Banda Deul Jain Temple, West Bengal

Address

Banda Deul Jain Temple SH 8, Nabagram, West Bengal 723145

Diety

Tirthankara

Introduction

A Hidden Jain Temple of Purulia had the largest concentration of Jain Temples although many of them have crumbled to dust only one of them still towers above the rural landscape of Purulia. Banda is a village in Raghunathpur II, 35 km away from Purulia town, West Bengal. The temple is the finest stone structure and is almost 75ft long. The Deul is a sand-stone temple in Rekha style of triratha variety with beautiful architecture and an amalaka still on its top. The ground plan is star shaped, with square internal cella and with a rectangular Mukhamandapa. The Temple is considered to be from 11th century AD. Banda Deul, is a protected monument under the Archeological Survey of India. There is no foundation plaque, so there is no information about the exact date of construction. The central projection on the south side has large interweaving leafy stem with lattice like designs below, suggestive of Middle Eastern Islamic influence. The door frame has curving of boys blowing horns by climbing up a wavy stem, a band of foliated scrolls and two bands of floral lozenges. The single cell measuring 6.6’ square has a shelf projecting 3/1/3 ft. There is however no idol in the temple which faces north, with a water outlet (makara head) on the east. It is preceded by a mandapa which has largely collapsed, although eight pillars still stand supporting crossbeams.