Cygnus Photography, Calcutta: 2011

The Temple of Hanseswarie (Banshabati – Hooghly District)

Situated approximately 28 miles (45 K.M.) North of Calcutta and about 3 miles (4 K.M.) from BANDEL Junction Rly. Station, of the Eastern Railway. The temple is about a mile away from the Bansbarea (Banshabatie) Railway Station.

The Hanseswarie temple is located within the compound of the house of local land lord, having the title of ‘Roy-Mahashaya’ (Dutta-Roy-Chowdhury, indeed). The ‘Chowdhury’ title was awarded to one Raghava Dutta-Roy-Chowdhury, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, in 1066 Hizri (1656 A.D.). The temple houses a number of idols, they are ; - the ‘Ananta Vashudeva (Shree Krishna), goddess Hanseswarie, Swayam-bhara(goddess Calee) and Chaturdaseshwar (Lord Shiva). The temple is of Benares architectural style, it is a six-storied high, 13 dome structure, with a height of 70 feet approximately.

Raghava Dutta-Roy-Chowdhury and his son Rameshwara built a finely carved brick (terracotta) temple of Ananta Vashudeva and Lord Vishnoo in 1679-1680 A.D. Later on, the Rajah of Banshabatie, Shree Nrisingha Dev built a small temple dedicated to goddess Calee or Swayam-bhara. Later, he became a ‘tantrick’ and started to build a temple in honour of goddess Hanseswarie. He died in 1802, before it was completed. His widow, Ranee Shankarie Devi completed the construction work of the temple in 1814 A.D. It is said that about Rupees Five Lac (Half a million) were spend to construct this temple. The idol of goddess Hanseswarie is made of the timber from a fig tree, the colour of which is blue.

The Ananta Vashudeva temple is placed on the West of the Hanseswarie temple, which is also the oldest of the lot. The temple came up in 1679 A.D. There is a big dome on the top of the temple. The Ananta Vashudeva temple is a masterpiece of Bengal temple art. Built in typical ‘char chala ek ratna’ style of Bengal school, this temple is embellished with the finest terracotta wall decorations.

The terracotta wall motifs mainly illustrate tales from the Mahabharata, Krishnaleela and the Ramayana. The Daksha-yagna, Dashamahavidya and Dasavatar tales also find representation.

02/03/2011, Wednesday

The 17^th Fulgoona 1417 Bengali Year M. Bandyopadhyay

On Maha Shiva-ratree day