Uchkaron Shiva Mandir, Birbhum

 

The Gouranga temple at Ilambazar, and the Shiva temple at Ghurisha are amongst the state protected temples in the area. Rameswara Shiva temple is one of the three temples at Ilambazar with exquisite terracotta work.

During the late 1940s Ilambazar terracotta temples were photo-documented by artist Mukul Dey of Santiniketan.

David J. McCutchion mentions several temples in the Ilambazar area:

(1) the Shiva temple at Ilambazar as a standard (small) 19th century ‘Birbhum-Bradhaman’ type brick built rekha deul with rich terracotta façade,

(2) the four Shiva temples at Uchkaron as standard (small) char chalas, built in 1769, with rich terracotta facades,

(3) the 19th century Lakshmi-Janardana temple at Ilambazar, as a standard West Bengal type pancharatna with ridged rekha turrets and porch on triple archway,

(4) the 17-18th century Radha Vinode temple at Jaydev Kenduli as a low storied West Bengal navaratna with ridged turrets,

(5) the 19th century Lakshmi Janardana temple at Ghurisha is a straight corniced navaratna with very large upper tower and tiny clustering corner towers with rich terracotta, and

(6) the 19th century temple in the market place at Ilambazar as an octagonal ridged rekha with rich terracotta on all sides.

According to Binoy Ghosh, there are three temples at Ilambazar with beautiful terracotta designs: the hexagonal temple at hattala, the Shiva temple in the village and the pancharatna Narayan temple. There are pictures of British people amongst the terracotta desigs. Ghurisa, about 4 miles west of Ilambazar, has rich temple traditions but many of them are in a state of decay. There is a char chala temple, which was constructed in 1555. It is said that there was a golden idol of Rama in the temple, but the Bargis took it away around 1742-48. Moukhira, a village about 3 miles south of Ilambazar, has many early 19th century temples. Benoy Ghosh notes that the portrayal of Europeans in the temple carvings in Birbhum district are more than in other places, perhaps because of the activities of the early European merchants in the area.