30th October 1980
am Went to Tarakeswara and then on to Radhanagar, Gopalnagar and Krishnanagar with Suhrid and spent the night. Went to see the Agambagish family. There were 2 sons and a father present.
The temple is situated amongst a small clump of trees next to a pool and in the midst of paddy fields. It is a relatively small temple and the Rammohin Roy family helped to build it. An extension was built later. It is triangular to resemble the yantra and the image faces south. To the east is a pool and to the north a cremation area. To the west is a small Shiva temple. To the south are a few houses (mud). The whole area seems to be on an island amidst the paddy fields. It is quite a secluded area and takes about 5 to 10 mins walk from the Agambagish house which is near a small dirt road. The temple (main) is very small and low. Inside is an earthen image of Kali sitting on a lotus on top of Mahakali and Shiva. The image has some chandmala hanging from one of the right hands. Mr Agambagish says that it is 80 years old (as far as he can tell) and was last repainted 40 years ago. He said that in previous days all the temples had clay images-even Dakineswar and Thanthana Kali Mandir. Stone ones were put in later and then cement ones in some cases. Whenever a clay image is damaged and a new one has to be installed the ghot is filled with water and placed under the new one. The image in this temple is about 4 feet high and has bangla eyes (though lunette style). The whole temple structure is now of cement. I was told that during the 1978 flood the floodwater came within a few inches of the top of steps into the main shrine.
To the west is a small Shiv linga shrine. I think there were some small old images of Radha Krishna made of clay stuffed in a top corner.
In the north a cremation ground. the figure of a man had been crudely formed out of the ashes of cremation. To the left of this figure was a metal rod with the trident symbol on top. This was used to fix the corpse to the ground. A sacrificial post was placed just before the steps to the main temple. The image faces south.
pm went to Krishnanagar to see temples. All these temples were defaced in that the original temples of terracotta had been covered with plaster. The first one we went to see was covered over in Murshid Quli Khan's time. It contains 2 pairs of Radha-Krishna (one larger-the newer one, and one smaller-older). Apparently the original images were stolen from the Raja of Burdwan. The family who used to be called Singh. The next temple we went to was a Navaratna one and was empty. Beside it to the right another Vaishanava temple which had been constructed quite recently containing image of Gopinath of black stone in relief and heavily painted with white and red. 4 figures of wood around each side. This temple had an additional portion for Jatra Mela. I noticed the next day that there is a Rath kept in a shed that is the exact replica of the Navaratna temple no 1.
I came to the conclusion: all Shiva temples generally have linga and nothing else (black stone); all Vishnu temples have Gopi or Radha-Krishna images of black stone (Kasi); all Shakta temples have mrinmoyi murtis which were later replaced by stone or cement ones. Perhaps originally there were aniconic forms represented by ghots or even ghatas with heads (see later).
Suhrid told me that Tarakeshwar is a great centre of pilgrimage and has a large Shiva temple. Also that this used to be a centre of pat painting like Calcutta's Kalighat and Nabadwip these 3 places. He also said that patua art has a 3 fold influence-Buddhist painting, Ajanta art and the tribal influence. Jadupatuas of local superstition painting in eyes. Also that patua art used to be done on cloth and I thought about chalchitra and how all traditional images of Durga have chalchitra made by patuas.
In the market place of Krishnanagar is a Kali temple that doesn't look very old. It is only used during annual puja. This is the standard shape of all Kali temples in this area.
Mr Agambagish told me that his image is renewed and built by kumars.
31st October 1980 - Tarakeshwara and Kolimbar village