Char Bangla Temple

Reaching at Jiagang we crossed the Bhagirathi river from Devipur ferry ghat. We had to wait for some time as there only one boat was engaged for ferry. We went to Char bangla Temple, only 7-8 minutes walking distance from the ghat. It is a cluster of four temples on raised platforms forming an inner courtyard. Char Bangla indicate the number of structures that were built in the form of a typical Bengal village.
Those were built under the patronage of Rani Bhabani in the years 1755-1760. It is an example of one of the best ornamental brick work in Bengal. Rani Bhabani was a pious lady and she was also a loyal follower of Lord Shiva. So she constructed or patronized all the temples dedicating to Lord Shiva. Char (four in Bengali) means there are four houses. Each one is built on high foundation and is dochala (2 roofed) hut shaped. Each temple has three doors and three Shiva Lingas inside. The Northern and the Western temple are most exquisitely decorated with terracotta. The eastern temple is decorated with lime and mortar reliefs.
The temple walls are the examples of exquisite art work of terracotta reflecting Hindu mythological stories in a unique style of its own. The works depicts about the daily life incidents to the North side temple at the down two rows. And others are about the epics “The Ramayana” and “The Mahabharata”. There are several episode of Krisna Lila also. The terracotta works as well as the lime and mortar reliefs are simply stunning.
The Northern Temple has a beautiful figure of Lord Shiva seated on a raised platform with his disciple Nandi and Bhringi.
Adjacent to the temples there was a large wood apple (Bell) tree full of fruits. One local boy with smiling face volunteerily plucked some fruits, brought a pitcher full of ganga water and collected flowers from local trees. He handed over all the items to our wives, who were visiting with us. They were overwhelmed with joy for that unexpected help and started to worship Lord Shiva. All the well wishes showered to that guy.
The Char Bangla Temple is no doubt an excellent example of Bengal temple architecture.

Old terracotta architecture. Heritage of Bengal. It was built in 1755 AD by Tarasundari, the daughter of Rani Bhabani.

Humbly nesting next to the river Bhagirathi, this wonderful piece of architecture will surprise many eyes with its ornamental brickwork. It will not be an overstatement to say that the work closely resembles Bishnupur's terracotta temples and of course bit unusual in the district of Murshidabad.
I wish this archeological cluster gets the minimum admiration and preservation that it deserves.

The temples were built by Rani Bhabani of Natore. The temples are famous for their exquisite decorations based on either mythology or daily life. The tendency of the Ganges to change course frequently is threatening the existence of these heritage structures. The river, which earlier used to flow some distance away is now within yards from the temples.

A serene place beside Bhagirathi river. Though we were unable to enter the temple as it was locked and the authorised person was not seen anywhere near it, still the cool shadowy trees and the continues ripples of the river induced a calmness in heart. 4 star as i cudnt get inside the temple to experience its artistic wonder.

Architecture is good. Very old temple of lord siva. 12 Lord siva lingams. Roads are very narrow. Better to reach with auto rickshaw than cars

I recently visited the Char Bangla Temple in, Azimganj, Murshidabad, West Bengal, and I must say, it was a truly spiritual and peaceful experience. The temples were built by Rani Bhabani of of Natore. The temple is situated in the charming village of Char Bangla, which is located around 5 km from the nearest railway station in Azimganj and around 10km from the nearest bus stop.
It is one of the most important tourist attractions apart from the Hazarduari and other historical places.

The temple is situated on the banks of the Hoogly River and is surrounded by lush green fields and picturesque countryside. The temple complex is quite large and boasts several beautiful shrines, each dedicated to different deities. The main temple is adorned with intricate carvings and beautiful frescoes, depicting various scenes from Hindu mythology.

The temple is quite popular among locals and tourists alike, and there are several daily pooja rituals that take place here. Visitors can also take part in the aarti ceremony, which is held every evening.

Overall, the Char Bangla Temple is a must-visit for anyone interested in exploring the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of West Bengal. The distance to the nearest railway station and bus stop is not a problem as it is easily accessible by local transportation. It is an ideal place for those who want to spend some time in a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

It is the famous ‘Char Bangla’ temple dedicated to Shiva by a Rani Bhabani of Natore (Bangladesh ) more than 250 years ago. There are 4 temples in the complex and each temple has three Shivlinga inside it. Historians also believe that after the death of her husband she became a devotee of Shiva and constructed several temples dedicated to the god of destruction. After she died, her daughter used to offer prayer at the temples in Baranagar.

The terracotta works are just mind blowing. It is located in the bank of Bhagirathi (Ganga) river and can easily be accessible from Azimganj station or from Jiaganj.