Moghalmari and the nearby Villages: A Search for Archaeological Heritage Sites – Biswajit Ghosh, Tarun Singha Mohapatra
Introduction
Moghalmari, a legendary village, was once located right on the left bank of the river Subarnarekha but now the river has gone off and is flowing 4.5 km west from the area. Presently the village is under Dantan police station of the district of Paschim Medinipur. Geographical coordinates of Dantan are 21°570˝ North, 87°160˝ East and its original name (with diacritics) is Dântan. It is the lower plane of river Subarnarekha, specially characterised in relation to geographical position. It is surrounded in the north–west by Keshiary and Nayagram P.S., the so called Jungle Mahal—the hard lateritic forest; in the north-east, the Narayangarh and Egra-Ramnagar P.S., the alluvial plane. In the south, it is delimited by the Balasore district of Odisha—the coastal plane of Bay of Bengal. Nayagram and Keshiary P.S. constitute of old alluvial deposits with rocky red soil of laterite formation.
The present excavations of Moghalmari have brought to light the largest Buddhist Monastic complex in West Bengal representing the glory of an ancient settlement of the area. Not at this village only but huge archaeological remains are also scattered throughout the region. Few of them have been identified and/or recovered by the local historians. The main objectives of present study are :
1. to identify scattered remains of the nearby area of Moghalmari, mapping of them; and
2. to correlate them with the cultural heritage of the area’s ancient settlement.
The Population Structure
The population structure of the area has also its own speciality. Santals are the main aborigine. They are of ostral origin. They don’t have temple or deity/icon. Trees and stones are used as the symbol of god in practice and in folk culture. Badam Thana is such a place of deity where stones are gathered under a tree in the jungle/bush. For the Vumij and Mahato castes it is alike and known as Garum Thana. Other aborigine castes are Majis, Jeles, Kaibartyas/Kadmas. But most of the population consists of Utkal-Banga mixed Hindu castes, viz, Karans, Sadgops, Rajus, Brahmins, Mahisyas and many others. Normally, a typical culture has been originated from such population/caste mixed with the ethnicity of religious customs and worship tradition.1
The Historical Influence
Ancient Dantapur, Dandabhukti or modern Dantan has witnessed the events of history to a great extent. The existence of Dantapur city is accepted though there are great disagreements about the geographical location of that Dantapur. According to Kaningham, Rajmahendri on the bank of river Godavari was the capital of old Kalinga, and Dantapur was the Neelachala or Puri. According to some other eminent historians, modern Dantan of district Medinipur is developed from Dantapur. The earliest literary reference to the landscape that constitutes the present-day coastal districts of Purva (east) and Pascim (west) Medinipur in West Bengal is described as a portion of Radha geographical territory. Specific historical references to the western part of Medinipur cannot be dated to a period earlier than early 7th century mainly due to the paucity of epigraphic documents. Shasanka, the king of Gouda conquered the Dandabhukti kingdom in 7th century. The subordinate royal representative, ‘feudatory prince’ Somdatta and another ruler Subhakirti (Medinipur copper plate, acquired from Egra) administered the area at the then time.2 Following Huen Tsang’s itinerary, some scholars believe that in 7th century Dandabhukti formed part of Tamralipta town presently a subdivision of Purba Medinipur district.3 In Pala era, after demise of Dharmapala (1024 AD) Dandabhukti was under Utkala and the area was ruled by the then kings named Karnakeshari and Vikramkeshari. Ancient city Amaravati (later on from Mughal reign which is called Mughalmari), was embarrassed by the memory of Sashisena who was the daughter of Vikramkeshari.4 Recently archaeological excavation has proved that the area was surrounded by a Buddhist Monastery. At all events, history of Dantan has no use in the discussion of cultural heritage up to the reign of Vikramkeshari due to lack of architectural evidences of the reign before the starting of 16th century. In that case, the historical importance of local name-shake is more significant.
The period between the 8th and 10th century AD, there is no epigraphic or any other evidences to suggest the political history of the region. After three centuries the name was again referred in Idra and Kalanda copperplate inscriptions of Kamboja king Nayapala who ruled in the early 11th century. Both the copperplates refer to the land grants in the Dandabhukti mandala of Varddhamana bhukti. However that this region around Dantan was under the rule of Odisha during late medieval period is attested by the discovery of a copperplate inscription (c. 1457 AD) of Belda (24 km north of Dantan) of Gajapati ruler Kapilesvaradeva. Archaeological remains found in and around the area suggest that Dantan was an important administrative centre right from early 7th century AD. Considering all evidences both literary and archaeological, it is likely that the modern Dantan may be the ancient Dandabhukti. The present discoveries of Buddhist monastic establishment as well as material culture of early medieval period at Moghalmari are further supplementary to this direction.5
The history of subsequent time was consisted of small feudatory kings, zamindars and landlords. Out of that we get a little history of Monoharpur (post 1575 AD) and Khandarui (assumed 16th century) dynasty.6
Findings of the study
Discussions on our study will be confined with Moghalmari and within the neighboring villages of Mughalmari which are rich of archaeological and cultural heritage of Dantan region depending on availability of space.
