The temple of Basuli and the mound together with fourteen other temples near them containing the “Linga” image of Siva

About this monument

The place is famous as it is traditionally believed to be thebirth place of the late medieval poet Chandidas. The flat-roofed dalan-type temple enshrines the image of so-called goddess Basuli. Two atchala and fourteen charchala temples of Siva in the neighbourhood of the Basuli temple are standing on a mound. They display limited terracotta decoration. These decorations include Dasavatara, Jagadhatri, drummers and Krishnalila scenes. The deity, enshrined in the Basuli temple, plays on the vina with her principal left and right hands. Her other two hands hold manuscript and rosary. According to the description of the Agnipurana, the goddess should be identified with Vagisvari. The mound was excavated twice – in 1946 by Calcutta University and later on in 1964 by the Eastern Circle of the Survey. While relies of historical period have been unearthed by the Calcutta University chalcolithic assemblage of the site has been confirmed by the excavation of ASI.

Site plan

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

Photographs