Bishnupur – History

Bishnupur – History

Bishnupur is a town and a municipality in Bishnupur subdivision of Bankura District in the state of West Bengal, India. It is famous for its terracotta temples, terracotta crafts and the Baluchari sarees. Royal patronage also gave rise to Bishnupur Gharana (school) of Hindustani classical music in late 18^th century and the Bishnupur school of painting. Since 1997, the temples of Bishnupur is on UNESCO World Heritage Site's Tentative list.

Pre-History:

The earliest signs of human habitation in the area were at Dihar. At about 1000 BC chalcolithic people had settled on the north bank of the Dwarakeswar. In later pre-historic times this area was inhabited by various Proto-Australoid and Proto-Dravidian tribes which were spread across different strata of development – food-gathering, hunting, animal-rearing and agriculture.

Bankura district was part of Rarh in ancient times. This area was dominated by aboriginal tribes, more than other areas of Bengal, and was Aryanised or assimilated with the people and culture of the Proto-Indo-European group, who prevailed in northern India, substantially later than rest of Bengal. There were two primary groups of people, the Nishadas (who were Proto-Australoid tribes) and Dasa-dasyus (related to Dravidians).

Amongst the subgroups were Bagdi, Bauri, Jele, Hari, Dom, and others. Santals and Mal Pahariyas were probably also there from the beginning. There were substantial differences amongst the tribes in relation to food, dress, religion, behavioral patterns and other matters and there were severe limitations on inter-mixing, not to think of inter-marriage.

Arrival of the Proto-Indo-Europeans:

When Proto-Indo-Europeans arrived on the scene, they gradually effected assimilation, based primarily on their concepts of work and quality, which led to the development of caste-based society or it could be the extension of an older system. The assimilation was not easy and took many centuries and was achieved through both conflict and cordiality. In the Aitareya Aranyaka (around 7th century BC), the people of the region have been referred to as asuras (demons).

To this day, the names of numerous villages in the district are associated with asuras. In the religious texts of Baudhayana Dharmasutra (around 5th-6th century BC), it has been mentioned that while Anga and the middle country has been partially Aryanised, Pundra, Banga and Kalinga had only come in contact with the Aryans or Proto-Indo-Europeans of northern India. 

In the old Jain book Acaranga Sutra (around 4th century AD), there is mention of Sumha and Ladha, a reference to an area inhabited by uncivilised and barbaric people. Many historians opine that assimilation with Proto-Indo-Europeans took place first in northern and eastern Bengal and then in western Bengal. This has also been the broad course of the spread of Buddhism and Jainism in Bengal. There is ample evidence of pre-eminence of Aryan religion and culture in West Bengal from around 6th century AD.

Gupta Period:

Inscriptions dating back to Samudra Gupta’s period have referred to the locale, which came to be known later in the 10^th century CE as Bishnupur, a small kingdom governed by local rulers who paid tribute to the Guptas. This was followed by a long period of obscurity, when the land shifted to and fro between being a minor independent principality and a feudatory state.

Malla Dynasty:

Bishnupur eventually became the capital of the kings of the Malla dynasty, who ruled over a region known as Mallabhum, covering modern day Bankura, Onda, Bishnupur, Kotulpur and Indas, till the first half of the 20^th century. During the reign of the Malla kings, which can be traced back to the 7^th century CE, the region known as Mallabhum stretched further north to Damin-i-Koh in the Santhal Parganas, Midnapore in the south, Bardhaman in the east, and parts of Chota Nagpur in the west.

Adi Malla:

Legend has it that in the year 102 of the Malla Era or 695 CE, a lady died while giving birth to a son in a forest at Laugram, six miles from Kotulpur, in modern Bankura district. Her husband was a Rajput (from Sanskrit ‘raja-putra’) or a prince from northern India, and they were both travelling to the Jagannath temple of Puri. To reach the temple at the earliest, the wife was abandoned while in labor. The newborn, later named Raghunath, was found the next day by a woman who had gone to the forest to collect firewood, who brought him back and raised him.