Moghalmari Village (JLNo. 73) Coordinates 21°5736˝North and 87°1654˝East
Archaeological site
The village is about 5.2 km north of Dantan town and 46 km south of Kharagpur railway station on National Highway No. 60. The name of the village commemorates the great battle between the Afghans under Doud Khan and the Mughals under Munim Khan and Todar Mal, which took place in its neighborhood in 1575 AD.7 It might be the way (in Oriya: mada>mad-e>madi>mari: way/path) to march Odisha of Mughal soldiers.8 The area contains four mouzas namely Simulia (Uttar), Jayrampur, Jhari, and Punja. The present site of Moghalmari is located very close to Odisha and Jharkhand.
The archaeological treasures of Moghalmari represent the most extensive evidence of early medieval culture of this region. It may be pointed out here in this connection that the Chinese pilgrim Huen Tsang who visited Bengal in 638 AD immediately after Sasanka has referred the existence of four kingdoms in Bengal viz. Pundravarddhana (north Bengal) with twenty monasteries and three thousand Buddhist monks; Samatata (south-east Bangladesh) with thirty monasteries and two thousand Buddhist monks; Tamralipta (modern Tamluk and adjoining areas) with ten monasteries and one thousand Buddhist monks; Karnasuvarna (Murshidabad) (Das 1968) with ten monasteries and two thousand Buddhist monks. In the context of this observation by the Chinese pilgrim, Debala Mitra (Mitra 1971: 238) in her book on Buddhist Monuments has pointed out that ‘It is a great regret that the vestiges of not a single establishment have so far been identified at modern Tamluk. It is in this context that the present discovery of a pre- Pala monastic complex at Moghalmari is a significant landmark in the history of Bengal. The discovery further strengthens the significance of the itinerary of Chinese pilgrim Xuang-Xung (Huen Tsang). The present Dantan monastic establishment at Moghalmari is within the trading orbit of ancient Tamralipta country. This discovery will definitely enrich the history of Bengal during early medieval period. In fact, the Dantan monastic complex at Moghalmari did not grow up in isolation. It is well-known both from archaeology and literary evidences that in the past a trade route probably located in the close vicinity of the site connecting Tamralipta with other Buddhist establishments in Odisha beyond Suvarnarekha viz. Jayrampur, Basta, Khiching, Baleswar, Pushpagiri, Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, Udaygiri of Odisha or Oddra and Nalanda and Bodhgaya of ancient Magadha.9
Bhabanipur Village (JL No. 65) Coordinates 21°5652˝ North 87°1621˝ East
Archaeological site
Shyamaleswara Siva Temple
This is the oldest monument of temple architecture in Dantan region which is located at Mandir Bazar of Bhabanipur Mouza (J L no. 65) under Dantan CD Block-I. The area of the temple is 13883 sq ft surrounded by a boundary that is constructed of laterite stone. The main temple is 40 ft in length and 12 ft in breadth with the Jagamohana. ‘Bard’ part of the temple is positioned on a 4 ft high Padapitha (base or plinth). Gandee (Chapar) part is made with five Pirha. A big notched Amlaka is there on the top of the temple carrying Kalasa which flagged of a trident. The temple is 25 ft high and constructed with laterite stone having dome roof of wavy (lahara) style. The Jagamohana is also having roof of crescent rectangular style. It is an example of Pirha deul looking like a curved pyramid.
The entrance doorway of the temple is 5 ft in height and 2 ft 7 inches in width which is narrower than the main door of Garvagriha. There is also a very narrow door at the south side wall of Jagamohana. A recumbent Vishnu figure is engraved on the top of the entrance. In the north side of the temple there is a outlet (netranala) of horned shark face made of decorated touchstone which is used for water drainage from Garvagriha. The linga deva is buried on a big infernal birth slab (Gourijonipatta). The Patta and the Linga are tied up with a big one stone Nandi figure by an iron chain.
There is no existence of foundation plate in the temple. Considering the architectural style of the temple archaeologists assumed that the temple is established in 16th century. Some historians viewed that it is erected by Gajapati Mukundadeva, born in the Surya dynasty, in the last-half of 16th century. According to Pranab Roy, the style of the temple, to some extent similar with Sarvamangala temple of Keshiary which is of Vadra style. Hence they are contemporary and established in the first-half of 17th century. But according to Binoy Ghosh, the Sarvamangala temple is not a pattern of any specific architectural style—it is the combination of Oriya and Bangla style presented by Oriya artists. But according to Tarapada Santra, some of the district’s south-west areas were under the control of Odisha in between 15th and 16th century, proofs of construction of Sikhara and Piraha deul are mostly available for that time. For example, he has indicated the Pirha deul (Shyamaleswara Shiva Temple) of Dantan.10
The beautifully decorated netranala (outlet) is of Makara Mukha (crocodile mouth) style, made of black stone. A stone-made kalvairabi Chakra is kept here in front of the Nandi (Brishava). The beautifully made Nandi brishava is in sitting posture and is made of black stone measuring 39 inches in length and 36 inches in height.
