Dr. Nasrin Akhter

Associate Professor, Department of Humanities (History), Primeasia University, Dhaka- 1213, Bangladesh

DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2025.v4i8n03

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ABSTRACT

This essay discusses a recent trip to Bangladesh‟s Kantanagar Temple, which is located in the northern Dinajpur area and is well-known throughout Bengal for its exquisite terracotta ornamentation. The exquisite 18th-century temple presents significant socio-political and cultural insights into the Bengali people as perceived by the highly trained terracotta craftsmen through the many terracotta plaques. This dissertation examines the terracotta tiles of the temple to understand the socio-political and cultural background of the temple's construction in the late eighteenth century. The terracotta tiles serve as a reflection of several aspects of that era‟s culture, including religious beliefs and mythology, social hierarchy and positions, everyday life and customs, artistic styles and techniques, cultural diversity, influences and historical context. Through a careful examination of these terracotta tiles, this study aims to provide information on the historical background, beliefs, daily activities, and artistic traditions of the late eighteenth-century community in northern Bengal.

KEYWORDS:

Terracotta plaque, Terracotta artist, Temple, History & Society

REFERENCES

1) Mukhopadhyay, S.C, British Residence at the Darbar of the Bengal Nawabs at Murshidabad, P-Intro-V, Edition 2018, Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi, “The British Residents at the darbar of Bengal Nawabs at Murshidabad played a vital role in moulding the destiny of the subah and the consequent fate of its people from 1757 to 1772. While Murshidaba d remained a seat of power, it was they. Who helped gain the political suzerainty for the English Com- pany by adopting means, both fair and foul? Consequently the Residents were responsible for infusing a new spirit, that of political hegemonism, towards establishing England‟s colonial empire.”

2) Islam, Sirajul. 1979. The Permanent Settlement in Bengal: A Study of its Operation 1790- 1819, Bangla Academy 1979. “The term zamindar (from the Persian „zamin‟ or land, and „dar‟ which is an inflexion of the verb „dashtan‟, denoting to have, held or possess) has passed into the historical vocabulary of medieval India to signify the superior landed interest. Zamindars during the Mughal period came to denote all rent, receivers above the actual cultivators. They were merely possessors of proprietary right in the collection of rent but not in land.”

3) Dinajpur Zamindari was founded by one obscure Dinaj or Dinaraj from whom the district derived its name. Ahmed, Nazimuddin, Dinajpur Zamindari, Banglapedia, 2nd Edition; 2011. Link: [http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Dinajpur_Zamindari]

4) Ahmed, Nazimuddin, Dinajpur Zamindari, Banglapedia, 2nd Edition, 2011; Link: [http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Dinajpur_Zamindari]

5) Ahmed, Nazimuddin, Kantanagar Temple, Banglapedia, 2nd ed., Link: [http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Kantanagar_Temple]

6) The Shalivahana era, also known as the Saka era, is used with Hindu calendars, the Indian national calendar, and the Cambodian Buddhist calendar (AD. 78).

7) Moniruzzaman, M., Banglapedia, 2nd edition

8) McCutchion, David, Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal: Origins and Classifications (1972), The Asiatic Society; First Edition (January 1, 1972), Pp-17-18

VOlUME 04 ISSUE 08 AUGUST 2025