By the age of 15, the boy was unmatched in wrestling, so the Nrisinghadeb, king of Panchamgram bestowed on him the name Adimalla, which means the ‘original/unique wrestler'. He was made a chieftain by King Nrisinghadeb, the king of Padampur. Meanwhile, Pratap Narayan, the ruler of Jotibhar, an area which actually was a part of Padampur, declared independence against King Nrisinghadeb. The King sent for Raghunath, his loyal warrior, to fight him. Raghunath defeated Pratap Narayan and the King rewarded him with Jotibhar. Thus, Raghunath became feudal king under Nrisinghadeb. After the death of Nrisinghadeb, his widow married her only daughter, Chandra Kumari, to Raghunath and established him on the throne.

In 695 A.D. Raghunath was crowned as first king of Malla dynasty at Padampur. To commemorate his ascending of throne a new calendar, 'Mallabda' was started in 695 A.D or 101 Bengali calendars. King Raghunath became known as Adi Malla, and the land he ruled came to be known as 'Mallabhum'. This is only a brief account of one of the many stories explaining the origins of the Mallas. Some sources mention that the woman who raised Adimalla was a Kayastha, while others say that she belonged to the lowly Bagdi caste or was a tribal.

The latter refer to Adimalla as a Bagdi-Raja or Bagdi-King who ruled in Laugram for 33 years. Adimalla’s son and successor, Jay Mall, occupied Padampur fort, extended his territory, and transferred the capital to Bishnupur. The Mallabhum kingdom covered almost all of the present day Bankura district and extensive parts of the adjoining districts of Burdwan and Medinipur, along with some parts of Murshidabad and Bihar’s Chhotanagpur Plateau.

Jagat Malla and shifting of the capital to Bishnupur:

It was in 994 A.D. King Jagat Malla shifted his capital from Padampur to Bishnupur because of better geographical safeguard as Bishnupur lies surrounded by hilly terrain. However, there is an interesting legend surrounding this. As per folklore, Jagat Malla came upon the site while hunting in 994 AD. He sent a hawk after a heron; however, the heron killed the hawk. With this, goddess Durga revealed herself to the king and commanded him to establish a place for her worship and move his capital from Laugram. 

Bir Hambir / Veer Hambir:

It was in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, during the reign of Hambir Malla Dev, also known as Bir Hambir, the 49^th king of the Malla dynasty, that Bishnupur began to draw interest from its neighboring territories, both politically and culturally. Bir Hambir began the process of building Vaishnavite temples in Bishnupur.  Bir Hambir was a powerful but tyrannical Malla ruler, had converted to Gaudiya Vaishnavism. The origins of Bishnupur as a religious and cultural hub with its distinctive temple architecture is closely tied to the Gaudiya Vaishnava devotional movement of the 16^th century in eastern India and Bengal in particular (then known as Gaud or Gaur).

The bhakti saint and social reformer, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a brand of spiritualism marked by an emotive and intimate devotion to the Hindu god Krishna, the central deity of the tradition. Vrindavan—the mythical site where Krishna spent his youth, believed to be in the woods by the river Yamuna in north India—held a profound fascination for devotees of the Vaishnava faith.

According to Gaudiya Vaishnava literature, Chaitanya picked six disciples who came to be called the Goswamis and established them at Vrindavan over the course of the 16^th century. At his behest, the six Goswamis, who were the second generation of Gaudiya Vaishnava leaders, compiled the body of theological texts that had come to define their religious tradition. In the wake of Chaitanya’s demise and the waning popularity of the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement, the Goswamis chose Srinivasa Acharya, slated to become the next Gaudiya Vaishnava leader, to redeploy their energies in Bengal.

He was provided a cartload of manuscripts inscribed with the essential principles of the tradition to help him accomplish this task. While travelling through Bishnupur, Srinivas lost these precious manuscripts placed under his charge. On tracing them to the local chief, Bir Hambir of the Malla dynasty, he visited Bishnupur and electrified the court by astutely narrating and elucidating on episodes from Krishna’s life. The raja was so deeply moved by Srinivas’s passion for Krishna that he fell at his feet and confessed to having arranged the theft of the manuscripts, mistaking them for worldly treasures.

In a bid to make amends, Bir Hambir entreated Srinivasa and his fellow devotees to stay on and granted them the land and resources to create a sacred centre for Vaishnava devotion in the region. This narrative, recovered from various Gaudiya Vaishnava texts, draws attention to Bishnupur’s political patronage of the Gaudiya Vaishnava faith, which helped the order flourish in this region and establish a seat of culture and religion based on the Vaishnava tradition. This alliance with the political authorities of Bishnupur meant that Gaudiya Vaishnavism would have a powerful influence on the distinctive styles of art, craftsmanship, and temple artistry that were on the verge of surfacing in the region.