Archaeological Remains
Dantapur Pratna Sangrahashala
Sahityabinod Lalit Mohan Samanta, a veteran local historian and writer of Dantaner Itihas (1952), made preparations for this noble work. He had collected some antiquities from Dantan area and nearby villages on different occasions. Out of his collections one Buddha image had been sent to Ashutosh Museum, Kolkata in 1955**. Some 26 nos archaeological remains/antiquities have been recovered locally and kept in Dantapur Pratna Sangrahashala i.e., a room of Dantan Social Club and Public Library (Town Library) situated in this village. Ten of them had been sent for dating to Directorate of Archaeology, West Bengal in 1977 and same had been registered under The Antiquities and Art Treasures Rules, 1973. The details of registered antiquities are summarised below:
Source : Certificate issued by the Directorate of Archaeology, West Bengal
Joypura Village (JL No. 89) Coordinates 21°5634˝ Neast 87° 1634˝ East
Archaeological site
Jagannath Sikhara Mandir
On the way from Kharagpur to Balasore of OT Road, there is a bus stop named Dantan School Bazar. This Jagannath Temple, a mentionable monument, is located very near to that bus stop under the village/mouza Joypura. The temple is an example of Nabaratha Sikhara deul established by the patronage of Oriya tributary princes.
The area (approximately 17 decimal) of the temple is surrounded by brick built boundary (presently damaged). It is 68 ft high and 15 ft in length and width and constructed by both laterite stone (lower portion) and burnt bricks (middle and upper portion). The roof of Garvagriha is built in lahara style. The length and breadth of Jagamohana is 20 ft × 16 ft and height 25 ft Dalan style Jagamohana is added in later stage. The Snanamancha (bathing stage) is in the north side of the temple.
No decoration is there in the temple other than a couple figures on the south outer wall of the Jagamohana. As there is no foundation plate, according to the demeanour of the temple archaeologists assume that the temple was constructed in early 18th century.11 It is an important temple in terms of antiquity.
Chandaneswara Siva Temple :
This Rekha style temple is situated by the side of Jagannath temple and erected with laterite stone showing a height of 40 ft length and width 22 ft each. There is no foundation plate in the temple. According to the style and demeanour of the temple it seems to be constructed in early 19th century AD.12 Another thing is that two archaeological antiquities are preserved in the Jagamohana of the temple; a Buddhist Dharmachakra measuring 10 inches in radius and other is a padmasana male image sitting on a lotus under which there is a small bullock. The image wears upavita. It measures 10.5 inches × 15 inches in width and length. They might be recovered locally and both are of stone-made.
Archaeological Remains
Chaitanya Memorial Stones
A beautifully engraved elevated stone measuring 6 ft 5 inches in length and height 15 inches, is laying there in the courtyard of some villager named Badal Banerjee, called Chaitanya Shila. It has five parts with different names. In the left side of that stone there is laying another stone measuring 27 inches × 10 inches, called Danton Kathi (tooth brush) of Sri Chaitanya. Behind the elevated stone there is a stone called Simhasana (throne) measures 5 ft in height and 6 ft 9 inches in length. Legend is that about 500 years ago on his way to Puri dhama, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed here and in a fine morning, brushed (danton) his teeth sitting on the stone, Simhasana, and the village got the name Dantan. From this circumstance the name of the area is familiar as Danton.13 It seems that the stones are ruined parts of a big temple.
Ektarpur-Takinagar Village (J.L. No. 90) Coordinates : 21°5615˝ North 87°1615˝ East
Archaeological site
Satdeula
It is a small village situated on slightly elevated land at Ektarpur village of Dantan. The place derives its name probably from seven temples or Deuls. From the archaeological remains it is clear that the seven temples really existed. The temples are all gone and only seven small ditches exist around a big pond named Hatpukur. However, we still could find foundations and debris of massive walls around the village in rectangular shape. It is found in Harrison’s report (1873 AD) that bricks were taken away from this place for construction of roads. According to him:
On the occasion of excavating earth to get out bricks and stones for the use of Rajghat Road under construction several magnificent remains of the old buildings have been discovered at Satdeula and Moghalmari, and bricks, and stones, it is estimated, have been dug out numbering about 26 lakhs and some crores yet lie buried under the ground. From these it appears that the above place were once the residence of the ancient Rajas and exceedingly populous.14
N N Vasu (1911 AD) wrote about Satdeula in his book Archaeological Survey of Mayurabhanja, Vol- I as under :
About two miles to the north of Dantan are laying the extensive ruins of the one famous Mughalmari, and in the north of the present village are to be found the ruins of ‘gada’…which was built by the famous warrior Vikramjit,… at the time the principal gate of Mughalmari was close to the Sat-deul of Dantan.15
So, it may be concluded that Satdeula was the main village of entrance to Amarabati (Mughalmari). It is auspicious and holy good for the dwellers of Amarabati to see Gods and Goddesses at the time of exit-entrance. That is the reason of erecting seven temples at Satdeula.
