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Shantinatha Shiva Temple

Coordinates: 22°44′18″N 87°31′08″E / 22.7382°N 87.5189°E / 22.7382; 87.5189
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Shantinatha Shiva Temple
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
Location
LocationChandrakona
Paschim Medinipur district
StateWest Bengal
CountryIndia
Shantinatha Shiva Temple is located in West Bengal
Shantinatha Shiva Temple
Shown within West Bengal
Shantinatha Shiva Temple is located in India
Shantinatha Shiva Temple
Shantinatha Shiva Temple (India)
Geographic coordinates22°44′18″N 87°31′08″E / 22.7382°N 87.5189°E / 22.7382; 87.5189
Architecture
TypeNavaratna
Completed1828

Shantinatha Shiva Temple is a nava-ratna temple, built in 1828 at Mitrasenpur, Chandrakona in Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal, India.

Geography

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Location

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Shantinatha Shiva temple is located at 22°44′18″N 87°31′08″E / 22.7382°N 87.5189°E / 22.7382; 87.5189.

The temple

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David J. McCutchion says that the lower structure of the pinnacled or ratna design is a rectangular box with a curved cornice. The roof follows the curvature of the cornice, and “is surmounted by one or more towers or pinnacles called ratna (jewel). The simplest form has a single central tower (eka-ratna), to which may be added four more at the corners (pancha-ratna)”. By increasing the towers or pinnacles to nine (nava-ratna), thirteen, seventeen and twentyone up to a maximum of twentyfive. The ratna style came up in the 15th-16th century. The earliest nava-ratna temples in Midnapore were probably in the Sabang area in the early 18th century. McCutchion classifies the Shantinatha Shiva temple as a West Bengal nava-ratna with ridged turrets. He mentions that at Chandrakona (both at Dakhinbazar and Mitrasenpur), the four lowest turrets are octagonal with curved ridging and the upper five pancha-ratna with straight ridging. Built in 1828, it has rich terracotta and measures 19’ 6” square.[1]

The Shantinatha Shiva temple, with nine pinnacles, has exquisite terracotta which showcases the Ramayana battles, several scenes from Krishna lila, Bhisma on a bed of arrows, Dasavtar of Vishnu, several musicians etc. Local authorities have renovated the temple using many colours. However, the details of the terracotta relief are still there.[2]

The Shantinatha Shiva temple is a state protected monument.[3]

See also - Other temples at Chandrakona: Chandrakona Jorbangla Temple, Malleswara Shiva Temple, Parvatinatha Temple

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References

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  1. ^ McCutchion, David J., Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal, first published 1972, reprinted 2017, pages 8-10, 52. The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, ISBN 978-93-81574-65-2
  2. ^ Gupta, Amitabha. "The Crumbling Temples of Chandrakona". Live History India, 4 May 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  3. ^ List of State Protected Monuments as reported by the Archaeological Survey of India Archived 2013-05-23 at the Wayback Machine.
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