Historical PlaceHindu temple

Radha Shyam Temple, Bishnupur

Eka-ratna temple of 1758 in Bishnupur with terracotta panels of the Ramayana and Radha-Krishna

Photo: Rangan Datta Wiki · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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01 — The story

The story

The Radha Shyam Temple, or Radhashyama Mandir, is a Krishna temple in Bishnupur, West Bengal, where Krishna is worshipped as Shyam together with an image of Radha. A foundation plaque in the temple records that King Chaitanya Singha of Mallabhum founded it in 1758.

It is an example of the eka-ratna design, one form of the ratna style that developed in medieval Bengal. The square roof has curved edges, with a domed shikhar rising from its centre. The temple is best known for the terracotta plaques set into its walls, which show scenes from the Ramayana, Vishnu as Anantasayin and many figures of Radha and Krishna. It is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and has been on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list since 1998.

Unmapia

02 — About

About Radha Shyam Temple, Bishnupur

Coming soon

We’re still writing about Radha Shyam Temple, Bishnupur: its history, what’s there and why it’s worth the trip.

Where it is

Bankura, West Bengal

23.07° N 87.33° E