The ponds still contains many statues and waits to be unearthed. Just in parallel with this elevated space there is another place locally called Dighiara, which is now used as a playground. Interestingly the place is a circular one and remains of trenches are still found. However, no excavation work has been undertaken there.
Dighi Dharmasagar :
It is located in the east side of the village and is extended from north to south comprising an area of 6 acre 85 decimal. Orissa Trunk Road passes through the western bank of the pond. There is a small dome in the middle of the pond, made of laterite stone, which was constructed and dedicated (as ritual) for the deity at the time of its digging up, remained as the sign of antiquity. A small Jain statue has been recovered by a villager at the time of renovation of the pond in 1980. Year of establishment and the name who ordered to dig up the pond is still unidentified. Some historians assumed that one Dharmapal, the King of Dandabhukti, ordered to dig up the pond as affection to his raiyats. Previously it was under the joint ownership of many villagers and now it is managed by local Panchayet Samiti.
Archaeological Remains : artifacts
According to study, there is a small mound of bricks surrounded by roots of a Banyan tree in the courtyard of some Pradhan family. Small ponds and ditches are scattered in the south and north-eastern side of the mound. At the times of digging up the ponds, remains like bricks, iron plates, laterite stones of different shapes, black stone-made broken parts of big/small images, stone artifacts of temple walls, small images of stones, images of burnt clay etc. have been recovered by the villagers most of which are kept under an years old Tentul tree in front of the Siva temple of the village. Some big stone statues have also been recovered. One of them is a big life-size statue of some deity. May be this huge statue was left unfinished or it was deliberately defaced and damaged by some humans. Local historians have identified it as the Buddhist image of Hariti. A small size same image is kept in front of the Sitala temple of the village. Two black basalt stones of special size have been recovered from the pond of a villager, one of which is worshiping as goddess Kichakeswari in the temple at Bakultala and another is still found laying in front of the villager’s abode. In the year 2010 when Hatpukur was digging up by the villagers under NREG scheme, two broken images of stone have been recovered. One of them is part of left arm of a statue, about 10 feet high. It measures 43 cm × 41 cm × 24 cm (LWR) and a snake is engraved as arm-band (bahubandha). It is kept with the Tulsi Mancha of a villager. A broken pedestal made of stone is also laying there. Another, a huge head of a life-size image of Bhairava is kept in front of Tulsimancha of a villager who recovered it from Hatpukur. The beautifully curved three-dimensional form of the Bhairava head is similar to the post-Gupta types. We still encountered remains of a brick-built wall measuring 150 feet in length from east to west in a pond-bank possessed by Ghosh family, a villager. Bricks of the wall measure 23 cms. × 23 cms. × 5 cms. (LBH) and these are of pre-Pala era as per their size, shape and making technique.
Manoharpur Village (J L No. 74) Coordinates 21°5431˝ North 87°169˝ East
Harekrishna Singha Raybirbar, the 8th generation of Sri Lachmikanta Singha Uttar Rao who was a soldier of Todar Mal, was the founder of this village.
Archaeological/Heritage site
Rajbari
The heritage building is situated in the middle of the village. Two-storied huge building, so called king’s palace, built with bricks and surki (lime stone), and planned as house of a Zaminder of 17th century presently in a dilapidated state. There was a cannon laid down in front of the building; now replaced/theft. A three-tier theatre hall was also constructed by the order of Raja Suresh Chandra Singha Ray Birbar in 1926.16
Radhashyam Jeu Temple
The east faced shikhar style pancharatha temple was founded by Raja Hare Krishna Singha Ray Birbar. It was (as presently damaged) 28 ft high and 13 ft in length and breadth. The Jagamohana of the temple was of pirah style measuring 10 ft. in length and breadth and height 22 ft Deity of the temple is kept in a room of Rajbari and is being worshipped by the Raj Family. The notable structure has no foundation stone. According to historians it was established in 19th century.
