The Ghanashyam Dol in Sivasagar, Assam and the Temples of Bishnupur in Bankura, West Bengal: Establishing a Cultural Linkage

Dipamjyoti Buragohain Assistant Professor, Department of History, Bihpuria College, Assam, India

ABSTRACT : The Ahoms were a small branch of the Tai race that expanded all over Southeast Asia. During early medieval period they established a powerful kingdom around the Brahmaputra Valley and ruled the region for about six hundred years successfully till 1826 CE. They not only politically united the region but also took initiative for its socio-cultural expansion. The period is also known for the growth and expansion of art and architecture, representing the influence of contemporary Hindu and Islamic architecture. The present paper tries to study the historicity and architecture of one of the unique temples of the Ahom period in Sivasagar District, Assam known as the Ghanashyam Dol. With the context of the temples of Bishnupur in Bankura District, West Bengal, an attempt is made to study the structural and ornamental aspects of the Ghanashyam Dol and the influence of contemporary Bengali architecture on it. Keywords - Architecture, Dol , Religion, Sivasagar, Terracotta art.

I.Introduction: The Ghanashyam Dol is located in the historical city of Sivasagar, Assam. It is located at 26°57´´41´ N and 94°36´´08´ E. The district of Sivasagar has a unique place in the history of Assam. It is here Chao-Lung Siu-Ka-Pha, the Tai prince established the foundation of the Ahom kingdom with its first permanent capital at Charaideo. During the reign of the successors of Siu-Ka-Pha the capital of the Ahom kingdom was shifted time to time to Saragua, Gargaon and Rangpur respectively all in Sivasagar district. Rangpur continued to be the Ahom capital from the time of king Rudra Singha (1696-1714 CE) till it was last established at Jorhat towards the end of the Ahom rule. Since four of the five capitals of the Ahom kingdom are located in the present district of Sivasagar, the region witness a large number of monuments of that period standing high and mesmerizing hey days of the Ahom rule. A prominent monument of the period in Sivasagar is the Ghanashyam Dol, a terracotta brick temple that lies near present Joysagar College, Joysagar. Located on the bank of the Joysagar tank, it is in the vicinity of the Joysagar group of temples built by king Rudra Singha. It is also known as the Nati Gosain Dol. The art and architecture of this monument shows resemblance with the temples of Bishnupur in Bankura district, West Bengal.

II. Objectives of the Study: The main objectives of the present study aim to include the following: 1. To examine the historicity of the Ghanashyam Dol 2. To study the architectural and sculptural features 3. To examine the influence of contemporary Bengali temple architecture on Ahom architecture www. ijirssc.in Page 111

International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ______-______4. To study the representation of society and culture through the sculptures 5. To study the present condition

III. Methodology : The present study has been undertaken to make a detailed and systematic study of the Ghanashyam Dol and the impact of Bengali architecture over it. Primary data have been collected particularly from the Buranjis, the Ahom chronicles. Secondary data have been collected from a number of books, journals, and proceedings. IV. Result and Discussion : The history of the Ghanashyam Dol is uncertain. There are debates regarding the period and patron of the Ghanashyam Dol. The Ahom chronicles popularly known as the Buranji did not provide any reference to the Ghanashyam Dol. There are two popular opinions regarding its period. Accordingly one says that it was built under the patronage of Rudra Singha by Ghanashyam Khanikar. Ghanashyam was originally from Koch Bihar brought by Rudra Singha as the chief architect to build the capital city of Rangpur.1 The actual name of Ghanashyam was Ghansauddin. Some believed that originally a Muslim he converted to Hinduism. He was the mastermind in the construction of the Joysagar group of temples which stands high till date reminding the glory of the reign of Rudra Singha. After completing his task, Ghanashyam was allowed to return to Koch Bihar. But before he crossed the borders of the Ahom Kingdom, he was captivated by Borphukan, the Ahom royal officer at Guwahati.2 He was found guilty for secretly carrying a map of the Ahom capital. Ghanashyam was sent to Rangpur and imprisoned for the rest of his life. He built a dol near the Joysagar group of the temples during the period of his imprisonment which subsequently came to be known as the Ghanashyam Dol.

