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Terra-cotta,
metalware & temples characterize Vishnupur. The temples
are built mostly of brick & at times, of laterite. Clay
& laterite are the only building materials available here
besides wood and bamboo. The architecture is modeled on the
pattern of Bengali huts built of bamboo & mud and roofed
with thatch.
Vishnupur
will remain ever famous for its distinct style of music, i.e.
the Vishnupur Gharana, if not anything else. The name of Jadu
Bhatt, the music teacher to Rabindranath Tagore, is remembered
with respect to this day.
A
discerning visitor may find traces of the past splendour and
glory that was Vishnupur in its superb temples and unique
handicrafts.
Area
: 20.6 sq.km.
Altitude : 70 metres.
Temperature (deg C): Summer- Max.44, Min.28; Winter-
Max.29, Min.21.
Rainfall : 14.3 cms (July-August).
Clothing's : Summer- Tropical, Winter- Light woollens.
Languages spoken : Bengali, English.
Best Season : September to March.
STD Code : 03244.
Access
Air
: Nearest airport Calcutta is 201 kms away from Vishnupur.
Rail:
Vishnupur, the railway station is connected with Calcutta
(Howrah).
The
trains from Howrah are: Asansol Passenger, Gomoh Passenger,
Howrah-Purulia
Passenger, Hatia-Kharagpur.
Road:
Vishnupur is well-connected by regular bus services to
Calcutta 151 kms,
Durgapur
81 kms, Purulia 145 kms, Bankura 34 kms, Mukutmanipur 000
kms,
Jhilimili
000 kms, Digha 000 kms, Khargapur 91 kms etc.
Local
Transport: Cars on hire and jeeps can be arranged through
the Tourist
Lodge.
Cars on hire from Kiron Homoeo Hall, Matukgunge.
Places
to visit
Ras
Mancha (3 kms), Dalmadal Cannon, Jor Bangla Temple (5 kms),
Madan Mohan Temple (5 kms), Malleswar Temple (6 kms), Lalji
Temple, Mrinmoyee Mandir (3 kms), Shyam Rai Temple (7 kms),
Malla King's Fort (3.5 kms), Jogesh Chandra Pura Kirti Bhavan
Museum (Timmings 1000 to 1200 & 1400 to 1800 hours).
Jairambati
& Kamarpukur: 43 kms and 48 kms respectively. These
two places are associated with Shri Ramakrishna and his consort
Shri Maa Sarada. Ruins of the historic Garh Mandaran fort
are a few kilometres from Kamarpukur.
Mukutmanipur:
82 kms. A dam has ben constructed across the rivers Kangsabati
and Kumari. A picturesque spot for a quiet holiday.
Bahulara:
25 kms. The Siddheswar Shiva Temple of Bahulara is well known
for its unique architectural style and exquisite ornamentation
of the temple walls. The Shaileswar Temple of Dihar, 8 kms
from Vishnupur, is also an old temple.
Panchmura:
21 kms. Famous for the terracota Bankura Horse, a folk artifact
and now the national symbol for Indian handicrafts.
Susunia
Hills: 50 kms. The famous rock inscription of Chandavarma
can be seen on the walls of a cave and dates back to the 4th
century AD. Susunia is connected to Bankura town by bus. Delightful
holiday resort in winter. Also, a centre for rock climbing
& trekking.
Festival
Jhapan
(Shravana Sankranti/Mid-August):
Most important festival of Vishnupur is Jhapan, held in the
glory of Manasa, the daughter of Shiva & goddess of snakes.
Jhapan represents the snake worship cult in Bengal. It is
basically a regional harvest festival and closely associated
with the fertility cult too. Amidst chanting of hymns in glory
of Goddess Manasa, groups of snake charmers demonstrate tricks
and feats with poisonous snakes. Jhapan literally means a
stage erected to exhibit tricks with snakes. At times performed
on decorated bullock carts and carriages. Charmers, called
Jhampanias, bring king cobras, spectacled and other cobras,
vipers, kriats, pythons, rat snakes, vine and flying snakes,
in baskets made of cane, bamboo or grass, to the old palace
ground. Jhapan festival began as a grand reception first given
to Bir Hambir Malla on his return after battle festival continues
and the great snake show by traditional devotees of Goddess
Manasha, with live & venomous snakes, attracts a large
gathering every year.
Indra
Puja (Bhadra/August-September):
Another colourful festival is held at Vishnupur with great
pomp. This is known as the Indra Puja or the Indra Parab.
On this occasion the Malla Raja of Vishnupur presents yellow
turbans to local Santal chiefs.
Gajan
(March-April):
Gajan festival begins at the end of a week culuminating in
month long rural fairs on Shivaratri day and is a popular
festival of rural Bengal. The festival at the Bahulara Siddheswar
Shiva Temple (25 kms away) and the fair draws large crowds
from distant places.
Shopping
The
local handicrafts of Vishnupur include silk, tussar silk,
conch shell wares & bell metal wares. No less important
from the point of view of popular taste are the fine sweetmeats
and flavoured tobacco of Vishnupur. Vishnupur is also famous
for terra-cotta folk toys like the Bankura (rather Panchmura)
horse and clay dolls. Vishnupur Silks are among the finest
in the world.
1)
Terracota Crafts, Dalmadal Road (1/2 kms from the Tourist
Lodge).
2) Shri Hari Sankha Bhandar, Shankharipara.
3) Maa Durga Sankha Bhandar, Shankharipara.
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