Kakrajit Village (J.L. No. 80) Coordinates 21°5820˝ North 87°2012˝ East
Archaeological Remains
Towards the north-east side, at a distance of 5 km from Dantan there is a village, full of archaeological remains, named Kakrajit. The mouza includes two other villages namely Dakshin Patna and Shongeria. Presently Kakrajit is famous for the temple and woodcraft image of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The village has the entity of eight old big ponds (pukur) scattered in the village. In the east end there are Sadhua pukur, Kalma pukur, Astia pukur, Kamaria pukur; and Kunda pukur, Rana pukur, Rajgeria pukur, Vetia pukur are in the northern side of the village. The biggest one measures 9 acres 16 decimal. Dr. Bankim Chandra Maity, an eminent local historian, has identified two Tri-ratna Dharmachakra of 4th-5th century, kept under a Banyan tree, which have been recovered from the aforesaid Kunda pukur by some villager. First one measures 96 cm × 86 cm with middle cutout portion measures 39 cm and two side cuts are of 31 cm. each. Other one which is badly broken that semi-circle perimeter measures 141 cm × 141 cm They are both made of laterite stones.17 Later on Prof. Asok Dutta, Reader, Department of Archaeology, Calcutta University, also agreed with the identification of same Dharmachakra.
In front of the Chandaneswara Siva temple of the village there is kept a lion image in sitting posture. It was probably established on a high pillar which shows the art of late Gupta era. The image is made by some local semi-skilled artist with locally available laterite stone.
In 1981, when Kunda pukur was dug up to renovate under FFW scheme, a number of archaeological remains have been recovered by the villagers and gathered at an open ground named Hatkhola (weekly market place) on the bank of the pond. Most interesting is that four male images, closed eyed in meditating posture, probably hairless saved head without jyotirmandalee (background circle of head), and each of same diameter measuring 120 cm in height and perimeter of middle portion is 44 cm, have been recovered. One small female image in standing posture has been recovered and kept under another Banyan tree. According to Dr. Maity, the image is probably of Parnashabari, a Buddhist tantric goddess.18
Remarkable is that an image of Sun God Surya in samabhanga posture has also been recovered and displayed under a Bakul tree. It is a rectangular shaped sand stone slab measuring 121 cm × 65 cm on which the cult is engraved in horse-riding posture. Hands of the cult and horse-head are broken. He wears elaborate ornaments including a jewelled crown (ratna mukuta), necklace (hara), a sacred thread (yajnopavita), a band round his hips (katibandha), as well as rings, bracelets, armlets, earrings and tall boots. Four apsara images are there in figurative mode of which two are flanking in two sides on the background.19
The image is mostly similar with the south side wall image of Sun Temple, Konark which is horse-riding one called Haridashwa. It is the meditating image of Surya. Only difference is that Haradaswa’s forearms are intact so the hands are be-fitted with lotus but the arms and horse head have been badly ruined in case of Kakrajit’s sun god image. If one notices the emergence of the Surya cult in the 10th-11th century AD in Odisha, can understand that this image was related to that cult and the chronology suggests that the cult came into existence when the Buddhist Sribandak Mahabihar (traced by State Archaeology Deptt.)20 of Moghalmari was in decline.
Uttar Raybarh Village (J L No. 86) Coordinates 21°5655˝ North 87°1645˝ East
Archaeological site
The village is supposed to be named under the founder Lachmikanta Uttar Rao, the veteran rajput soldier of Todar Mal engaged in the battle between Pathans and Mughals at the nearby area of Moghalmari in 1575 AD. After the battle he used to reside in Dantan area as Zamindar and established a tax collecting centre in this village in late 16th Century. Barh means the place or area of residence i.e., village.21
Narmadeswar Siva Temple
The east faced garvagriha of this rekha style temple is 28 ft in height with 12 ft in length and 11 ft in width and is made of burnt bricks. The jagamohana is of Chala style and 19 ft in length. There is no foundation plate in the temple. According to the style and demeanour of the temple it seems to be constructed in middle of 19th century AD by the Monoharpur Raj family. The pilgrims of Puridhama used to get food here in the temple under the patronage of Raj family. Speciality in deity image of the temple is that the small Siva Linga of white marble stone measuring 10 inches is buried in a big jonipatta made of black stone.
Another thing is that one archaeological antiquity is lie buried in the west end of the temple premises carelessly; a Buddhist Tri-sharan made of laterite stone.
Jatadharibaba
The area around Uttar Raybarh (or Raybarh Uttar) has been suggested to have been the settlement of Saiva matha as per researchers. The identification of a massive statue of a Śaivācāryas (locally known as Jatadharibaba) attests to the assumption. More facts may come up if proper exploration work is taken up.
The Uttar Raybarh specimen measures 115 cm × 68 cm × 30 cm The pose of the feet on the pedestal part suggests that the image was curved in samapada posture. The upper portion of the body is covered with a thin uttariya through which the sacred thread is visible. The figure wears the usual kaupina. He has a beard, a moustache and a Saiva sectarian mark on the forehead, the meditative expression is quite conspicuous. The most striking is the visual burden of a large bundle of tangled hair or the jata-bhara on the head. It seems to be a unit of its own, quite detached from the rest of the body. This coiffure somehow enhances the vertical alignment of the composition that has already a marked horizontal disposition resulting sturdy physique of the main image. The jatas, like in other Śaivācāryas images, extended over the shoulders of the ācārya. This extension is not a common feature as far as the iconography of Śaivācāryas images is concerned.22 The pancharatha pedestal measures 68 cm × 86 cm × 45 cm and only one attendant ascetic (on the left side of the âcârya) in abhanga posture survives. This accompanying ascetic (bearded, moustached and with matted hair) wears the typical uttariya, kaupina and upavita. He is attending to his superior holding an indistinct object in his hand.
