THE GLORY OF AHOM DYNASTY - HISTORY OF SIBSAGAR OR SIVASAGAR. ASSAM

THE GLORY OF AHOM DYNASTY: PART I, THE SIVA DOL.

It was some eight hundred years ago, during the spring of 1228, Chao Lung Siu Kha Pha, along with his men descended onto the plains of Assam swept by the mighty Bramhaputra. Siu Kha Pha belonged to Shan / Tai tribe of South West Yunnan province of China and was a prince of his tribe. He was an enterprising man and probably wanted to break away looking for greener pastures and thus he crossed the Patkai hills and landed in Assam at a place presently known as Sibsagar. The local tribes, the Mornas, Borahis & Chutias were quickly disposed off as the un-united & unsuspecting local tribes did not expect an invasion and also did not have the military power of skill set to resist the Chinese invasion. Thus was the beginning of the famed Ahom Dynasty of Assam. They ruled almost uninterrupted for about 600 years over a vast area in upper Assam, which today comprises of Sibsagar, Golaghat & Jorhat districts. They held sway till 1819 when the kingdom fell completely before Burmese aggression and later on by British. From circa 1826 this province was included as part of the British Empire.

The footprints of this great dynasty can be seen near the present Sibsagar town where they had their administrative capital. I was travelling to Sibsagar hence grabbed the opportunity to see the remnants of a great civilization. Sibsagar town is almost equidistance from Jorhat and Dibrugarh. I was putting up at Dibrugarh and made a trip by road from there covering 78 kms passing through the lush green tea estates and small hamlets.

The Chinese first set up their administrative capital at Charaideo, some 28kms off Sibsagar. I could only see the places around Sibsagar town and could not go to Charaideo. It is at Charaideo where one finds the “Maidems” or the traditional burial grounds of the Kings. These are basically burial chambers where Kings and Queens were laid to rest. The bodies were put into wooden coffins and then inside another wooden structure along with furniture, daily utensils and other cosmetic items normally used in day to day life.. This whole thing was later covered in an earthen mound called “Maidems” and these were put inside vaults built underground and then a brick and mortar pyramid like structure were built over the same. This somewhat represents a practise as seen in ancient Egypt.

It is interesting to note that, as the years passed by, the Ahoms melted with the local people, established marital relationships with neighboring kingdoms and gradually embraced Hinduism. They became worshippers of Shiva and Vishnu. However they did not completely let go of their Chinese origin and retained some rituals relating to their past. The Ahom Kings took Hindu names like ‘Rudra Simha’ and ‘Siva Simha’ but they also retained their tribal names. The most noteworthy of the culture of their origin is being their last rites and the burial practise. The Ahoms believed in ‘ancestor worship’ and this is what the Maidems represent.

The architectural monuments of Sibsagar can be divided into two parts, firstly there are religious structures, mostly the temples which are known as “Dol” is Assam and secondly there are secular structures like palaces, amphitheaters, tanks and maidems. Whatever can be seen at present day Sibsagar were built between 1700 AD and 1800 AD. All structures, like palaces and temples before this period are no longer in existence as they were built with primarily of bamboo and wood and could not stand the ravages of time. The years between 1200 AD till early 1500 AD were spent by Ahom kings in establishing their reign firmly in the region and this period was spent mostly in war against the local tribes. The real formative years started with King Suklengmung (1539 – 1552) who had set up a new capital at Gargaon some 13 km off the present Sibsagar city. He had built a fine palace at Gargaon. Unfortunately no traces of this great palace could be found today except descriptions given by travellers at that time. Amongst all, the most prominent being the account given by Shihabuddin Talish who accompanied Mir Jumla while he had invaded this place in 1662. The zenith of Ahom Power and culture was reached during the reign of King Rudra Simha, who had ruled between 1696 & 1714. He had again moved his capital from Gargaon and built a fine city by the name ‘Rangpur’ on the bank of River Dikhow which is the present Sibsagar town. The glory continued during the rule of his successors Pramatta Simha, Rajesvara Simha and Laksmi Simha, till 1780 post which the decline had started. These were the formative years and the art, architecture and the culture of the Ahom dynasty played an important role in moulding of the Assamese culture which is prominent today in the Upper Assam.

