Bishnupur is a city located in Bankura,West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Bishnupur subdivision. It is famous for its terracotta temples, Shree Krishna Raslila and the Baluchari sarees.
Tourist attractions:
Every year around the last week of December a mela is held either at Raj Darbar or at Nandalal Temple.
Temples and other places –
Garh Darwaja
Pancharatna Temple
Hawa mahal
Lalgarh
Stone Chariot
Nutan Mahal
Bishnupur hawa mahal
Memorial of Shrinibas Acharya
Gour-Nitai Temple
Music –
Bishnupur Gharana, a school of music was flourished under the patronage of the Malla kings. The style of music is rooted in the Dhrupad style and is still being kept alive in local academies of music. Pakhwaj, Sitar, Esraj comprise the main instruments.
Products –
Terracotta is characteristic of Bishnupur. Famous terracotta products include hand made beautiful jars, disks, terracotta horses, elephants, Ganesha, and Nataraj. Nowadays different products like faces, men, wall hangings and also the mini-sized Dal Madal Kaman (cannon) are made by the potters. The place is also famous for Baluchari Sari and Mallabhum Sari made of Tassar silk. Bellmetalware, conch-shell and terracotta jewelry are also available here. The “Dashavatar Taas”, kind of playing cards depicting ten avatars of Hindu god Vishnu drawn by hand is a rare art piece not to be found anywhere else in India.
Terracotta horses –
They were once used for religious purposes but are used as a decorative item. They are known for their symmetrical shape and rounded curves.
Festivals and fairs –
Snake festival is held in August, Ultorath and the Bishnupur fair in December. Durga puja and kali puja or diwali is celebrated here. The Rajbari Durga Puja is the oldest Durga Puja in the entire Bengal region including today’s Bangladesh, Odisha and Tripura.
Transportation:
Railway– Bankura has a railway station. To reach Bankura, one has to hop on a train from Sealdah or Howrah. It usually takes about 3-4 hrs to reach. After reaching Bankura, one has to hire a cab to reach Bishnupur.
Flight – To reach West Bengal, one can fly to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (CCU), Kolkata and then go to Bishnupur via rail or road as per their convenience.
Road – Bankura is connected everywhere through National highways.
Best time to visit:
The best time to visit Bishnupur is around the winters when temperature and the humidity remains low.