Two other similar attendant figures of black basalt have also been recovered from the Dantan region and are presently in the collection of the Dantapur Pratna Sangrahashala under Dantan Public Library. Both the figures are broken. One of them is quite eroded; both the kaupina and the upavita below the almost transparent uttariya are still visible. He has a medium-sized jata-bhara arranged in an elaborate transverse manner measures 54.5 cm × 26.5 cm The other attendant (badly damaged) is a standing figure of a bearded person wearing a sacred thread. The moustached attendant has a conspicuous pot-belly, a large conical beard and the Saiva sectarian mark on its forehead. Significantly he does not sport a jata-bhara but the kaupina, upavita and uttariya are present.
According to Certificate issued by the Directorate of Archaeology, West Bengal in 1977 the figures are of stone-made and dated as late mediaeval period.
Rajar Gada
There is an area in the middle of the village called Rajar Gada. Remains of Kachari (tax collecting centre), a brick-built building, a badly damaged Tulshi Mancha, a dilapidated Laxmi Mandir are bearing the memory of so-called Gada of Raja Lachmikanta Uttar Rao (late 16th century AD assumed) and his ancestors. Some big and small ponds have surrounded the Gada area. The oldest Durga puja has also been continuing by the patronage of Manoharpur Raj family at the Gada.
In the North side of Uttar Raybarh, there is a small village named Krishnapur (J L No. 66) where the temple of Kalichandi, established by Manoharpur Raj family, is located. An iron made sitting lion on a base plate measuring 18 inches and a basalt stone made Khilan measuring 11.5 inches and also a stone-made Brisha image (Bull ox) measuring 16 inches in length and 9 inches in height are kept there in the temple those are recovered at the time of digging up a hole for the construction of base of the deity. The sculpture of the lion is an evidence of excellent artistic work.
Pukurs (Ponds)
Some big ponds are scattered surrounding the Gada in this village. They are Soulpania measuring 7 acres 66 decimals and is situated in the west side of the Rajar Gada; in the east side of the Gada there is another pond called Dandua measuring 5 acres 19 decimals; and other one is Mohajania pond, in a small village named 87-Paikbard (J L No. 87) neighboring to the village Uttar Raybarh and Chaulia, with an area of 7 acres 24 decimals whether the water area is of 6 acres 72 decimals. All are under private ownership and name-sake is unidentified.
Chaulia Village (J.L.No. 88) Coordinates 21°5620˝ North 87°1637˝ East
Archaeological site
The village is famous for dighis and ponds.
Dighi Bidyadhar
Bidyadhar Puskarini is a beautiful lake of 1600 ft in length and 1200 ft in width. B L & L R O record shows that the area is 21 acres 30 decimals. The Orissa Trunk Road passes through the west bank of the lake. Tradition ascribes that the Bidyadhar tank was excavated under the orders of Bidyadhar, the Minister of Telinga Mukunda Deva (1559-1568) who was the last Hindu king of Odisha. But the records of history show that Govinda Bidyadhar was the Minister of Prataparudra Deva (1497-1510), on whose death he seized the throne. Other source of history shows that some Bidyadher was the Minister of King Indradumna and King Anangabhim Deva (1190-1238). But Trailokya Nath Pal, the writer of Narayangarh Rajbamsher Itihas (History of Narayangarh Kingdom), wrote that Bidyadhar, the Minister of King Shyamballav Pal of Narayangarh dynasty, was the founder of the tank. So it is tough to identify which Bidyadhar was actually the founder of the tank of Chaulia village.23 However, Jogesh Chandra Basu, the writer of “Medinipurer Itihas”(History of Midnapur), viewed that it is much more feasible that one Bidyadhar, the Minister of any Kings of Odisha was the founder of the tank than the Minister of Narayangarh Kingdom.24
A brick-built square shaped (5 ft) Trigonometrical Tower is there on the south-west bank. It was used by land surveyors to measure horizontal positions in geographic or plane coordinate systems relative to previously surveyed positions called control point. The badly ruined tower was 38 ft high (assumed) and made in late 19th century according to size of bricks.
Legend is that the tank is connected with Sarashanka Dighi by means of an underground tunnel made of stone, about 7½ ft high and 4½ ft broad. Sarashanka Dighi is situated about two miles east of it.
