About Bishnupur

Country: India | State: West Bengal

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Bishnupur: Kolkata (136 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Bishnupur: October to March

Peak Season: November to February

At a distance of 35 km from Bankura, 50 km from Chhatna, 85 km from Kharagpur, 113 km from Purulia, 119 km from Hooghly, 136 km from Kolkata, 143 km from Barrackpore, 149 km from Jamshedpur, 163 km from Dhanbad, 187 km from Haldia, 216 km from Murshidabad, 565 km from Kurseong, Bishnupur is a small town located in Bankura district of West Bengal. Also called Vishnupur, it is one of the beautiful tourist destinations in India and among the famous heritage places to visit in West Bengal.

Bishnupur is famous among tourists, especially for its rich culture including architecture, music, and handicrafts. The history of Bishnupur dates back to 694 AD when King Raghunath I founded the Malla dynasty. The town is also referred to as Mallabhum, after the Malla dynasty, who once ruled this region for almost a thousand years. Bishnupur was the administrative capital under the reign of the Malla kings. It is believed that the town derives its name from the Hindu God, Vishnu as the Malla rulers were Vaishnavites. The legends of Bipodtarini Devi are associated with Malla Kings of Bishnupur.

Bishnupur is most famous for its beautiful terracotta temples. The Malla kings built grand terracotta shrines to celebrate their love for Lord Krishna sometime between the 17th and the 18th century CE. Each and every temple in this region bespeak of excellent craftsmanship and intricate carvings. The distinctive architecture incorporated various styles from the neighboring regions. Crafted from local laterite and brick, the temples were covered with terracotta tiles depicting scenes from the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. Shyam Ray Temple, the twin shrines of Jorbangla and the Rasmancha, Lalji Temple, Raghunathji Temple, and Madan Mohan Temples are the must-visit.

Besides, the charming town of Bishnupur is also known for its traditional handloom saris as well as terracotta pottery, artifacts and jewelry and the Bishnupur school of painting. The most famous of the terracotta products are the handmade beautiful jars, disks, terracotta horses, elephants, Ganesh and Nataraj. The famous Baluchari sarees depicting scenes from the Mahabharata on the border and pallu are also created here. Made of tussar silk, the exquisite design and fabric make these saris one of the costliest in the country. The rich tradition of the Bishnupur Gharana, a school of Hindustani classical music is kept alive through local music academies.

Bishnupur Mela is the major festival celebrated every year in the last week of December, which holds the status of a national fair. This four-day festival celebrates the cultural richness of the region and provides the visitors a glimpse of the Bengali cultural heritage. There are various stalls of artworks and trinkets including sea-shell works, terracotta works, and clothes, sweets, etc. The local handmade fabrics and the handprints clothes are simply exquisite and lure domestic as well as international tourists. A recent addition is Bishnupur Utsab, held after the Mela. It is a classical music and dance festival in recognition of the 'Bishnupur Gharana' in music. Besides, Snake festival, Durga Puja and Diwali are the other festivals celebrated with great pomp here.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata is the nearest airport which is about 140 km from Bishnupur. It has well-connected flights from Guwahati, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Indore, Agartala, Bhubaneswar, Dibrugarh, Goa, Siliguri, Pune, Patna, Surat, and Jaipur all the major cities of India. Bishnupur Railway Station is the nearest railhead that has well-connected trains from Howrah, Santragachi, Porbandar, Digha, Adra, Asansol, Kharagpur, Garhbeta, Rupashi Bangla Express, Purulia Express, and Aranyak Express. Bishnupur is well connected with buses from all the major cities of West Bengal like Kolkata, Durgapur, Bankura, and Howrah.

There are several accommodations available in Bishnupur from medium to budget, which helps the tourists to stay and explore the nearby places. October to March is the best season to visit Bishnupur when the weather is pleasant and suitable for sightseeing.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Poor
STD Code: 03244
Languages Spoken: Bengali, Hindi & English
Major Festivals: Bishnupur Mela & Durga Puja
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Bishnupur

By Air

Nearest Airport: Kolkata - Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (140 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Bishnupur Junction (2 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Bishnupur Bus Station (0 Kms)

Top 11 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

Heritage

#1 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 1.5 km from Bishnupur Bus Station, Rasmancha is a historical monument located in the town of Bishnupur, West Bengal. Surrounded by a well-maintained garden, it is the oldest brick temple and the only temple of its kind in the whole country.