As I said The Kings embraced Hinduism and became worshippers of Siva and Vishnu, they built many temples and the most prominent among them are the cluster of three temples namely Sivadol, Devidol and Vishudol at the heart of Sibsagar city. The temples were built on the bank of great Sibsagar lake, from which the city derives it’s name. In fact all the temples of Ahom kings were related to tanks and huge tanks or lakes were dug out adjacent to all the temples. These tanks served the purpose of being source of water and also added to the beauty of the city. So here is a city full of tanks like, Sibsagar, Gaurisagar and Joysagar. This reminded me of Coochbihar and Bishnupur closure home where Kings had dug out similar huge lakes along with building temples.

I have seen these temple clusters, and the Joydol temple beside Joysagar Lake and along with it the “Ranghar” an amphitheater, Kareng Ghar or Talatala Ghar and Gargaon Palace. In Part 1, I will start with the Sivadol group of temples which is the most prominent and right at the heart of the city.

The Sivadol on the banks of Sibsagar stands 31 meters tall flanked by two smaller temples Devidol and Visnudol. These were built by Queen Ambika, wife of Siva Simha between 1731 and 1734. 

These temples are based on an octagonal plinth, with ‘Shikhara’ rising over the ‘Garbhagriha’ which houses the principal deity. Another typical trait is the ‘Mukhamandapa’ attached to the ‘Garbhagriha’. This is a rectangular structure with a vaulted roof akin to a Bengali Charchala style. This is the place where prayers and offerings to the deity were done. Also another structure known as ‘Sabhamandapa’ was used during the time of festivals. This is basically a rectangular plinth in front of the ‘Mukhamandapa’ to accommodate devotees. These now become the part of the main structure and shades are built over this. The walls of the temples were decorated with figures of Gods and Goddess but most of these are in state of ruins.

The temple cluster looks beautiful, standing tall on the banks of  Sibsagar lake and draws huge crowds during festivals like Siva ratri. There is a pathway encircling Sibsagar where locals come to spent their leisure time and take stroll along the lake during early hours and evening.

Check out the photos. If you find the story interesting do feel free to share as not many people are aware of the Ahom history and culture. In the next parts I will be talking about the other monuments.

THE GLORY OF AHOM DYNASTY: PART II, THE JOY DOL:

Joysagar Lake is situated just at the outskirts of Sibsagar city and a very nice and serene place. This is also the largest lake amongst all in Sibsagar. The lake provides water sports facilities including, boating, kayaking and speedboats. 

On the bank of the lake, set in beautiful landscaped surroundings is the Joydol temple. This was constructed in stone and bricks in the year 1698 by King Rudra Simha and was dedicated to lord Vishnu. The ‘Shikhara’ is about 30.48 metres high and has 12 miniature turrets surrounding the main ‘Shikhara’. However now this temple is void of any deity and I could just walk into the dark and hollow stone ‘Garbhagriha’ with the only light filtering through the narrow doorway. Over me as I looked into the inside of the tall ‘Shikhara’ I could see only darkness which felt almost solid, my voice re-echoed in the dark hollow heightening the sense of an eerie feeling. Around the temple complex there are two smaller temples, Sivadol and Devidol. The most interesting is the “Ghanashyama House” or Nati-Gossain temple. This is a typical Bengali ‘atchala’ style temple, something you get to see in Bishnupur with same type of terracotta plaques decorating the walls depicting gods, floral and geometric patterns. This is a fine example of influence of Bengal in Assam as King Rudra Simha patronized people from Bengal as lot of artisans, architects went to Assam during his period.

In the Part I and II, I have talked about the prominent temples that I have seen. In the next parts III, IV and V, I will be talking about the secular architectures like the palaces and pavilions that I have seen during my trip. 

THE GLORY OF AHOM DYNASTY: PART III, THE RANG GHAR

In part 1 and Part 2 of this series I had talked about the temples of Sibsagar. However the most interesting and beautiful architectures are the palaces which I have seen. In terms of sheer beauty and uniqueness of it’s use, the Rang Ghar mesmerized me.

Rang Ghar was built in the year 1746 by King Pramatta Simha. This was basically a pavilion and amphitheatre to enjoy various kinds of sports & indoor games ranging from wrestling to animal fights. As you can see in the photos this is an oval shaped double storied building with a roof shaped like an inverted boat. 

On the top there is a stone replica of long boat erected on top of this dome shaped roof which added beauty to the structure. There is a long flight of stairs in the front which leads to the 1st floor of the hall. 