Dighi Roulia
It is situated at the extreme south of the village with 7 acres 46 decimals (dag no. 992) water area and a huge bank of 10 acres 50 decimals, and extending from North to South. Name-sake of the pond is undefined. The O T Road passes by the west side of the pond. It was acquired as private ownership by some Umesh Chandra Bhunia of Rangsutia village of Dantan-II block in the year 1954. The bank area is under joint ownership of Saha family, Pal family and of other villagers of Dantan. At the time of digging up the pond in the year 1983 remains like laterite stones of different slabs, small stone images, broken parts of big images, bricks had been recovered by the villagers.
Angua Village: (J L No. 101) Coordinates 21°5410˝ North 87°1650˝ East
Archaeological site
Stone Reservoir
The village is located in south-east of Dantan at a distance of about two miles. A stone-made water reservoir, of which at the base floor four kurma (turtle) images are engraved in four corners and in the middle there is a hole, is kept near Siva temple. It measures 3 feet 3 inches long and 1 foot 6 inches broad. The stone had been recovered from some Shyamalia pond of the village when it was excavated for renovation. It is still undated and unidentified.
Shyamalia Dighi
The ages old Dighi is located there in the west of village by the side of Orissa Trunk Road, presently NH 60, comprising an area of 6 acres 66 decimals and extends from north to south. The year of establishment and the name of founder of the pond are yet to be known. Name-sake of the pond is also undefined. Above-mentioned stone-made water reservoir of special type had been recovered from the pond about two hundred years ago.25
Sarashanka Village (J L No. 120) Coordinates: 21°5536˝North 87° 1850˝East
Archaeological site
Sharashanka Dighi
The largest pond of the state, known as Sarasanka Dighi, is located in this village. It is 5000 feet long and 2500 feet broad. As per the record of BL & LRO, the area of this pond is 146 acres 17 decimals, banks area is 150 acres where 3009 meters 248 cm. in perimeter extending North to South. Two other tanks, which are very nearer in area to Sarashanka Dighi, are Tapan Dighi which is 4700 feet long and 1750 feet broad (117 acres 35 decimals) and Moheepal Dighi which is 3800 feet long and 1750 feet broad (102 acres 43 decimals) of Dakshin Dinajpur district.26 Area of Sarashanka, the massive lake, is covered from two Mouzas—1) Ekmalipur Mouza (J L No. 123) comprises an area of 87.50 acres and 2) Sarasanka Mouza (JL No. 120) 58.67 acres.
It has not been traced under whose order it was dug up or under whose reign foundation of the pond is made. But many hypothetical assumptions are available regarding this. The rectangular shaped dighi with its length towards North-South direction abide by the sketch of Hindu Bastutantra and it is often presumed to have been a benevolent venture of a benign king.27 Some sources posit that it had been dug up during Sasanka’s reign in the 7th century AD, whose territory extended as far south as Ganjam, after whose name it had been christened Sarasanka.28 The name of a King of the Ganga dynasty (known from Madlapanji of Puri), Sarasankha Deva of Odisha is much discussed and often predicted in this regard.29
Again, there are certain presuppositions that the lake might have been excavated some two thousand years ago during the reign of emperor Ashoka who had undertaken the project of excavating water reservoir beside roadways.
Jagannath Temple
A number of Temples can be seen around the banks of Sarasanka dighi. Out of them Jagannath temple of Das Mohapatra family residing nearby Palasia village, an evidence of archaeology,30 is situated in the west end of the dighi. The Sikhara style east faced brick-built temple is erected in an area of 2½ decimals with a height of approximately 38 ft. The garvagriha, with dome style ceiling, measures 19 ft and 17 ft where jagamohana is of 21 ft and 14½ ft in length and breadth. There are some terracotta images of god and goddess, hunting pictures etc. inscribed on the front side wall of the temple. We can find a Snanmancha (bathing stage) and a Rasamancha (place of Rasa festival) at the right-hand side in front of the temple. The Rasamancha is built by brunt bricks and the walls are inscribed with terracotta images of Rasa Lila of Lord Krishna and nude relics. These are examples of high skilled art and crafts. As no foundation plate is there, it is assumed that the temple was established in the middle of 19th century according to the style and structure.
Concluding Remarks
Besides all these so many archaeological remains and antiquities have been recovered when renovating the ages old ponds or digging up the earth for construction work, and have been kept by the villagers or laid under the trees, worshiping in temples of some villages throughout Dantan region. Most of them are going to be ruined without proper preservation or vandalised. An extensive study is required to identify and preserve them. Only after that the mapping of Cultural Tangible Heritage of Dantan could be possible properly and changing pattern of the history of the region will come to light.
Interestingly the archaeological remains, dighis and puskarinis, gada, temples reflect the sign of declined glory of the area. Buddhist images and various other remains recovered from Moghalmari Monastery as well as from nearby area prove that once upon a time the area was developed as a unique centre of culture for Buddhist religion. Jain images and remains establish that the area was also under the influence of Jainaism. Worshiping Sivalinga in extensive mood is a considerable issue of the area which reveals Saiva influence commencing since the reign of Raja Sasanka and his feudatory subordinates. The big image of Sâivâcârya (Jatadharibaba) is supporting evidence that there might be existence of Saiva Matha in the area. Soura and Shakta worshiping is also evident whether Vaishnaba religion has latest influence over the region. The study concludes that the area was being urbanized several times in different occasions with ups and downs by the influence of Kings, Zaminders, Businessmen etc. throughout its journey from past Dandabhukti to modern Dantan.