Rasmancha was built by Malla King Bir Hambir in 1600 CE. The temple has a unique and unparalleled structure. This monument stands on a raised square laterite plinth with a pyramidal superstructure. The temple is surrounded by smaller Bengali-styled hut-like structures. The temple has one inner chamber housing the idols of Radha-Krishna. The inner sanctum of the temple is enclosed by three circumambulatory galleries which are surmounted by a colossal pyramidal structure. Further, these majestic pyramidal structures are embellished with exquisite terracotta work and motifs. It is enclosed by a passageway. There are some big cannons that date back to the Malla period.

Rasmancha was built in order to enable a mass scale worship .....

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Heritage

#2 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Station, Jor Bangla Temple is an ancient temple located in Bishnupur, West Bengal. It is one of the top historical places in West Bengal and among the best places to experience Bishnupur tourism.

Also called Yorubangala, the Jor Bangla Temple in Bishnupur was built by King Raghunath Singha Dev II in the year 1655 CE. It is one of the few temples of Bishnupur which is in good condition. It is richly ornamented with terracotta carvings. The temple is known for its classic chala style of Bengal architecture. Made of laterite bricks, the temple has an appearance of two thatched huts joined together and surmounted by a single tower. One of the two huts serves as a porch, while the inner hut functions as the shrine. There is the idol of Shadbhuja (6 hands) of Shri Chaitanya in the prayer room which is not worshiped anymore.

The Jor Bangla Temple is famed for its opulent terracotta structure and delicate carvings on the walls. The carvings .....

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Heritage

#3 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Station, Lalji Temple is an ancient temple located in Bishnupur, West Bengal. Situated near Jor Bangla Temple, it is one of the prominent terracotta temples of Bishnupur.

Lalji Temple was built in 1658 CE by Malla king Bir Singha II in Eka-Ranta style. This temple has been devoted to Radha-Krishna. This temple bears similar architectural concepts like many of the earlier temples. It is built on a square raised plinth, consisting of ornamental stucco decorations on low relief carvings. Descriptive and ornamental arches and an encompassment around the temple are a typical feature of the temple.

In front of the temple, there is a dancing hall and there is a tower in Orissan style in the west dedicated to Raghunath. The outer yard is divided from the inner by a wall and contains a small Pancharatna temple of Kameswar Siva with an inscription dated 1655 AD. The temple is enclosed by a wall entirely with a gateway passage towards the east. .....

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Heritage

#4 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 3 km from Bishnupur Bus Station, Madan Mohan Temple is one of the ancient temples located in Bishnupur town of West Bengal. It is one of the most beautiful historical temples in West Bengal and among the prime places to visit in Bishnupur as part of Kolkata Tour Packages.

The temple of Madan Mohan was constructed by Malla King Durjana Singh Deva in 1694 AD for his family deities of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha. Built-in Eka-Ratna style, the temple has a square flat roof with curved cornices and a pinnacle over the top. It is relatively a bigger Eka-Ratna temple compared to other similar temples in Bishnupur and one of the most renowned temples in the town. The present temple was built after the original temple was damaged due to a massive earthquake in 1820.

The temple is mainly built of earthen bricks on a laterite block platform. The terracotta walls of this temple are very beautiful and covered with carvings, statues, and reliefs depicting mythological .....

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Heritage

#5 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Station, Radha Shyam Temple is the famous terracotta temple in Bishnupur, West Bengal. Located near Jor Bangla Temple, it is one of the popular temples to visit in Bishnupur.

Dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple was built during the reign of King Chaitanya Singha in 1758 CE. The Radhashyam temple in Bishnupur is known for the terracotta style of architecture. This south-facing temple has a curved roof with a single tower that crowns the square structure of the building. Radha Shyam Temple is situated within a walled premise with a unique gateway structure. The front and the back surface of the gateway has superb terracotta carvings, mostly in the floral pattern.

Enshrining the images of Lord Krishna and Radha in the sanctum, the Radha Shyam Temple is esteemed as the living shrine in the region. Along with the Radha and Shyam (Lord Krishna), the sanctum also includes the images of Nityananda and Chaitanya. In the temple vicinity, there .....

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Heritage

#6 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Station, Radha Gobinda Temple is an old temple located in Bishnupur, West Bengal. Situated near Jor Mandir Temple, it is one of the ancient architectural marvels of Bishnupur.

Dedicated to Lord Krishna, Radha Govinda Temple was built by Krishna Singh, son of Gopal Singha, in 1729 AD. It is an Ekaratna temple, built of laterite and consists of a square lower storey in the thatched-hut fashion of Bengal Temple architecture with a curvilinear tower above it. The facade of the temple is profusely carved. The decorative motifs include floral patterns, puranic scenes, and many geometrical depictions.