There is an arched central hall flanked by two smaller chambers front and back with oval fronts which is giving shape to the building..

The walls was once decorated with panels depicting scenes of animal fights but very little of it survives today. I could see only a few panels and rest were destroyed and to cover up layers of concrete was put which robbed off the beauty once this building was endowed with. The ground floor also has an octagonal shape with arched entrances.

The place is now under ASI maintenance and beautiful landscaping is done around this magnificent structure.

For the details on other very interesting structures Kareng Ghar and Gargaon Palace, please carry on reading the part IV and part V. 

THE GLORY OF AHOM DYNASTY: PART IV: THE KARENG GHAR OR TALATALA GHAR.

Around the historical Rangpur city where the modern Sibsagar town is built, the Kareng Ghar is the the largest architecture surviving the vagaries to time. However I was sad to notice that it is in the state of ruins but I could still make out how magnificent palace it was in it’s days of glory. This was also the citadel of Ahom power. This was built by King Rudra Simha and later renovated and extended by King Rajesvara Simha.

This was originally a seven storied building, with four floors above the ground and three below. Out of which only the first floor exists and I could only go one floor below. Due to the state of ruins this looks like a building of irregular structure with multiple layers of terraces, pathways and stairs. There is a temple which still exists on the first floor. On the floor below where I could bend in through the low archways leading into dim and dark interiors, it seemed that this area was used as storage place and also stables for horses and other animals.

I could walk with my head bent through the narrow archways leading from one hallway to another and often they were interconnected, in other words a complex maze of tunnels and chambers. It is said that this palace had two underground tunnels, one is 1.6 kms long leading to Dikhow river and another 16 km long leading to Gargaon palace. These were probably built as means of escape in case of an enemy attack. I remember seeing the same thing at Murshidabad where underground tunnels were built by the Nawabs. Now obviously none of the tunnels are accessible to general public as I was told that the tunnels were sealed off by ASI. I was shown a dark opening of what seemed to be the mouth of a tunnel inside one of the underground chambers. The light from the LED torch we were carrying failed to cut through the pitch darkness inside and we did not try to venture further.

On the top floor few rooms still stands the wraths of time. These were called the ‘pujaghar’ or worshiping room,‘mantranaghar’ or the royal consulting room and probably a kitchen. The entire building and the surrounding walls was built with thin and flat bricks and I was told that egg shells and rice pastes were used as mortar as use of lime was not known in those days.

Outside on the complex few canons are kept on display which apparently was used in those days.

THE GLORY OF AHOM DYNASTY: PART V, THE GARGAON PALACE:

Gargaon which is about 13 kms east of the main town of Sibsagar is the place where the Ahoms shifted their capital from Charaideo during the reign of King Suklengmung (1539 – 1552 AD). He had built a magnificent royal palace at Gargaon. It is said that this palace was built with wood, stone and bamboo and studded with precious and semi-precious stones. It had beautiful wood work, motifs and decorated with brass and stone. Unfortunately nothing survived the ravages of time excepting a five storied brick mansion which built at a later date. This is also not in it’s original glory now. The description of the original palace can only be had from the writings of Shihabuddin Talish who accompanied Mir Jumla when he had invaded this place on March 17, 1662.

However the present structure standing was built by King Rajesvara Simha in the year 1752 AD along with the Kareng Ghar. The shape of this building looked interesting, something like a Chariot, tapering off on the top giving it a Pyramid like impression. It is a five storeyed building with one floor below the ground. The ground floor has three halls with a front and rear facing chambers. 

All along there are archways to enter the halls and chambers. The top two floors have one central hall surrounded by the corridors with archways. The staircase is on the right side of the building where one could climb up the floors.

I went to the top. The last floor looked like a miniature Mayan pyramid with a small flight of stairs in the centre taking me to the very small open roof of less than one square meter. It is believed that there was a beautiful dome which doesn’t exist today. From the open top, standing on the small roof where two persons can barely stand together,

I had a 360 degree view of the surrounding landscape and it was beautiful and green all the way. On the floor below there are remnants of what seemed to be sentry boxes.

