I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

Timeless Telkupi: An Unforgettable Heritage of

Sanjukta De PhD Research Scholar Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture University of Calcutta SACT (Category I) Department of History, Gokhale Memorial Girls’ College Abstract

Telkupi is a small village located on the bank of the river Damodar. The village is carrying its age-old Architectural tradition. This area first came under the observation of Archaeological Survey of in the Colonial period. Beglar was the very first person who visited this place and made a first-hand report. Later time, there are other archaeologists who also try their best to protect the lost history of Telkupi. According to Beglar, there were only 20 temples scattered around Telkupi. Among which only three to four remain intact tough the present condition of those architectures is not so good. This area along with most of its architectural heritage (between 8th to 12th century CE) was submerged between 1956 to 1962 because of the construction of Dam. In Telkupi, the Jain Architectural site Bhairabathan got popularity and it also attracts the tourists’ interest as well. But in this paper would like to highlight the other temples which also possess some unique features and need a proper restoration.

Key Words: Bada: Wall, vertical portion of the wall below the spire of a temple Chhajja: Projecting member serving the purpose of eaves. Gandi: Trunk. Upana: Low plinth of a temple.

Located on the border area of two states Jharkhand and West , specifically on the south bank of the river Damodar, the famous heritage site Telkupi officially comes under the jurisdiction of Raghunathpur II block in . Probably the first survey of this place has done back 1951.1 It came out with a result that this village is covering almost 1613 acres of an area. The principal means of livelihood here was obviously agriculture. But apart from farmers, we also find the result of the presence of so many other people who engaged with various other professions like - Bauri, Malakar, Dhivar, Kumbhakar, Gorain, Carmaker, Modak, Dom, Handi, Rajak, Sundi etc. In the first census report, we also get to know about the local public festivals of that place. Couple of

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

them are very popular like - Danda-chhata-parab. According to the folk tales, this particular festival represents the worship of Jagai and Madhai who were functioning as priests. Another very popular festival of Telkupi was Harinam-sankirtan. This festival took place particularly in the month of Vaisakh. Vaishakhi and Karttik Kalipuja was another very famous and well known festival used to celebrate in Telkupi. Durga Puja, the greatest of all festivals also took place in Telkupi. Apart from these major festivals, survey report also conveys that other Festivals also gained popularity in Telkupi like - Siva Puja, Varuni Puja, Sarasvati Puja, Chadak etc. This area basically is famous for its lost Temple-heritage. Most of them have crumbled to dust, but a very few have still survived towering above the rural serene landscape of Purulia district. In this paper would like to talk about the detailed features of three lost architectural gem of Telkupi and how they have managed to increase the lost glory of .

Telkupi at Present PC: Purulia Tourism

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

The name of the place 'Telkupi' itself is very interesting and has a historical meaning. The term derived from two Sanskrit words. 'Taila' means one kind of tax and 'kampa' means an area or pargana. So 'Telkupi' or 'Tailakampa' stands for an area that was governed as a capital town by a feudal king named Rudrasikhara, who helped famous Pala king Rampala to successfully control the Kaivarta rebellion. From the celebrated historical literature 'Ramcharitamanas', we came to know that Rudrashikhara belongs to the Sikhara Dynasty. For so many years, local people were completely unfamiliar of this place having once been the capital of Sikhara Dynasty.2

Remains of Telkupi PC: ASI, India

This area is famous for so many small single standing 'Deulis' or Temple architecture. Unfortunately, Most of them have been submerged due to the construction of the barrage by the Damodar Valley Corporation. An American archaeologist Joseph David Beglar visited this place back in the year 1878 and made his first observation and impression as a report to the Archaeological Survey of India. Noticeable thing is Beglar's report does not come with major illustrations of that place. Beglar divided these temple architectures into three broad categories. The first group is the biggest consisting of 13 temples. Among the 13, 5 temples ( no - 3, 4, 7, 8 and 10 ) popularly known as Temples at Bhairavathan. According to W. W. Hunter, indicated this site 'Bhairavathan' is a Jain site with so.

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

Buddhist influence because the sculpture in those temples still venerated by the local people considers as Vira or Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara.3

Scattered Architectures in Bhairabathan4 are the most comprehensive in Telkupi. But for the Damodar barrage huge stone slabs, fragments of sculptures, detailed ornamentation on stone etc all have gone to the river bed. After Beglar, another renowned Archaeological Surveyor T. Bloch of Bengal Circle visited Telkupi back in 1903 and made a report. The final description of that place is not so clear though and it was just the repetition of Beglar's report. The only addition of this report was mentioning the presence of a couple of other temples in that first group and photographs of those temples. In the year 1969, the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India visited Telkupi along with Dr Debala Mitra. They successfully made detailed observation of that area and agreed on Beglar's early report about the three divisions of Temple Architectures. Here would like to focus on the detailed study of three other Temples at Telkupi instead of the celebrated architectural group at Bhairabathan. Those three temples are popularly known as temple 14, 16 and 17 chronologically.

