KANTAJI TEMPLE
The temple of Kantanagar, known as Kantaji or Kantajew, is one of the finest examples of medieval bricks and terracotta temple. Sponsored by Maharaja Prannath de Dinajpur in 1704, it was completed in 1752 under Raja Ramnath. It has been protected by the Department of Archaeology since 1960. The temple is dedicated to Krishna and his wife Rukmini and celebrates the cult of memorable love. It repeats the classical structure of the ravaratna, or "nine arrows". The temple is designed in pyramidal form with a square base surmounted by three floors, each of which is smaller. On the two intermediate floors, a turret is placed in each corner and the last floor is surmounted by a ninth turret. Each of them is topped with a roof shaped with shells and topped with an arrow. The earthquake of 1897 laid down higher buildings and all turrets. Only the base of the temple and the second floor decorated with friezes and terracotta statuettes, among the country's most beautiful and richest. Each one has a triple arch, separated by finely chests columns. Each square centimetre of facades is covered with terracotta bas-reliefs: floral friezes, animals, scenes of everyday life (like this woman who lives her husband), wonderful scenes (find the demon swallowing monkeys that come out of her ear), erotic scenes hidden in the corners or scenes of epic tales of Du and Du. A statue of Krishna is preserved in the inner sanctuary. At the Maha Raas Leela festival, a dance performed by Krishna, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered here.
An attack took place on 5 December 2015 in the open-air theatre adjacent to the temple killing 10 people while hundreds of devotion gathered for the Rashmela festival. We expressly advise you to visit the temple in the event of a religious party.
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