Jora Deul, Baidyapur, Kalna, Bardhaman

Jora Deul, Baidyapur

Kalna, Bardhaman

Stone has always been in short supply in the vast flood plains of Bengal. Hence the architects had to restore to other substitute. As clay was easily available the burnt clay bricks soon became a good substitute of stone.

Jore Deul (or two adjacent temple), Baidyapur

This gave rise to a new form of temple architecture and lead to the construction of elaborately decorated terracotta temples. Terracotta literally means baked earth in Italian but West Bengal has the distinction of housing some of the finest terracotta art in the world.

Floral Decorations, Jora Deul, Baidyapur

These brick built temples gave rise to a different school of architecture and most of the temples followed either the chala or ratna style.

Few of the older temples of Bengal followed the Oriya Rekh Deul style and were crowned with a towering curvilinear spire.

The Jora Deul or two adjacent temples in Baidyapur in the Kalna sub division of Purba Bardhaman District consists of two Deuls joined together and hence the name Jora Deul. It is an unique style found no where else in West Bengal and can well be considered as one of the most unique brick built temples of the country.

Floral and Geometric Decorations, Jora Deul, Baidyapur

Baidyapur is located on the Bainchi – Kalna road and the nearest station is Bainchigram on the Howrah – Bardhaman main line. Although a day trip is enough to visit Baidyapur, it can be clubbed with nearby heritage sites like Sat Deul, Debipur (Lakshmi Janardan Temple) and the temple town of Ambika Kalna with a night stay in the heritage homestay of Baithakkhana Amadpur.

A aat chala temple in Baidyapur

The Jora Deul temple, presently under ASI protection, is datable to 1550 and each of the structures stands on a square base and probably had domed top in their original shape.

Sadly the structure seems to have lost its original shape and have been rebuilt at a later date.

Their facades are of carved bricks. The main Temple faces east and the small north and they are interconnected with a passage. There is an inscription on top of the doorway leading to the main temple.

Exterior walls of the temple are richly ornamented with decorative bricks. The ornamentation is predominantly  floral and geometric patterns but figurative designs are also there.

A Rasmancha in Baidyapur

Baidyapur also houses few other smaller temples and since they are not protected by law are in utter neglect with are threatened with encroachment. The village also has a few active temple, some of them are old but have been reconstructed into new structures in the process wiping out centuries of history.