References :
1. মাইতি, বঙ্কিমচন্দ্র (শারদ সংখ্যা ২০০৯) সুবর্ণরেখার নিম্ন অববাহিকা: মোহানাভূমি এবং সায়ক, পৃ ২১-২২
2. ভৌমিক, শ্যামাপদ (২০০৪) দাঁতনের ইতিকথা, মৈত্রী (সং), ডি. এস. সি. এ., দাঁতন, পৃ ৩৭
3. Dutta, Ashoke.(2000) Excavation at Moghalmari : The Asiatic Society, Kolkata, pp 2
4. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন (২০১৫) দাঁতনের ইতিহাস, প্রতিকথা, পৃ ২৯-৩৩
5. Dutta, Ashoke. Op.cit., pp 3
6. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন, পূর্বোক্ত, পৃ ৬২-৬৭
7. L.S.S.O’Malley,(1995) Bengal District Gazetteers—Midnapur; pp 256
8. মাইতি, বঙ্কিমচন্দ্র (২০০২) মেদিনীপুরের স্থান নাম এবং, ভোলানাথ প্রকাশনী, কলিকাতা, পৃ ১৫৭
9. Dutta, Ahsoke. Op.cit., pp 8
10. সাঁতরা, তারাপদ (১৯৮৭), পুরাকীর্তি সমীক্ষা—মেদিনীপুর: প্রত্নতত্ত্ব অধিকার, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকার, পৃ ৯৬
11. তদেব, পৃ ৯৬
12. Santra, G. (1980) Temples of Midnapur : Firma KLM Pvt. Ltd. Calcutta, pp 11
13. L.S.S.O’Malley, (1995) Bengal District Gazetteers-Midnapur, pp 216
14. Harission,(1873), Report on the Archaeology of the District of Midnapore, No. 207
15. Vasu, Nagendranath (1911) Archaeological Survey of Mayurabhanja, Vol.-I, The Mayurabhanja State, pp 111
16. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন, পূর্বোক্ত, পৃ ৬৩
17. মাইতি, বঙ্কিমচন্দ্র (২০০৬), কাকরাজিত, মেদিনীপুরের গ্রামের কথা (সম্পা.) ১ম খন্ড, উপত্যকা, মেদিনীপুর, পৃ ৫০
18. তদেব, পৃ ৫২
19. তদেব, পৃ ৫২
20. রায়, অমল—প্রত্নতাত্ত্বিক প্রতিবেদন: ২০১৩-১৪
21. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন, পূর্বোক্ত, পৃ ৬২-৬৩
22. Chattopadhyay, Rupendra Kumar., Ray, Swati., Majumder, Shubha. (21:2013) -The Kingdom of the Śaivācāryas, Berlin Indological Studies (Ed), WELDER Buchverlag, pp 225-229
23. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন, পূর্বোক্ত, পৃ ৩৯-৪১
24. বসু, যোগেশচন্দ্র (বং ১৩৪৬), মেদিনীপুরের ইতিহাস, কলিকাতা, পৃ ৩৭৫-৩৭৭
25. দাসমহাপাত্র, প্রণব (২০০৬), আঙুয়া, মেদিনীপুরের গ্রামের কথা (সম্পা.) ১ম খন্ড, উপত্যকা, মেদিনীপুর, পৃ ৩১
26. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন, পূর্বোক্ত, পৃ ৩৮
27. মাইতি, বঙ্কিমচন্দ্র (২০০৪), মৈত্রী: রথের রশি (সম্পাদকমন্ডলীর প্রতিবেদন), মৈত্রী (সং), ডি. এস. সি. এ. দাঁতন
28. L.S.S.O’Malley, Op cit, pp 216
29. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন, পূর্বোক্ত, পৃ ৩৮
30. সামন্ত, ললিতমোহন, পূর্বোক্ত, পৃ ৩৯
Other References
• Field Survey by the Authors
• Hunter, W.W. (1997), A Statistical Account of Bengal : West Bengal District Gazetteers, Govt. of West Bengal, Calcutta
• রায়, প্রণব (১৯৮৬), মেদিনীপুর জেলার প্রত্নসম্পদ: প্রত্নতত্ত্ব অধিকার, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকার, কলিকাতা
• Chitralekha International Magazine on Art and Design, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2014
**I, on behalf of the Ashutosh Museum, Senate Hall, University of Calcutta,
take Buddha Figure, preserved in Dantan Social Club and Public Library, as a
loan with a view to its being shown to and examined by the said Museum.
29/3/55 Sd/- Gour Mohan Ganguly