This palace was also ravaged by earthquake and lost much of it’s original glory but still what still remains is beautiful and I could not help but admire the aesthetic sense of the people who had built this great place. It is said that the principal architect of the Ahoms was a muslim gentleman in the name of Ghanasyama from Bengal who had built the Rangpur city. Like all great Kingdoms the Ahoms also built some magnificent architecture which are the testimony of their might and power. The Assamese culture that we see today has it’s root embedded in the Ahom dynasty from where it had constantly flourished to it’s present state.

HOW TO REACH:

Sibsagar town is well connected from Guwahati, Jorhat & Dibrugarh. Both Dibrugarh and Jorhat has airports and flights operate from Kolkata. By road the distance from Guwahati is 360 KMs, from Jorhat 57 KMs and from Dibrugarh 84KMs. The road condition, though single lane, is good and lot of ASTC as well as private buses ply between these cities. You can also get the Tempo Travellers and Tata which runs between these cities. Private cars are also available on hire. At Sibsagar you can hire an auto to show you around.

WHRE TO STAY: 

Sibsagar has decent hotels. You can choose to stay at Sibsagar or you can also stay at Jorhat or Dibrugarh which has comfortable hotels. You can then hire a car and cover Sibsagar in a day trip.

WHAT TO EAT:

If you have a penchant for Assamese cuisine this part of Assam offers plenty of that. There is lot of similarity of Assamese cuisine and style of cooking with that of Bengali. Both have amazing variety of fishes on the menu and you will find similar preparations like ‘Sorse Bata’ & “Paturi” which tickles the Bengali tastebuds. The Aar & Chital fish are loved by the Assamese. You can have rice (Try the Zoha rice which is aromatic), dal and Aloo Pitika which is basically ‘alu chokha’ or ‘aloobhate’ in Bengali. At Sibsagar you will get lot of freshwater fish coming from it’s lakes.  Pork lovers will have reason to celebrate as pork dishes constitute of a large portion of Assamese cuisine. You can definitely try having lunch at the lakeside restaurant overlooking the beautiful Joysagar Lake. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and has large glass windows so that you can have an uninterrupted view of the lake as you savour your food.

Do share in case you liked what you read and enjoyed the photos.

VIKRAMSHILA UNIVERSITY AND BUDDHIST VIHAR – BHAGALPUR, BIHAR.

Between 5^th Century AD and Eleventh Century AD Buddhism flourished in Magadha, which in present day is the  state of Bihar. Two great seats of Buddhist learning emerged and flourished in Bihar during this period. The first one is obviously the illustrious Nalanda University which was formed sometime during fifth century and patronized by the Gupta rulers and later by Pala Kings.  

Sometime in the late 8^th Century when Nalanda University somehow started losing it’s sheen, King Dharmapal had set up another site for practise and teaching of Buddhist philosophy and religion. This is known as ‘Vikramshila’ which was a great University in it’s own right as well as a Buddhist Stupa for prayer. Interestingly Vikramshila had earned it’s fame as a centre for learning and practise of ‘Vajrayana’ or Tantric Buddhism. One can find mention of this University in the writings of “Tarantha’, the Tibetan monk historian. Just like Nalanda, this was also a residential learning centre and it is estimated that In it’s heydays Vikramshila University had over one thousand students (Bhikkhus)and over hundred teachers(Acharyas).

Just like Nalanda this great University also fell before Muslim invasion led by Bakhtiyar Khilji during 1200AD. Bakhtiyar Khilji ensured complete destruction of Vikramshila along with Nalanda and obliterated the invaluable treasures, relics and books bringing an end to the flourishing Buddhism.

I had the desire to visit both the places and chance came when my official work took me to Bhagalpur which is the nearest city to Vikramshila. Situated at Antichak village, Vikramshila is about 50KM east to Bhagalpur via Kahalgaon. We hired a car from Bhagalpur and started the journey. The road continues along the bank of Ganges. The road is very scenic and I could see the vast expanse of the river on my left and on my right paddy fields in various shades of green, typical fertile Gangetic plain extended till horizon. We went past Ghogha and soon reached Kahalgaon which is famous for the thermal power plant. From Kahalgaon the road condition worsened and our progress was slow. About 15km journey from Kahalgaon there is a road leading to the left and bear signs of Vikramshila put up by Bihar tourism. We continued through the winding village road and distant hills loomed large as we continued. We had to ask for directions from local people as we could not find direction boards. This is disappointing as this is the least Bihar Tourism can do to help tourists and enthusiasts find their way to this heritage site. Finally our journey ended at the gate of the Vikramshila complex. The first extensive excavation work had stated by Patna University in 1969 and ASI took over and continued excavation and restoration between 1972 and 1982. Now this is under ASI maintenance. We bought tickets for Rs.10/- per head (There is no charge for camera) and entered the complex. This is one huge place spreading across more than 100 acres. The site is now beautifully landscaped by ASI. As we walked in, the huge structure of the monastery with it’s imposing Stupa came into our view. At the backdrop of rolling hills it looked majestic. The place till date exudes peace and perhaps that is why this place was chosen by the monks.