The very first temple known as temple no 14 in the report of ASI. But according to the local story, this east facing temple known as Mahanir Deul.5 This Architecture belongs to the other group that was already abandoned at the time of T. Bloch's visit. We don’t notice any idol Inside of the sanctum cella. The Garbhagriha particularly the ceiling portion is finely executed. The most attractive portion of this architecture is the door frame where we see the presence of abhishikta Laxmi on the lintel part. There are several other motifs ornamented in the door jambs.

According to N. k. Bose, these motifs are - naga-bandhi, lata-kama, padma-pakhuda. The architectural plan of this particular temple is simple but intriguing as well. Ground plan showing the Tri-ratha base, the bada portion confirms the style. The pabhaga portion of the temple showing the five mouldings - khura, kumbha, pata. Ratha portion of this architecture has been ornamented with a framed niche with aprojecting Chhajja for the parsva-devata. If we minutely observe the ceiling part, one can notice the succession of the Chhajja. The head or the the mastaka portion of the temple consisted of a beki, an analaka shila and an overflowing Kalasa, the khachapuri, over which rises an urn-shaped stone finial.

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

Temple No: 14 ( Mahanir Deul ) PC: ASI, India

The next Architecture would like to talk about is exclusively dedicated to the Sun God. This north-east facing number 16 (according to the ASI report) Temple popularly known as Gaonbediyar Deul. Made by sandstone, this architecture is standing on a lean ledge-like simple upana has tri-ratha ground plan. The pabhaga of the bada portion of the architecture has four mouldings - Khura, kumbha, khura and inverted khura. On the middle projection of the jangha on three sides was a khakhra-Mundi designed with a framed niche for parsva devatas. At present, the figure of these parsva devatas are all missing. Projected khura-shaped capital is covering every jamb of the frame. Over the niche part, we observe the two finely cut ornamented Gabakhsha ( Chaitya windows ). These Vertically designed Gabakhshas are divided by a narrow recess. Now if we talk about the Gandi portion of the architecture, we recognize that a khura-shaped moulding is virtually running continuously on three sides of the gandi. The rahapaga on three sides has a central band of detailed interlacings of Chaitya windows engraved by khura-shaped mouldings. In the kanika paga, we see the presence of a three upa-pagas. The innermost which has been touched the raha paga has a set of four mouldings - three khura shaped and the fourth, the topmost, resembling a kumbha.6 Unfortunately, this entire superstructure above the bada had fallen over. Among the fallen junk, we

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

find the crowning elements - beki, amla, khapuri and the pinnacle. The size and shape of the amalaka of this particular temple are huge.

Temple No: 16 ( Gaonbediyar Deul ) PC: ASI, India

The door frame of this temple was grandly carved. At the base of the two jambs is bejewelled with a male figure within an oblong niche. The facade portion of the wall was also carved. The architrave portion is also carved with nava-grahas and each separated by a pilaster. Nava-grahas are - Ravi, Soma, Mangala, Budha, Brihaspati, Sukra, Sani, Rahu and Ketu. These figures are vandalised a long time ago. Inside the garbhagriha, a large stone figure of God Surya was used to stand there. Now the figure has gone. Joseph David Beglar and T. Bloch both gave a detailed description of that large figure which used to stand on a monolithic pedestal.7 According to them, the lower portion of the figure was covered by a dhoti and on the upper portion, and there was a presence of a dangling folded scarf. God Surya was decked in common ornaments like - bejewelled girdle, a large necklace,

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

kundalas as ear ornaments. He was wearing karanda makuta. The figure was armed with a sword hanging on his left side from a strap. Here the very common motif oval halo, on the backside of the head of the Sun, had a border of flames. The most common feature of the Surya figure is his chariot. Here we see Bloch was mentioning the chariot. According to Bloch, here the chariot was drawn by seven horses. The charioteer and the feet of the Surya had completely exfoliated. This temple is very very unique for its Workmanship.

Lord Surya PC: ASI, India

Temple no 17 which popularly known as Narasimhathan deul is the last architectural masterpiece would like to talk about. Made by sandstone, this temple has been considered as a best- preserved architecture in Telkupi. This north-facing architecture is one of the best examples of fine masonry. Although Debala Mitra gave a detailed description of this architecture, but couple of

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

features are left behind.8 In respective of today's preservation, condition of this temple is not very good. The head portion of beki is gone. The portion of bada is missing and even we see huge gaps in between the stone slabs. This temple is standing on a low upana or stone-base. The gandi or the rekha portion us following the tri-ratha style. The mid portion of the kanika paga is barely extended.9

Temple No: 17 ( Narasimhathan deul )

PC: ASI, India

The bada portion is tryang. There is a succession of six mouldings in the pabhaga portion. They are - khura, kumbha, khura with corbels, a rare mixture of inverted khura and another khura, khura with corbels above and another inverted khura.10 The top inverted khura is designed with betel-shaped motifs. The unique part of this architecture is that tge central projection of the jangha on all three parts is shaped in the semblance of a well known khakhara-shrine. There is an entrance door in the frontal raha. Varanda is another small unusual feature of this particular Temple. The varanda constituted a khura-shaped moulding. On the top of the varanda, there is a recess spreading over the kanika paga. The connected space on three rahas had a slightly bulged member, alleviated with pilasters. If we talk about the ceiling portion of the vestibule, we see the portion is smoothly done but the heavy slab is protruding from the top of the lintel of the door frame. There is slanting Chhajja- like eaves on the top of the slab. There is a representation of a khakhara-mundi on the Chhajja-like

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

eaves. The central projections of the gandi made of a progression of closely-arranged khura-shaped mouldings.

