After the humdrums and expensive expenditures in the previous month, if you are looking for a budget-friendly winter getaway in order to find tranquillity from daily mundane lives and explore ruins and history, then Bengal’s this little village might be just the place for you.
Nestled within the Galsi of Purba Bardhaman (East Burdwan) district in West Bengal, approximately three hours from Kolkata and 44 minutes from Durgapur, lies the ‘Temple town’ of Bengal, Mankar. It prominently boasts two prominent zamindar baris and other brick temples, some made of terracotta, of different sizes, which were built in the distinct architectural style of Bengal, such as chala, ratna and dalan.
The Statesman ventured within the village to present fragments of the buried past immersed beneath the soil and ruined walls.
The Biswas Bari
The Biswas family, known for their contributions to the silk industry, were the pioneers in Mankar for introducing tussar silk, locally known as tassar silk, or Bhagalpur silk. The silk was initially produced by weavers and artisans of Murshidabad, where even today, the place holds the banner for Bengal’s exquisite silk industry.
In the late 18th century, Murshidabad silk weavers migrated; some weavers settled in Mankar, circulating their art here, while some, led by Mahesh Biwas, relocated to Punjab at first and then to Kashmir, eventually establishing a thriving silk trade in Kashmir by the mid-nineteenth century. Notably, India holds the record of being the world’s second-largest producer of such a thing.
The Biswas family also holds a notable legacy for celebrating Durga Puja annually in their grand courtyard or ‘dalan’ for over 300 years. As most legacies have a story behind them, this one is no exception.
While the precise year of the inception of the story is blurry, the tale begins with what we could gather from Tapan Biswas, a descendant of the Biswas family. He says, “Ramcharan Ganguly had no offspring. So he built an idol of the deity Durga and started worshipping it under a shed made of taal (palmyra-palm) tree leaves, hoping for a child. His prayers were answered when he got blessed with a son in the consequent year, naming him Durgacharan Biswas.”
The Gangulys became Biswas after Murshid Quli Khan, the Nawab of Bengal between 1717 and 1727, titled them with the latter, declaring their loyalty towards the empire.
As said by Sivasish Biswas, another descendant of the Biswas family, the Nawab had intense trust in an elderly Brahmin courtier named Ramlal Ganguly. Recognising his capabilities, the Nawab appointed him as his ‘Khazanchi’ or treasurer, entrusting him with the responsibility of managing the kingdom’s treasury. The Marathas often looted on the peripheries of the Mughal empire. During one such attack, the Nawab went to face the enemy with his entire army, leaving the palace in Murshidabad under the command of the old Khazanchi. Eying an opportunity, a local dacoit called Bishey Dakat decided to loot the treasury. Meanwhile, the Khazanchi was sitting with this underground bomb when Bishey was raiding the empire for the Nawab’s treasure while his youngest wife, Ranga Ma, declared that she would stay back and guard while many were running for their own lives. Murshid Kuli Khan, therefore, declared loyalty by the Khazanchi and his brave wife; he was conferring the title of ‘Biswas’ or ‘The Trustworthy’ on the family of Gangulies. Along with it came gifts and extensive property and revenue rights.
As mentioned earlier, for 300 years, the zamindar family has annually celebrated Durga Puja in the ancestral home, which they constructed upon receiving the title and substantial wealth. Additionally, the residence was showcased in several scenes of Mrinal Sen’s film Baishey Shravana.
The Kabiraj family
The zamindar house, established by Rajballab Gupta around 350–400 years ago, holds a rich history tied to the Gupta family’s mastery in Ayurvedic medicine, known as ‘Kabiraji’.
Ranju Gupta, who presently does not bear the title due to a career change, goes down in the annals of time to the incident for which the family was honoured with the title. He says, “It was a time when the king of Burdwan was terribly sick. Rajballab Gupta, the kabiraj from our family, all by his will, went to the king’s courtyard for his treatment. There, at first, he faced a test to gain the King’s trust. With his eyes blindfolded, he was presented with a cat and a human. The challenge was to determine which pulse belonged to the cat and which belonged to the human. Rajballab successfully passed the test on his first attempt, proving his excellence. Impressed by his medical knowledge, the king honoured him with the title of ‘Kabiraj’, recognising him as a doctor in Ayurveda. Along with this honour, we received innumerable treasures and properties, therefore solidifying our position as zamindars back then.”
He adds, “The last one in our family who did ‘kabiraji’ was my own grandfather, Panchu Gopal Kabiraj. After him, none of us pursued the same field, so we took our original surname, Gupta.”
Other humble edifices
Rajballab Gupta, who was also a staunch devotee, made journeys across states and countries. Once, during his return from Kasi, he discovered a ‘Shila’ or Shivling, which in turn inspired him to construct a Kali mandir, which is now known as Aatchala Anandamoyee Kalibari. The temple features dates and sculptures inscribed upon its walls, which is now a tourist attraction.
Close to the Biswas mansion are two temples that feature exquisite terracotta work on their walls. The first is the five-pinnacled Kashinath temple, built in the mid-19th century by the Pramatha Nath Dutta family. The temple engraves scenes from Krishna Leela and figurines of Shiva on the right and left panels. However, some of the engravings have been worn away by the passage of time.
About 250 metres away is the Deulesvara Deul temple in Raypur, which has rich terracotta work on its wall and has been whitewashed recently for restoration. The Banerjee para’s Deul temple and the Morol para’s Pancharatna temple are other structures with similar artistic features. Apart from that, several other structures, which are unfortunately covered in moss, are present throughout the village.
Another ruin is the Rang Mahal, built during the time of Bhaktalal Goswami, which at present has been overtaken by untamed vegetation. The temple has some distinct stucco work, along with a pair of small octagonal temples, which are the only structures that are still standing.
Mankar’s sweet treat
Speaking about the cuisine, there are no such specific dishes or eateries found within the village, unless you go towards the highway. However, Mankar reserves a speciality for producing giant-sized, chalk-white, crispy, dry sweet candy known as ‘kodma’. This sweetener is mainly used in almost every puja in Bengal, beside the humble batasha.
These kodmas usually weigh up to 8–9 kilograms and are made out of 10–15 kilograms of sugar. However, lately, due to awareness in food habits, masses have shifted from this traditional candy to more fancy desserts and sweetmeats like chocolates and pastries and fusion sweets, therefore losing the artistry and tradition of desi moiras, or sweetmakers.
“Our family business as sweetmakers, especially for Christmas, started off about 100 years ago and is still continuing. The business was established by my father at the tender age of fourteen, and it has since been passed down through generations, first to my elder brother and then to me. During Durga and Kali pujas, demand for kodmas is high. We even deliver kodmas to customers outside Bengal,” says Bishnupada Halder from Mankar.
How to reach
Mankar has access to both rail and road. If travelling by train, passengers can get down at the Mankar station and arrange for local transportation services. And if travelling by road from Kolkata, one should take the Durgapur Expressway and drive through Dankuni, Singur, and Saktigarh. After bypassing Burdwan, take the service road at Budbud and turn right. A 3-kilometre drive from there will lead you to Mankar station.