According to the other opinion, it was built during the reign of Rajeswar Singha (1751- 1769 CE) to Nati Gosain, who was the grandson of Parbatia Gosain (Krishnaram Nyayavagish, Sakta Brahmin priest from Bengal from whom Siva Singha accepted initiation). Hence the dol is known as the Nati Gosain Dol.3 There is more probability of its building during the reign of Rudra Singha. It is located near the Joysagar group of temples and on the bank of the Joysagar tank. The fact that it was used by Nati Gosain as a residence is quite unusual since the main

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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ______-______cell is small enough to be used as a residing place. It is also possible that the dol was repaired during the reign of Rajeswar Singha.

On the other hand the temples in Bishnupur were built during the rule of the Mallas. The region around Bishnupur was called as Mallabhum where the Mallas ruled from the end of the 7th Century CE to the advent of the British. Most of the temples were constructed by the successors of Bir Hambir (1565-1620 CE), a powerful Malla ruler and contemporary of the Mughal emperor Akbar. Bishnupur rose into prominence as an important centre of learning and cultural activities during 17th and 18th Centuries. V (a) Architectural Features: The Ghanshyam Dol bears resemblance to the Bishnupur group of temples of Bankura district, West Bengal. The Bishnupur group of temples can be divided into three distinct style- deul, chala and ratna.4 The Ghanashyam Dol bears similarities to the temples like Jor-Bangla, Madana-Mohana, Radha-Syama, Nandalala, Syam-Raya, etc. of Bishnupur. Particularly the chala type of temples of Bishnupur is close in architectural features with that of Ghanashyam Dol. Not only the architectural features, but also the ornamental carvings are to some extant similar to the Bishnupur group of temples. Besides linear geometrical patterns, representation of the popular scenes from the Epic Ramayana as well as independent human and divine figures, animal figures, floral motifs, etc. found prominence in the Ghanashyam Dol. The architectural and sculptural features of the Ghanashyam Dol clearly indicate the impact of the Bishnupur group of temples on it. The Ghanashyam Dol complex comprises of three independent structures surrounded by a common boundary wall. The original brick boundary wall is partly intact. Besides the main cell, it has a rectangular hall probably used as a Kitchen House (Bhog Ghar) exactly in front of its opening side, i.e. to its south and an entrance gate house to its northern corner.

The Ghanashyam Dol is unique among the Ahom monuments on account of its overall planning and execution. It is a brick built structure having terracotta carvings on its exterior. It has a square ground plan. Though it is call as dol it does not look like any other dols of the Ahom period or any typical Hindu temple. It does not contain any image. It has a small rectangular chamber attached with a rectangular corridor. The roof is char-chala type, jeweled with another char-chala type small roof on its top, thus making it a traditional Bengali at-chala type structure. The façade of the dol is facing south having three arched entrances. It has small arched windows to its west, north and east side walls respectively.

The main cell has an arched entrance from the corridor. A typical feature of the main cell is that it has a mihrab, a typical feature of a mosque found on its northern interior wall.

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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ______-______The main shrine is connected to the Kitchen House by a brick pavement. The Kitchen House is a single cell hall with rectangular ground plan. Its roof is char-chala type. The entrance gate- house is located in the northern corner of the complex. Square in ground plan, it bears influence of Islamic architecture. It is crowned with a raw of battlements.

V(b)Sculptural features:

While the Kitchen House and the entrance gate house do not contain any ornamental feature, the exterior of the Ghanashyam Dol is extensively decorated with terracotta ornamentations. However the interior of it is plain. The exterior of the opening side of the Ghanashyam Dol is decorated with panels filled with terracotta plates put up in horizontal and vertical rows. Above the three arched entrance, there are large panels in each having terracotta ornamentation. Among the scenes depicted on these panels include-

1. Sita seating below a tree in Lanka, 2. War between Bali and Hugriva, 3. Lankapati Ravana in padmasana having twenty hands and ten heads (Dashanan Ravana), 4. Monkeys were depicted climbing the branches of the trees and throwing weapons at Ravana, 5. Miniature forms of temples with Siva lingas, etc.

Part of the first and second terracotta panels from the left above the three arched entrance are damaged, while the third panel from the left and first from the right is in good condition.