Only the base of the kanika paga designed with a striking khura-shaped base-moulding. All other khuras of the central upa-pagas were alleviated with a chaitya-window. The bend upa-pagas are devided into bhumis. The crowning components of the temple are not so clearly explained by the previous researchers. Here we only see the lower portion of the circular beki has been preserved. The frame on the door of the sanctcella is ornamented heavily. At the lower portion of the door jamb we find a four-armed standing figure. He is standing on a three hooded naga with a human face. This whole figure is undoubtedly representing lord krishna's kaliya Mardan story on stone. The other portion of the door jamb is split up into three facets. Here we see various motifs like foliated luxuriant creeper, coiled floral motifs etc. These motifs also travelled over the lintel. At the middle portion of the lintel is designed by the same figure of abhisheka laxmi which we have found in previous temples as well. The sanctum cella is made of thick stone walls. Inner layout of the Garbhagriha reminds us the Kalinga style of Architecture. The ground of the sanctum and the vestibule portion and of course the upana is at the same level. The lower ceiling of the garbhagriha ornamented by three khura-shaped corbels. The most interesting part is, there is another second cell over the roof of this hall. The ceiling of the path had two semi-circular sockets. The crowning Deity of this temple is four-armed Narasimha.11 This sculpture is made of chlorite or schist. There is a controversy though about the stone. Narasimha is carrying a chakra with his upper left hand. But his corresponding upper right hand is broken. He is tearing the belly of Hiranyakasipu with his two lower hands. We also noticed the presence of a curved sword. Lord Narasimha, the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu decked with various ornaments like anklets, a girdle, a long garland, heavy bangles, an upavita, jata-mukuta or kirita-makuta. The background of this sculpture is unfinished. Although the current situation of this temple is not very well, this particular architecture considered as one of the best representations of Telkupi apart from the first group of temple.

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE : 5 JULY 2021

God Narashimha

PC: ASI, India

Lastly, would like to put some light on the religious beliefs of the common people of Telkupi. We see the cosmopolitan character of Telkupi. On one hand, we see the Jain figures taking the centre place of the temples at Bhairavathan, on another hand; we also observe the presence of so many Brahmanical Gods and goddess as the main idols of those temples. Debala Mitra confirms the presence of the cult-syncretism in Telkupi. Among the Brahmanical sects, Saivism was unquestionably got more popularity in Telkupi, but we also see the presence of Vaishnavism and Surya cult.12

On the basis of its architectural style, we can say that Telkupi with its productive and nourished temple making activity endowed us with a continuous series of Architectures which is carrying very vital documentaries on the temple making style of a regional branch. Temples of Telkupi representing the regional variation of Northern Indian temple architecture popularly known as Nagara Style of Temples. Especially in the rekha section of Gandhi, we observe the variations. But unfortunately, most of these temples have perished. Only very few of them is standing alone which badly needed the attention of the ASI.

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Works Consulted 1. Mitra, Deala. “Telkupi”, Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India (No: 76), New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India, 1969: 27. 2. Imam, Bulu. “Heritage at Risk”, ICOMS World Report 2006-2007, edited by Michael Petzet and John Ziesemer, Germany, 2008: 88-90. 3. McCutchion, David. “Notes on the Temples of Purulia District, West Bengal”, District Census Handbook: Purulia, Calcutta: Government Printing, 196: 33-43. 4. Mitra, Debala. “A Submerged Temple-Site in West Bengal”, New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India (MASI No. 76) 1969: 49-54. 5. Imam, Bulu. “Heritage at Risk”, ICOMS World Report 2006-2007, edited by Michael Petzet and John Ziesemer, Germany, 2008: 89. 6. Mitra, Deala. “Telkupi”, Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India (No: 76), New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India, 1969: 55. 7. Chakravartti, Nilima. The Supplementary Archaeological Catalogue of the Indian Museum, Allahabad: The Pioneer Press, 1908: 43-47. 8. McCutchion, David. “Notes on the Temples of Purulia District, West Bengal”, District Census Handbook: Purulia, Calcutta: Government Printing, 196: 35-37. 9. Imam, Bulu. “Heritage at Risk”, ICOMS World Report 2006-2007, edited by Michael Petzet and John Ziesemer, Germany, 2008: 89. 10. Bloch, Theodore. Supplementary Catalogue of the Archaeological Collections of the Indian Museum, Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press, 1911: 87-94. 11. Mitra, Debala. “A Submerged Temple-Site in West Bengal”, New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India (MASI No. 76) 1969: 50-54. 12. Bloch, Theodore. Supplementary Catalogue of the Archaeological Collections of the Indian Museum, Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press, 1911: 90-92.

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