Shyam Ray Temple, Bishnupur

Also known as the Pancha-ratna temple, the Shyam Ray Temple in Bishnupur, Bankura district, is dedicated to Krishna. Krishna is worshipped here as Shyam, together with an image of Radha. A foundation plaque records that King Raghunath Singha of Mallabhum founded it in 1643.

The temple follows the pancha-ratna form of the ratna style that developed in medieval Bengal, with a square, curved roof bearing five towers. It is best known for its ornament, carried mainly on terracotta plaques set into the walls inside and out: floral and geometric designs, scenes of the Krishna-lila, episodes from the Puranas, and stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The Archaeological Survey of India protects the temple, and since 1998 it has been on UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.