Maluti - Capital made of Temples
Maluti - Capital made of Temples
Maluti village came into limelight in fifteenth
century as the capital of nankar raj (tax-free kingdom). The kingdom was awarded
to one Basanta Roy of village Katigram by Sultan Alauddin Hussan Shah of Gauda (1495–1525). Son of a poor Brahmin
Basanta managed to catch the pet hawk of the sultan and gave it back to the
sultan. In lieu of the hawk (Baj), Basanta was given the kingdom. Hence, the
king was called Raja Baj Basanta. The capital of Baj Basanta dynasty was in
Damra. Later it was shifted to Maluti. The royal family was very pious.
How Maluti — the capital of Baj Basanta dynasty — turn out to be a 'temple city' is also an interesting story. Instead of constructing palaces, the Rajas built temples. The dynasty was broken into parts (tarafs) but each taraf kept building temples, competing with the others. In the end, it turned out be a unique temple village.
In another opinion the name of the village Maluti
probably comes from Mallahati of Malla Kings of Bankura, Vishnupur had suzerainty over this
area. That point of time this area ruled by Malla kings of Bankura was
Damin-i-koh ( present Pakur in north Burdwan in
the east, Midnapore in south and some portion of Chota Nagpur Plateau in west) This
vast land was called Mallabhum. The village might have been named in those days by
prefixing 'Malla' in relevance with royal dynasty.
Around 1857, Swami Bamdev (or Sadhak Bamakhyapa), one of Bengal's greatest spiritual leaders, came here to be a priest but failed because he couldn't memorise Sanskrit mantras. He was made to cook food for the puja. During his 18-month stay in Maluti, Bamakhyapa used to spend most of his time at Mauliskshya temple. Here he was first blessed. Then, he moved to Tarapith. His trident is still preserved at Maluti.
But Maluti, may not be in this name, existed long before being the kingdom
of the tax-exempted capital of Baj Basanta dynasty. It was once revered as a
great seat of learning. Mention of Maluti — known as Gupta Kashi in ancient
times — is found as early as the Shunga dynasty (185 BC - 75 BC), whose founder was Pushyamitra Shunga (185 BC - 151 BC). It
was at Maluti that the king of Pataliputra performed Ashvamedh Yajna. Later Vajrayani Buddhists, followers of Tantrik rituals, settled
here. So, Mauliksha Maa is the most ancient idol ever found in Maluti.
It is said that Adi Shankaracharya, on his way to
Varanasi, had stopped over at Maluti. And it is here that he launched his
mission against Buddhism. Some historians say Maluti is the first place where
the Vedic upheaval started. Dandiswami of Varanasi's Sumeru Math still comes
here once a year as part of the ritual that began with Adi Shankaracharya.
The river Chila is flowing at the
edge of the village and marks the boundary of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The river originated
from Banspahari, a highland in the Dumka district and meet with Dwarka River in
Bengal. Stone tools and primitive weapons are found on the river bed at
different place.
Today, an important priority of the village Maluti is maintaining its 72 ancient temples. It is alleged that the king of Nankar state originally constructed 108 temples, but later generations could not maintain such a huge number of monuments, and most were left uncared for. With the passing of time, as many as 36 monuments deteriorated and finally crumbled completely.
With regards to the temples'
architecture, it is noticed that in the existing temples no particular style,
like Nagara, Vesar or Dravida, have been followed. The specialist artisans who
were obviously from Bengal had given shape to numerous designs while
constructing these temples. Their designs have been assigned to five
categories.
The main temple of Maluti site
is Ma Mauliksha Temple, which is the main deity of royal
family of Baj Basanta Ray and Guardian Goddess of Maluti. Interestingly this
goddess is not found in Hindu scripture but is found in Vajrayana Buddhism as the Goddess Pāndora.
Gradually the Buddhist influence of this region tempers down and become a
Goddess of Hindu tantra.
Temple Construction: Maluti is renowned for its cluster of terracotta temples,
totaling 72 in number. These temples were constructed between the 17th and 19th
centuries.
· Patronage: The temples were built under the patronage of the local Malla
Kings, who were Rajput rulers in the region. Their support and encouragement
led to the creation of these magnificent structures.
·Architectural Brilliance: The temples exhibit an exceptional
blend of local architectural styles, reflecting influences from Bengal, Bihar,
and Odisha. The intricate terracotta panels depict mythological scenes,
religious motifs, and daily life during that period.
· Cultural Heritage: Maluti stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of
the region, drawing visitors interested in history, art, and architecture.
·UNESCO Consideration: The terracotta temples of Maluti have
been proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list,
recognizing their historical and artistic significance.
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