Above the three terracotta panels of the arched entrance and on its either sides, there are small terracotta plates in vertical, horizontal and curvy rows. Floral motifs, criss-cross and zig- zag geometrical patterns are found in many numbers on these terracotta plates as well as on the raised decorative wall-bands and on the pillars of the entrance. Besides these, the terracotta plates are filled with various sculptures of deities, human, bird and animal figures. These includes-

1. Various incarnations of Vishnu- Varaha, Narasimha, Kurma, Krishna in various postures and holding different ayudhas, 2. Varaha holding earth on his snout, 3. Vishnu and Lakshmi riding on the Garuda, 4. Krishna playing flute while Radha seating by the side and standing on another, 5. Mahishamrdini Durga, 6. Jatadhari Siva, 7. Siva standing on Nandi, 8. Unknown deities, 9. A mythical bird holding an elephant imitating the Puranic legend of Gajendra Moksha, 10. A lady on a swing with long open hair, 11. Elephant rider,

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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ______-______12. A standing male figure holding a weapon with his right hand, 13. Court scene with king, similar to the miniature paintings of Siva Singha in Hasti- Vidyarnava, a treatise on the elephants. This scene also shows resemblance to paintings of Shahjahan, the Mughal Emperor. 14. Beard male figure standing to his right and holding an Eagle in right hand, 15. Unknown deity in padmasana and having wings, 16. Peacock displaying its plumage and eating snakes, etc.

The other three sides of the Ghanashyam Dol have less decoration comparison to the frontal side. The western and the eastern exterior of the Ghanashyam Dol have nine terracotta tiles on each on a horizontal row. The sculptures on the terracotta tiles on western exterior (right to left) includes-

1. A tiger seating below a tree and eating, 2. A lady with both hands upwards standing besides a sage who is seating below a tree, 3. Completely damaged, 4. Completely damaged, 5. Standing figure with headgear, 6. Standing lady with head reclining to her left while another seating by the side, 7. A lady facing to her right, holding a flower with right hand while left hand rests on her waist, 8. A male facing to his left, with headgear and holding a flower with his left hand, 9. A sage in yogic posture with hands upwards,

The sculptures on the terracotta tiles on the eastern exterior (right to left) includes- 1. A standing male figure facing right and holding pots on each hand, 2. two standing male figures of different heights, one covering his genital with his hands, 3. Three elephants in a row under a tree, 4. A hunter targeting a bird on a tree with bow and arrow, 5. A standing figure with bird head and holding unidentified objects on both hands, 6. A seated demon eating flash by his right hand. His left hand holding an animal on his shoulder, 7. A male in padmasana with hands in namaskar posture, 8. A tribal man holding a basket to his back, 9. A male stabbing a demon,

The northern exterior of the Ghanashyam Dol has four terracotta plates having floral motifs in each. In Ghanashyam Dol the exterior top below the char-chala roof is beautifully decorated with numerous terracotta replicas of parrots. They are running in a row in all the directions and depicted with their heads being hidden in the feathers at the rear side.

VI.Conclusion: The architectural and sculptural features of the Ghanashyam Dol are very much important to understand the influence of Bengali architecture on Ahom architecture and its

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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ______-______close cultural contact. We found a number of references in the Buranjis of the architects from the Ahom kingdom being sent to Bengal to learn making of images and architecture as well as architects brought from Bengal for constructing temples and other buildings. The Ghanashyam Dol is a perfect example of this cultural linkage. However though it is at present a protected monument by ASI, it is ironic that little has been done to conserve it. It is protected by modern boundary walls. But trees and lichens are rising atop the Ghanashyam Dol. There are breaks on its walls. It is also reclining towards a side making it prone to more damage and destruction. Hence it is urgent to provide it with more modern conservation techniques and protect it.

References : [1] Baishya,P.(2014): SangsadiyaRajnitirItihash, RekhaPrakashan. [2] Bora, H.(2009): Political Sociology, Kalyanee Publishers. [3] Jangam R.T. (1993):Text Book of Political Sociology”; Oxford& IBH Publicing . [4] Srinivas.M.N.(1998): “Social Change in Modern India”; Orient Longman Limited. [5] En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiculturalism. [6] En.wikipedia.org/wiki/sanskritization. [7] En.wikipedia.org/wiki/People-of-Assam.