Khelaram Data Temple, popularly known as ‘Andharkotha’, situated at the Nawabganj Upazilla of Dhaka is often considered as one of the unique and enthralling temples built in the late Mughal and pre-Colonial era. Unlike other notable temples in Bengal, this temple is unique in its architectural and functional aspects. The edifice of this temple is material evidence of a living tradition that implies the disappearance and a mythical past.

Khelaram Data temple can be considered a divine physical entity that encompasses God’s entitlement where worship and ceremonies were orchestrated and have both tangible and intangible expression in terms of its form and rituals. Besides its spiritual significance, this temple also resembles the splendorous architectural magnitude of that era.

This building was situated beside a large waterbody that was used for worship. Studies from Hossain & Rahman signifies that the location of this temple at ‘Kolakopa-Bandura’ has a renowned place-identity besides known for trade and business activities for the past 200 years [1].

The architectural significance of Khelaram Data

The architectural features of this temple signify the adherence to the model derived from core religious ideology and consideration. Hindu philosophy had greatly influenced the temple architecture in its form, ornamental details, and Bengal. The meaning of religious materiality and its relation to human experiences have been expressed in elements, material, architectural style, aesthetic patterns, and symbols.

This two-storied temple embodies a formal schema of a cuboidal sanctum where most of the Bengal temples are constructed in three types of forms: square, rectangular, and cruciform planned layout. The square form at the plan level, being the smallest of all types also derived from the canonical texts and philosophy of the religion.

The ground floor is approximately square in shape and divided into fifteen chambers. Staircases on the two opposite mirror directions lead to the first floor where nine individual chambers, each having a square plan, are constructed under the open sky. The central chamber is slightly raised and crowned with a shikhara or a pinnacle roof. This floor had a unique functional use as a dormitory for the people who came to worship from distant places of the country, resembling the generosity of this religion.

The form of the plan can be understood through the principles written in the religious texts, which set rules on temple construction, site selection, the shape of the plan, the internal layout, articulation and formal typology, and ornamental details. ‘Vastupurashamandala’, a combination of the philosophies of the physical environment, energy and geometry, is the divine guideline of Hindu temples [2] [3][4]. Mitchell, in his study, refers that square- being the ideal form is a representation of Earth and the order, the completeness of endless life and the perfectness of life and death [5]. By closely analyzing this temple, it is evident that the ‘square’- the supreme geometrical form is reflected in the plan of the temples and the chambers inside, which also symbolizes the form of ‘Purusha’ or human.

The temple chambers are segmented into smaller squares in the form of a grid that marks the areas of the supreme authority of gods. The central portion of the mandala is the place for the Brahma, the creator- to seize the cosmic energy underneath the temple and the rest squares are the position of other Gods as per their relevance.

Here, in this temple the four directions lie outside the plan, representing the meeting of the earth and the universe and the movement of the sun from east to west and its rotation to the northern and southern hemispheres.  Although there are several rooms on the ground floor which were covered with earth and were not accessible before the conservation work. On the second floor, there are eight rooms in the shape of a Bangla house at the four corners of the first floor.

While analyzing the geometry of the temple, the reflection of the Vastupurushmandala is evident. The square- being the divine diagram has been fragmented where each of its segments seizes the cosmic energies towards the direction where the Garvagriha is located. The entry approach of the temple from the four sides also reinforces the notion of centrality. The axiality and the equilibrium position maintain the shape of its static identity. Each side of the temple applies the force towards the center and in return, the center also applies the force towards the sides. The temple is also significant in the geometric shape as it forms the opposite mirror image according to its axis. From the analyses of [6], [7] it can be traced that the ground floor plan significantly resembles the architectural principles of Navaratna temples in Bengal.

The stairs from the western and eastern part of the ground floor lead to the first floor of the temple is basically a private space as the dormitory of the religious priests on the flat roof open to the sky as a curt of nine structures. This flat roof can be resembled the significant architectural temples in the Gupta period during the fourth to fifth century [8].

The roof structure of the eight chambers surrounding the central chamber on the first floor reflects the ‘Chaala’ style- an identical Bengal structure derived from the thatched roof of a rural ‘hut’ settlement. Observation of this temple illustrates that the roof of each chamber is ‘Dochala’ and ‘Chouchala’. The roof structure of the central chamber where the garvagriha is located has a pinnacled roof or shikhara. This central chamber has an open to sky passage surrounding it. This composite type of roof structure is exclusive in the Bengal region (McCutch-ion, 1972), which bolsters the uniqueness of this temple.

The chambers at the interior space of ground and first floors have a unique feature unlike the other temples of Bengal which were designed to shelter the ‘sanyasi’s. The ‘daalan’ type of temple in Bengal is incorporated with household structure, but this temple has the unique feature of incorporating residential space within the religious structure.

