Begunia Temple Complex, West Bengal

Address

Begunia Temple Complex, Barakar, Begunia complex, West Bengal 713343

Diety

Shiva

Introduction

Barakar is a neighbourhood in Asansol in the Paschim Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is governed by the Asansol Municipal Corporation. It is situated at the border of the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The Grand Trunk Road passes through Barakar. The neighbourhood is located on the banks of the river Barakar. There are four temples in one complex known as Begunia temples.

Puranic Significance

The area is known for its Siddheshvara Temple, an early (9C) religious structure of the Rekha Deula style with a prominent shikhara. It later served as inspiration for other temples, devoted to Ganesh, Durga and Panchanana, built in the 16C. The fourth temple, last from the entrance, seems to be the oldest and was built around 8th-9th century. It is amongst the oldest rekh-deul temples in West Bengal. Two other temples are dated around 14th-15th century. The temples have Shiva lingams and idols of Ganesha and Durga. Many stone idols have been discovered in the complex. Some are Vishnu idols but others are Jain idols, possibly belonging to the older fourth temple. It is evident that Barakar was once a Buddhist and Jain religious centre. Thereafter, it became a Shaivite centre and was also a Vaishnavite centre at some point of time. Stone flooring in front of both the temples suggest that there may have been some sort of a chamber in front of the temple’s large structure such as a “jaga mohan”. There is a stone “nandi”, the bull which serves as the mount for the Deity Lord Shiva, in front of each of the temples. One of the temples contains a stone image of the deity Ganesha, who has the body of a man and the head of an elephant. The other temple is supposed to contain a Durga image, and indeed there was a stone image. The temple shows a garbagriha (sanctum) holding a shivlinga, and antarala (vestibule), while the ruined mandapa. At the edge of the neck of the shikhara there are four lion figures placed as four corner projections.