Shyam Rai Temple

About this monument

This brick-built temple has on its low pitch humped roof five pinnacles, known as ratnas. Of them the central one is larger than the rest. According to the number of these ratnas, the temple belongs to the pancharatna category. The foundation inscription of this temple credits the Malla King Raghunath Simha, son and successor of Vir Hambir, as builder of the monument in 1643. The temple is square, south facing and provided with a triple-arched opening on every side. The arches are cusped and springing from heavy piers. Its cornice is curved, a characteristic of the late medieval temples till the end of the 18th century and occasionally, even beyond. The temple is famous for its terracotta decoration of very high artistic merit. The profusion of its terracotta ornamentation is comparable with the Kantaji temple at Kantanagar in the Dinajpur District of Bangladesh. Dedicated to Radhika Krishna, the temple depicts, on every available space, the events of Krishnalila, pauranic and social scenes, story of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, geometric and arabesque designs.

Site plan

Site plan from the ASI Inventory of Monuments and Sites of National Importance, Vol. VII Part IV, Kolkata Circle (2015).

Photographs