The richly architectural ornate details of this temple are also significant in establishing its distinct identity. The thirty-inch thick wall of burn bricks signifies the pattern of late Mughal structures. Also, the ceiling design of the ground floor having a vaulted roof resembles Mughal structures. Multifoil arch in both ground floor and first floor and also used blinded arch in both floors. The doors and windows are also follows a Mughal pattern. The richly defined edifice comprised of floral and geometric patterns at the temple’s interior and exterior also marks its identity as an exceptional one within its region.

At the first floor of the temple, around the central chamber, a passageway in the form of ‘Pradakkhina’ path, a significant architectural feature of the temple structure of Bengal can be found. During the puja ritual, people circulated around the central chamber where a Shiva Lingam in the form of deity was placed. From the studies of [8], [5] it is evident that the orchestration of rituals and offering prayers on the first floor under the sky is also significantly exclusive in the Bengal context.

Cultural significance of Khelaram Data

Local myths derived from oral history and community narratives confirm Khelaram’s identity as a ferocious robber in the region, and the consternation and trepidation in the community were imposed by his malicious activities. The wealthy people of the community were constantly in fear of his aggression. According to the oral history, Khelaram turned into a pious man when he felt guilt for his activities, and his attitude was changed towards the poor people of the community. His benevolence attitude and compassion for distributing wealth to the poor people entitled him as ‘data’. This temple he established at this phase of his life for the community’s greater religious purpose, later known as Khelaram Data’s temple. Another myth of having a tunnel beneath the temple connecting it with the Ichamati riverbank to transport and store Khelaram Data’s treasure is popular among the locals.

Another identity of Khelaram Data can be found in the literature of “Maimansingha Gitika”. In a ‘gitikobita’ or allegory named “Dosshu Kenaner Pala” written by the first woman poet in the medieval period named Chandarbati, the name of ‘Khelaram’ who the son of Dosshu Kenan can be traced. It may be unreasonable to correlate with Khelaram and Khelaram Data due to the different periods and regions.

Drawing on the intangible paradigm, we may conclude that the heritage buildings not only resemble the cultural significance of the past but also it clarifies the political, administrative and religious history being blended with architectural style features and patterns. Temple is also a symbol of prosperity within the community and has political and cultural notions in its formal expressions in the scale as being massive and well detailed at the exterior parts and challenging construction techniques. Apart from the royal patrons and benevolent citizens, it was evident that the local individuals actively participated in different religious and socio-cultural activities associated with this temple.

Restoration and Conservation of the temple

The temple was declared as a national heritage by the Department of Archaeology in 1989. In the 2014-2015 financial year, DoA finally undertook the restoration project. The process of restoration was preliminarily done by a conditional survey and physical mapping of the building’s dilapidated condition. A report was duly submitted with recommendations and restoration approaches. After carefully analyzing the report, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs decided for restoration and some parts of the wall or ornaments were decided to be reconstructed. The author with the draftsmen had documented and archived the building and the accouterments. After compiling the existing details and measurements, extensive reconstruction of the building and ornamental features had been done with the help of tracing from the old photograph. The building materials were also analyzed, and the conservational work was successfully completed in 2014.

Khelaram Data temple is not only unique in its forms and features but also the uniqueness is expressed in its oral history and social relations. This temple has a spiritual connection within the community of the believers who perceive an aura embedded within. This aura is not only constructed by the spiritual presence but also by the materiality and authenticity of the built forms. The restoration intervention by the Department of Archaeology of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs ensured physical stability and by doing so it augmented the spiritual experiences that eventually confirms the cultural continuity of a unique heritage site in the region.

References:

• Australia ICOMOS Incorporated, 2013. The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance. Burwood, New South Wales: Australia/ ICOMOS Peter Marquis-Kyle.
• Halder, S. & Halder, M., 2011. Temple Arcgutecture of Bengal: Analysis of Stylistic Evolution from Fifth to Ninteenth Century. 1st ed. Urbee Prakashan: Calcutta.
• Venugopal, J., 2012. Vastu Purusha Mandala-A human ecological framework for designing living environments. Bonfring, Proceedings of International Conference on Advances in Architecture and Civil Engineering (AARCV 2012).
• Mitchell, G., 1988. The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to its Meaning and Forms. 1st ed. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.

[5]        Michell, G., 1983. Bricks Temples of Bengal: From the Archives of David McCutchion. 1st ed. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press

[6]        Hossain, M. M. & Rahman, M. A., 2017. খেলারাম দাতার মন্দির: স্থাপত্য ও লোক-ঐতিহাসিক পর্যালোচনা. Pratnatattva, 23(June 2017), pp. 45-49.

[7]        Binda, L., 2000. Survey and Investigation for the Diagnosis of Dam-aged Masonry Structures: the“Torrazzo of Cremona”. Madrid, 12th Int. Brick/Block Masonry Conference.

[8]        McCutchion, D. J., 1972. Late Mediaeval Temples of Bengal; Origins and Classifications. Reprinted 1993 ed. Calcutta: The Asiatic Society.