotta temples of Bengal.

The octagonal temple on the right had the best of the panels followed by the main temple at the center. The one on the right is somewhat less illustrious compared to the other two. I also think they were not built together but on different times.

Sadly there is no Govt. intervention to protect these invaluable monuments. The ASI should have taken over but I could see no signs of the same. The temples are now maintained by the villagers, daily Puja is conducted at the temples. But maintenance of these temples requires the intervention of experts. There is always a threat of damage due to incorrect maintenance.

The villagers are quite friendly and some of them enthusiastically guided us to the temples through the winding village roads. We spoke to few of them and apparently they were aware of the historical importance and quite proud of the heritage monuments of their village and the fact that often people come to see them from afar.

How to reach: Sribati is about 150 KMs away from Kolkata. We went by car and including a short break, it took us some 4 and half hours due to ‘not so good’ condition of the roads. We started of around 6:30AM in the morning and took the NH-2 towards Burdwan. At Memari crossing we took the road right which is leading strait to Dainhat. The condition of this road is often poor but nothing that a small hatchback car can’t handle. This is beautiful country. The moment we entered this road, we were surrounded by greenery. Green in various shades and hues engulfed us with only the black stretch of tarmac in between. One can understand why this part of West Bengal is called the ‘Rice Bowl of Bengal’. The road passed through small hamlets by the names of Satgachia, Kusumgram, Manteshwer, till we came to place called Kurchi. There is a four point crossing and we took the road on the right which went past the Sribati village. After about a drive of 10KMs, the entrance to the village comes on the right where a narrow but motorable one and half kilometer road leads to the village.

Driving direction

If you are travelling by bus or train, you need to come to Katwa. From Katwa, you can take a bus to Sribati or better to hire a car as the bus service might be irregular and may not suit your timings. We reached there by mid-day and by that time sun was harsh. For photographers the temples would look best in the evening glow of the sun. The East side is blocked by the buildings hence mornings may not be the best time.

Where to stay: There is no accommodation available at Sribati village. You need to stay at Katwa, which is the nearest town. Katwa has few hotels but do not expect luxury. A guest house called ‘Sraboni’ run by Katwa Municipality offers decent accommodation at cheap rate.

What to eat: There are no restaurants or eateries at Sribati village. If you are coming for a day trip you need to carry some basic food. At Katwa you can find typical pice hotels and few restaurants around rail station and bus stand. The sweets available at Katwa are good.

If you are interested in temple architecture or just want to have a feel of the rural Bengal, breathe in some fresh air, Sribati can be a wonderful weekend destination.