Located about 150 km northwest of
Kolkata, Bishnupur is a city with a glorious past. The rich architecture of terracotta carved temples here is a striking legacy from the past. Bishnupur was once the capital of Mallabhum kingdom. It is renowned for crafts such as Balucheri sarees, tassar silk varieties, the rare ganijifa (circular Indian playing card), pottery (especially the
Bankura horse), delicate carving on shells and bell metal artifacts.
Bishnupur has over thirty brick and stone temples, dating from 17th to 18th centuries, dedicated to Radha and Lord Krishna. Apart from temples, there are eight large tanks, locally known as bandhs, worth visiting. Lalbandh, Krishnabandh, and Pokabandh were built by the Malla kings. The Dhrupad school of Indian classical music was established here during 16th / 17th century.
The prominent attractions are Shyam Ray Temple , Jogesh Chandra Archeological Center,
Jor Bangla Temple, Raas Mancha, Dol Madol Cannon, Ekratna temple,
Radha-Shyam Temple, and Pathar Darwaza.
The Jahpan festival celebrated in August honors Manasa, the daughter of Lord Shiva and the goddess of the serpents. Snake shows and snake fights are the highlights of this festival.
Private buses ply between Kolkata and Bishnupur. Trains are available from Howrah, including the Howrah-
Purulia Express.