Currently maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, the temple is surrounded by a small garden which makes the temple more beautiful and also attracts many tourists to this place. One can also see a beautiful stone chariot and a man-made ancient pond with stone walls and steps in the temple compound. Visitors can get the entry tickets .....

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Heritage

#7 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur


At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Stand, Radha Madhav Temple is an ancient temple situated at Dalmadal Para in Bishnupur town of West Bengal. Just opposite to Radha Gobinda Temple, it is one of the popular places of heritage in West Bengal and among the top places to visit in Bishnupur.

Radha Madhav temple is a beautiful laterite temple built in the Ek-Ratna architecture style. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple was built by Malla rulers in the year 1737 CE. It consists of a square lower storey with a curved roof surmounted by a single sikhara. The temple has exquisite ornamentation, particularly in its front wall. Currently, there is no deity inside the temple.

The beauty of the temple is its three-arched entrance. The pillars and arches of the temple are beautifully carved, illustrating some life-learning lessons from the epic - Ramayana and Krishna Lila. Adjacent to the temple, there is a small Do Chala Mandap (double sloped roof) which enhances the beauty .....

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Heritage

#8 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Stand, Nandalal Temple is an ancient temple situated at Dalmadal Para in Bishnupur town of West Bengal. Located near Jor Mandir Temples, it is one of the popular places of heritage in West Bengal and among the top places to visit in Bishnupur.

One of the seven Ek-Ratna temples in Bishnupur, Nandalal Temple is surrounded by a lush green garden. The fact about the creator of this temple is unknown. However, it is believed that the temple was built in the 17th century. The south-facing temple has a square ground plan with a single tower resting on a curved roof characteristic of Bengal-type. There is very little ornamentation of the lower relief of the arches of the front facade. Currently, there is no deity inside the temple.

Visitors can get the entry tickets for all the Bishnupur temples from Rasmancha including this one. Else, visitors are not allowed to enter inside the temple.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

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Heritage

#9 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Stand, Jor Mandir Temples is an ancient temple complex situated at Dalmadal Para in Bishnupur town of West Bengal. It is one of the popular places of heritage in West Bengal and among the prime Bishnupur Tourist Places.

Jor Mandir is a complex of three temples that were built by the Malla King Gopal Singha in the year 1726 CE. These three laterite temples represent the prevalent local thatched hut-type architecture. All these temples are square, and constructed on a raised platform and surmounted by a single sikhara with a sloping roof. The central temple is elaborately ornamented with exquisite stucco work, depicting scenes mostly from Ramayana and Krishna Lila. The temples are located in a large ASI secured enclosure and a well-maintained garden.

Visitors can get the entry tickets for all the Bishnupur temples from Rasmancha including this one. Else, visitors are not allowed to enter inside the temple.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 P .....

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Heritage

#10 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Stand, Shyam Rai Temple is an ancient temple situated within the fort of Bishnupur. Located near Jor Bangla Temple, it is one of the popular temples in Bishnupur and among the must-see places to experience Bishnupur tourism.

Popularly known as Pancha Ratna Temple, Shyam Rai Temple was built by King Raghunath Singha in the year 1643 AD. Like most of the temples in Bishnupur, this is also dedicated to Lord Krishna. Maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, the temple is an example of the Pancha Ratna (Five gems) architecture and is surrounded by a beautiful garden. This is the most profusely carved temple in Bishnupur.

It stands on a low square plinth and consists of an ambulatory pathway with a porch opened by three arches on the four sides of the temple. This brick-built temple consists of a square roof surmounted by five towers. The central tower itself is octagonal while the other four are square in shape. The walls are richly .....

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Museum

#11 of 20 Places to Visit in Bishnupur

At a distance of 1 km from Jor Bangla Temple and 2 km from Bishnupur Bus Station, Bishnupur Museum is a museum located at Dalmadal Para in Bishnupur town of West Bengal. Officially known as Acharya Jogesh Chandra Purakriti Bhawan, it is one of the prime places to visit in Bishnupur.

Established in 1951, Bishnupur Museum is the only museum in the entire district of Bankura related to art and archaeology. The museum is now under the control of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Ministry of Information and Culture, Government of West Bengal. The museum has nearly 5000 manuscripts, 100 sculptures of the 10th-12th century CE, British history and several invaluable specimens of textiles, various photographs, and folk arts and crafts.

From microliths of the Mesolithic era to sculptures of the 12th century, the museum has an invaluable collection. This Museum accounts for the coins and artifacts from the very ancient days of rulers in Bishnupur, starting from the Gupta kings .....

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