Worship of Madan Mohan and Kalachand was introduced in Bishnupur. Ritual celebrations and performances formed the core of Sri Chaitanya’s practice, which was continued by the Goswamis. To provide a space for such celebrations, exquisite structures like the Rasmancha was built. Given the absence of stones, terracotta soon emerged as the most important medium of temple building. The medium is unique compared to the temples of the rest of the subcontinent.

At the triple-arched south entrance of the Madan Mohan temple, the historical incident described above is represented in commemorative relief. In this terracotta tile, Acharya Srinivas is represented as a Vaishnavite Goswami reading a pothi, that is the Bhagwata, to an engrossed royal listener, Bir Hambir. Even in a Rajasthani painting, the same has been recorded. Goswamis were quite conservative – they regressed from the humanist approach of Sri Chaitanya, and the same is reflected in the visual representations found on the temple walls as Chaitanya is rarely depicted.

However, a unique image of a six-handed Sri Chaitanya is presented in Kestorai’s Jorbangla. As Chaitanya’s performance-based, human-centric interpretation of Vaishnavism had already been institutionalized by its incorporation into Sanatana Brahmanism, the Goswamis propagated Bhagvatism under the garb of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Thus, with the help of Bir Hambir’s patronage and the support of the Goswami Siddhanta, the acharya established the supremacy of the Gita within Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

The pre-eminence of the Goswamis is repeatedly emphasized in the terracotta carvings of the temples at Bishnupur, like the Madan Mohan temple or the contiguous Radhagovinda temple. In the latter temple, a Vaishnavite saint or a Goswami is depicted reading from a manuscript with two engrossed female listeners with a Japamala (prayer beads) next to him. According to Vaishnavism, listening to recitations is a pious act. Both the temples mentioned above are located close to Acharya Srinivas sadhan-pith.

Though Bishnupur was highly influenced by the Gita and Goswami Siddhanta in the 17^th century, Vishnu as godhead had not been unknown in this part of Bengal, as is evident from the Pala image of Anantasayana Vishnu. Therefore, it is apt to call this late medieval period the revival of the (Hindu) classical age in all respects, be it in art and culture or religion.

The consequent proliferation of temples in this region over the next century and a half, which British site surveys and administrative reports of the mid-8^th century estimate to be between 150 and 450 in number, is probably what gave Bishnupur its reputation as a religious centre. The earlier Malla kings were known for their devotion to Lord Shiva. The Sareswar and Saileswar temples at Dihar were constructed during this period. Bir Hambir built that wonderful Rasmancha in 1600, followed by a Dalan Temple for Mrinmayee, the royal deity, in 1601. 

Other kings & their works:

Veer Hambir’s successor, Raghunath Singha, built Malleshwar Temple in 1622 and dedicated the temple in the name of Veer Hambir. His other works include Shymaraya, a pancha Ratna temple, in 1643, Keshtaraya (Jorbangla type) temple in 1655, and Kalachand temple, an ek-Ratna Temple in 1656. First two are built in brick and entirely covered with terracotta artworks. Kalachand temple was built with laterite stone, but some relics of artworks are still found on the temple walls.

After Raghunath Singha, his son Veer Singha II built Lalji temple, an ek-Ratna temple in laterite stone in 1658.  Raghunath Singha I built Radha Vinod Aatchaalaa Temple in brick in 1659 in Kharbangla. In 1665, the Queen of Veer Singha II built two exquisite temples, Madanagopala, a Pancharatna Temple and Murulimohana, a laterite temple. He is also credited with the building of Tejpal temple in 1672. In 1694, Durjan Singha built Madana Mohana ek-Ratna Temple in brick.