The main structure of the monastery is done in brick and it’s a huge square structure and like a crown the main stupa adorns the centre of this structure. The monastery about 15 meters in height,  has two tiers, and accessible through a flight of stairs on the north side , which I presume was the main entrance. The main stupa, has openings on four sides which could have contained statues of Buddha but now I found all four sides sealed with brick and mortar. One can circumvent the stupa by walking on the 2^nd level terrace of the monastery. The two storied main monastery, or residence for the Buddhist monks, measure about 330 metres having a series of 208 cells, 52 on each of the four sides opening into a common verandah. Both levels are in perfect geometric formation with extended terraces. This was made to accommodate the resident student monks. We could not get inside to have a closer look of the chambers meant for stay and meditation.

The walls of the monastery are decorated with terracotta plaques all around. Though the terracotta plaques had borne the brunt of time, still I could make out that they depicted various avatars of Buddha and other deities. This indicates that terracotta art also flourished during the Pala dynasty.  

There are other ruins around the main monastery and stupa which probably were used as classrooms and library. There is a elaborate gateway and I could see a huge cluster of votive stupas. These are basically miniature stupas erected by the devotees for gratitude or fulfillment of his/her desire.

A large number of antiquities of different materials, unearthed from this place in the course of excavation, are displayed in the site museum but unfortunately we reached on Friday which is the day of weekly off and could not see this. Hence visitors should avoid Friday.

HOW TO REACH: Vikramshila is situated in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar and nearest rail station is Kahalgaon. One can also get down at Bhagalpur which is a bigger city and has better staying options. The nearest airport is at Patna. To see the Vikramshila site you have to hire a car from Bhagalpur as public transport is non-existent. You can also hire a car from Kahalgaon but you might not always get them. From Bhagalpur it is about 50 Kms but the road condition of last 20-25 Kms is really bad. You should have about three hours in hand to reach from Bhagalpur (Often there is nasty traffic jam at Kahalgaon bazar). It is advised you hire a big car / SUV to tackle the bad roads. Along with Vikramshila you can also visit ‘Bateshwer Sthan” which is a famous Shiva Temple nearby on the bank of Ganges. The scenery is beautiful all along with the road running along the river Ganges. You can see the brick kilns and lot of activity of the river as huge barges are bringing in stone chips from the stone quarries from nearby Rajmahal hills.  The visit to Vikramshila should take about a day for a general visitor. If you are a student of history or archaeology you will go back again and again. Photographers should target morning time for best results (though you can enter only after 10AM). I reached around midday and the harsh sun was casting strong shadow on the structures, which is a photographer’s nightmare. But one word of caution DO NOT stay there after dark. The law and order situation is not at all good here and this is a totally deserted place and in the event of any untoward incident you won’t even get help. So get out before it’s dark.

Direction by road from Bhagalpur

WHERE TO STAY: Vikramshila site has no place to stay. You can stay at Kahalgaon which is some 15 kms away but best option will be to stay at Bhagalpur city which has better hotel options.  There are hotels for all budgets and it’s best to

explore in a day trip. Kahalgaon has small hotels but my advice will be against staying at Kahalgaon.

WHAT TO EAT: Please note that apart from few shops selling soft drinks and potato chips in front of the entrance there is no food available in the vicinity. So if you are planning to spend the day there please carry your packed lunch. Mineral water bottles are available at the shops near the entrance and it is advisable you carry mineral woter bottles and keep yourself hydrated particularly if you are visiting in warmer months. The ideal season is obviously between October and March, after which it gets extremely hot.  There is a small vegetarian dhaba on the highway just after Kahalgaon which served us decent meal. While at Bhagalpur, you can definitely try the local sweetmeat called “Tikri” or “Tikli”, which is basically a variation of ‘Balushai’ available across Bihar.

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.