Madangopal Jiu Temple,
Mellock, Samta, West Bengal
Madangopal Jiu Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated
to Lord Vishnu, located in the village of Mellock, near Samta,
in the Indian state of West
Bengal. The temple is also locally known as Gopaler Mondir, the
temple of Gopala.
Madan Mohan Jiu temple is also one of the largest Achala (roof with 8
slopes) temple in Bengal.
History
It was built in 1651AD
by a wrestler known as Mukundaprasad Roy Choudhury, who was a family member of
the Roy
Zamindars, who then ruled the village of Samta.
Then, the Rup Narayan River used to flow
alongside the temple. However, now the river has changed its course and moved
farther away. Mukundaprasad was reputed to be very strong and muscular. In
those days, the road to the temple was connected to the barrage of
the village by a small wooden bridge.
Mukundaprasad would carry two heavy stone dumbbells in
his arms and would carry it to the temple crossing the wooden bridge. Neither
did he use to get tired nor did the wooden bridge ever break. One of the stones
is kept in the vicinity of the temple. The temple is in ruins and
reconstruction work was started in early 2010s. The idols of the deity are made
of eight metals (ashtadhatu). But since the reconstruction started, the deities
have been shifted to a nearby house.
The Temple
The temple is a terracotta ornamented temple and its
roof has eight slopes. The main entrance with three arches faces the south. One
additional entrance is on the east side. The east entrance leads to a small
room, adjacent to the garbhagriha, or the main room. The temple is
approximately 40 feet high. The temple has number of sculptures and designs on
it. The deity worshipped in the temple is Radha and Madangopal. The idol of
Radha is much shorter than the idol of Madangopal. However, now as the temple
is in ruins the idols have been kept in a nearby house.
Temple Opening Time
The Temple remains open from 06.00 am in the morning to
08.00 pm in the night.
Festivals
Local Holi and Dol Yatra in Samta is held every year a
day after Dol Purnima (full moon day) and on the day of Holi the idols are
carried to the nearby house of the Mukherjees by an ancient wooden palanquin.
Special rituals are performed and at evening it is brought back to the temple
following traditions, in which burning bonfires are placed alongside the whole
road, starting from the house of the Mukherjees till the temple. The people must
make their way through the road and carry the palanquin with idols to the
temple. On the day of Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna) also special
pujas are held.
Connectivity
The Temple is located at about 2.5 Kms from Deulti
Railway Station, 9 Kms from Kolaghat, 13 Kms from Bagnan, 53 Kms from Howrah,
68 Kms from Kolkata, 77 Kms from Kharagpur and 76 Kms from Kolkata Airport. The
Temple is situated off Kolkata Mumbai National Highway between Kolkata and Kharagpur
near Mellock Village.
Location
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