King Gopal Singha built number temples in Bishnupur. In 1726 three ek-Ratna laterite temples came up, which are known as 'Jora Temple'. Then in 1729 he built Radhagovinda ek-Ratna temple in laterite. In 1734-35 came up Mahaprabhu Temple, a Jorbangla type brick temple and 1737 he built another ek-Ratna Temple in laterite, Radha Madhava temple. In 1758 King Chaitanya Singha built Radhashyama Temple, an ek-Ratna laterite temple and another similar temple in Patpur near Bishnupur. In the early 19^th Century, the Bose family of Bishnupur built the 'Sridhar Temple', the only Navaratna temple in Bishnupur with plenty of terracotta artwork. 

Decline:

Though the Malla kings shifted their capital from Padampur to Bishnupur in 994 A.D., it was only from 17^th century onwards Bishnupur started to flourish. But this great Kingdom, an independent Hindu Kingdom in the eastern India could survive there after only for a little more than 150 years (1600-1758). The Bishnupur kings, who were at the summit of their fortunes towards the end of the 17^th century, started declining in the first half of the 18^th century. First, the Maharaja of Burdwan seized the Fatehpur Mahal, and then the Maratha invasions laid waste their country.

Gopal Singh:

Gopal Singh (1730–1745) was a pious king but was not fit to cope with the difficulties that faced his kingdom. He issued an edict that people of Mallabhum should count their beads and chant Harinam (name of God) every evening at sunset. In 1742, when the Marathas, under Bhaskar Rao, attacked Bishnupur, the troops put up a spirited defence but then Gopal Singh retreated within the fort and ordered the troops and citizens to pray to Madan Mohan to save the city. It is believed that Madan Mohan responded, and the cannons were fired without human assistance.

The truth probably is that the Maratha cavalry were unable to pierce the strong fortifications and retired. While they failed to take the fort and pillage the treasury, the Marathas harried the less protected parts of the kingdom. The Maratha chief, Sheobhat, made Bishnupur his headquarters in 1760 during the invasion of Shah Alam. The Marathas fell with their heaviest weight on border principalities such as Bishnupur and Birbhum. Exactions of a hundred sorts reduced the once powerful kingdom to poverty. The tenants fled, and the country became desolate.

Chaitanya Singh:

Chaitanya Singh was another pious ruler unfit to face the difficulties. As he was too involved in religious matters, he did not have time for administrative matters. He faced internal feuds. Damodar Singh, a cousin of his, tried to gain power. He was able to convince the court at Murshidabad about his capabilities. Initially, Siraj ud-Daulah lent him forces but he was unable to capture Bishnupur. Later, after the British defeated Siraj, Mir Jafar lent him stronger forces. He succeeded in taking Bishnupur, and Chaitanya Singh escaped to Kolkata with the idol of Madan Gopal, but the British restored the latter to power. However, intrigue and litigation continued for many years. Litigation ruined the Bishnupur Raj family and eventually in 1806, the estate was sold for arrears of land revenue and bought up by the Maharaja of Burdwan. 

Early British Administration:

Bishnupur was ceded to the British with the rest of Burdwan chakla in 1760. The Marathas had laid the country waste and famine of 1770 completed the misery of the kingdom. A large section of the population was swept away, cultivation fell, and lawlessness spread. The once powerful king had been reduced to the status of a mere zamindar. In 1787, Bishnupur was united with Birbhum to form a separate administrative unit, the headquarters was shifted to Suri, and a rebellious situation prevailed. The situation was so bad that the people of Bishnupur came to be known as Chuars or robbers. Bankura continued to be one district with Birbhum till 1793, when it was transferred to the Burdwan collectorate.

Chuar Rebellion:

Towards the end of the 18^th century certain portions of the district around Raipur was affected by the Chuar rebellion. The leader of the rebels was Durjan Singh, a former zamindar of Raipur. He had a following of about 1,500 men and created havoc in certain areas. The police force was simply not in a position to control the situation. At the time Bankura appears to have been part of Jungle Mahals. While the Chuars continued to be a menace, Bankura played an important role in the commercial department of East India Company.

Sonamukhi had a head factory with 31 subordinate ones, including one at Patrasayar, as well as at Surul and Ilambazar in Birbhum. The disturbances of the Chuars in 1832 in the western part of the district lead to the disbandment of the Jungle Mahals in 1833. While Bishnupur was transferred to Burdwan, most of the district formed a part of Manbhum and what was known as North-west Frontier Agency. In 1872, the parganas of Sonamukhi, Indas, Kotulpur, Shergarh and Senpahari were transferred to Burdwan.