Naba Kailash Mandir is a Shiva temple in Kalna City of Purba Bardhaman district, West Bengal. The temple structure consists of a combination of two concentric circles with a total of 108 small temples, each of temple is dedicated to Shiva. It represents the constellation of a bead, and the walls of this temple depict episodes from Mahabharata and Ramayana and many hunting scenes. There are seventy-four temples in the outer circle and thirty-four temples in the inner circle, which are built according to mythology.[1] Each of these 108 temples has a Shiva linga. Each Shiva linga in the inner circle, Symbolizing Sadashiva, is white, while half of the Shiva linga in the outer circle, symbolizing Rudra, is black, and the other half is white.[2]
| Naba Kailash Mandir | |
|---|---|
নব কৈলাশ মন্দির | |
 Panoramaic view of Naba Kailash Temple | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Purba Bardhaman |
| Deity | Shiva |
| Festival | Maha Shivaratri |
| Location | |
| Location | Kalna City |
| State | West Bengal |
| Country | India |
| Geographic coordinates | 23°13′13″N 88°21′44″E / 23.2204139°N 88.3621906°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Bengal temple architecture |
| Style | Chala Style |
| Founder | Maharaja Teja Chandra Bahadur |
| Date established | 1809 |
| Completed | 1809 |
Structure
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Naba Kailash Mandir has 108 Shiva temples arranged in two geometric circle.[3] Among these temples arranged in two circles, 74 are located in the outer circle and a total of 34 in the inner circle,[1] with an additional temple on the western side of the outer circle. All the 108 temples, forming two circles, are built in At-chala style of architecture. The inner circle has a circumference of about 336 feet (102 m) and the outer circle has a circumference of about 710 feet (220 m). These temples are built on low raised base-altars, and are adjacent to each other. The temples are about 20 feet (6.1 m) in height and 9.5 feet (2.9 m) in width. The temple on the western side of the outer circle is built in Pancha-ratna style, with an eight-stepped porch. The temple rests on a 6 feet high base-altar, and the height of the temple is 35 feet. The present name of this temple is Jaleswar Mandir. There is a well in the center of both the circles, which meets the water needs of the temple for Puja.[2][4]
References
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- ^ a b Amitabha, Gupta (7 September 2022). "Ambika Kalna: An ode to Bengal's temple architecture". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ a b Das, Bibekananda (1999). কালনা মহকুমার প্রত্নতত্ত্ব ও ধর্মীয় সংস্কৃতির ইতিবৃত্ত. Kolkata: Pharma KLM Pvt. p. 71.
- ^ "১০৮ শিবমন্দির নিয়ে উদ্বেগ কালনায়". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Kalna. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ Chowdhury, Jagyeswar (1994). বর্ধমান: ইতিহাস ও সংস্কৃতি (৩ খণ্ড). Pustaka Bipani. p. 127.