| Shantinatha Shiva Temple | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Location | |
| Location | Chandrakona Paschim Medinipur district |
| State | West Bengal |
| Country | India |
  Shown within West Bengal  Shantinatha Shiva Temple (India) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 22°44′18″N87°31′08″E / 22.7382°N 87.5189°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Navaratna |
| Completed | 1828 |
Shantinatha Shiva Temple is a nava-ratna temple, built in 1828 at Mitrasenpur, Chandrakona in Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal, India.
Shantinatha Shiva temple is located at 22°44′18″N87°31′08″E / 22.7382°N 87.5189°E .
David J. McCutchion says that the lower structure of the pinnacled or ratna design is a rectangular box with a curved cornice. The roof follows the curvature of the cornice, and “is surmounted by one or more towers or pinnacles called ratna (jewel). The simplest form has a single central tower (eka-ratna), to which may be added four more at the corners (pancha-ratna)”. By increasing the towers or pinnacles to nine (nava-ratna), thirteen, seventeen and twentyone up to a maximum of twentyfive. The ratna style came up in the 15th-16th century. The earliest nava-ratna temples in Midnapore were probably in the Sabang area in the early 18th century. McCutchion classifies the Shantinatha Shiva temple as a West Bengal nava-ratna with ridged turrets. He mentions that at Chandrakona (both at Dakhinbazar and Mitrasenpur), the four lowest turrets are octagonal with curved ridging and the upper five pancha-ratna with straight ridging. Built in 1828, it has rich terracotta and measures 19’ 6” square. [1]
The Shantinatha Shiva temple, with nine pinnacles, has exquisite terracotta which showcases the Ramayana battles, several scenes from Krishna lila, Bhisma on a bed of arrows, Dasavtar of Vishnu, several musicians etc. Local authorities have renovated the temple using many colours. However, the details of the terracotta relief are still there. [2]
The Shantinatha Shiva temple is a state protected monument. [3]
See also - Other temples at Chandrakona: Chandrakona Jorbangla Temple, Malleswara Shiva Temple, Parvatinatha Temple
Chandrakona is a town and a municipality in the Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India. The city is located between Ghatal and Garhbeta. The king – Chandraketu was the founder of the kingdom of Chandrakona. In Ain-E-Akbari it was mentioned as ‘Mana’.
Khirpai, also known as Kshirpai, is a city and a municipality in the Ghatal subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India. The city is situated between Ghatal and Chandrakona, near the banks of the rivers Shilabati and Kethai, and is one of the oldest municipalities in India. Khirpai is also famous for its Babarsa, a special type of sweetmeat, which is not available elsewhere.
Ramjibanpur is a city and a municipality in the Ghatal subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Kharar is a historical town of Ghatal and one of the oldest town in Asia. This city is located in the Ghatal Subdivision of the Indian state of West Bengal.
Harmasra is a gram panchayat under Taldangra intermediate panchayat, in Khatra subdivision of Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Akui is a village in the Indas CD block in the Bishnupur subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Pathra is a village and a gram panchayat in the Midnapore Sadar CD block in the Medinipur Sadar subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Alangiri is a village in the Egra I CD block in the Egra subdivision of the Purba Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Chandrakona Jorbangla Temple is a 17th-century stone built temple at Dakshinbazar, Chandrakona in Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal, India.
Malleswara Shiva Temple is a pancha-ratna temple, built in the 18th century at Chandrakona in Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal, India.
The Parvatinatha Temple is a saptadasa-ratna (seventeen-pinnacled) temple, built in the 19th century at Chandrakona in Ghatal subdivision of Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal, India.
Radhakantapur is a village in the Daspur I CD block in the Ghatal subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Gobindanagar is a village in the Daspur I CD block in the Ghatal subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Lachhipur is a village in the Ghatal CD block in the Ghatal subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Radhanagar is a village in the Ghatal CD block in the Ghatal subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Bengal temple architecture is about temple styles developed and used in Bengal, particularly the chala, ratna and dalan temples.
Jayantipur is a village in the Chandrakona II CD block in the Ghatal subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Jalchak is a village in the Pingla CD block in the Kharagpur subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
Bali Dewanganj is a village and a gram panchayat in the Goghat I CD block in the Arambagh subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Ratna Style is a style of Bengal temple architecture, that originated in Bengal from the 15th to 16th centuries, under the Mallabhum kingdom. Originating as a regional style in Hindu temple architecture. It is an extended style of the Chala temple. The special feature of Ratna-style temples is the curved cornice of the chala.
