Krishnapur Gobinda Temple, Puthia: A Bengali Char-Chala Temple
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Bangladesh
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- British
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Temple
On this page4 sections
History
Krishnapur Gobinda Temple, Puthia is an archaeological Hindu temple in Krishnapur, Puthia, Bangladesh. Known locally as Salam’s Math, it is identified as a Gobinda temple, with Gobinda being a name for Krishna, a major Hindu deity. Its Bengali architectural style places its construction approximately between 1800 and 1870. The temple is listed and owned by the Bangladesh Department of Archaeology.
Remains
The temple stands in an open field about 1.5 kilometres west of Puthia Market. It is a square structure measuring 4.25 metres on each side and follows the char-chala tradition, a Bengali roof form based on four sloping sections.
Exterior
Two doorways open through the temple’s eastern and southern walls. The eastern arched doorway serves as the principal entrance and is framed above and on both sides by terracotta panels, fired-clay plaques used for architectural decoration. The southern entrance has comparatively little ornament. Above the square chamber rises a tall shikhara roof, or roof shaped like a temple spire, topped by a finial. Terracotta panels richly decorate the cornice and the roof corners, while the western exterior wall is plain.
Interior
Inside, the western and northern walls each contain a niche, a recessed space in the wall. These niches were probably intended to hold lamps.
