My days are filled with work and pressure, and I don't have time to travel. Office papers and deadlines seem like my life is stuck on an office table. But tomorrow, Friday, was a holiday. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to travel. I went out alone with joy in my heart towards the Kantaji Temple in Dinajpur. When I reached there, I felt that it was not just a temple, it was a peaceful escape from the busy life where the story of the soil attracted me.
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After hearing about this temple established by Maharaja Prananath in 1704, I took the road to Kantanagar village, 20 kilometers north of Dinajpur. Its construction was completed in 1722 under his son Maharaja Ramnath. The name of this temple, built with devotion to Krishna and Rukmini, is Kantaji, where Kanta means beautiful and respect for the goddess Ji highlights the magical charm of Krishna. My mind became happy to get out of my busy life and explore this tradition.
In ancient times, this temple was adorned with nine peaks, but eight collapsed in the 1897 earthquake, yet the stories on the walls remain intact, telling me about the collision over time, and I thought that if I had not gone out today, I would have missed the monuments.
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Upon reaching the temple, I stopped and saw that its three-story structure is surrounded by 72 feet high and 105 feet wide terracotta panels. Each panel is a small work of art, depicting more than 300 scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Krishna's pastimes. As I walked, I saw Arjuna's battle, Rama's exile, Radha Krishna's Rasleela, all so beautiful that it seemed that the characters were moving.
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The three jewels of the entrance arch are carved with floral motifs, mythical creatures, and images of Bengali life - farmers, musicians - all carved. As I wandered around alone, I thought that this work of art was made by local craftsmen with the golden juice of clay. Today it is a protected site of the Department of Archaeology and has been reconstructed and has a lime hue on one peak.
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Kantaji Temple carries the cultural identity of not only Dinajpur but also the entire Bengal. This temple has captured our history, religion and art and culture together. Therefore, it deserves to be included in the World Heritage List. As a traveler, I can definitely say that once you visit Kantaji Temple, you will fall in love with it and you will think, is there any other work of art like this anywhere?