Dharapat
Encyclopedia
Dharapat is a village in Bishnupur subdivision
of Bankura district
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. It is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of Bishnupur.
and a number of Jain relics lie scattered in the district. Jain relics at villages Sonatapal
, Bahulara
, Dharapat, Harmasra
and Paresnath (near Ambiknagar) are now taken as Hindu relics and some of the intact images are daily worshipped as Hindu deities. The temples at Dharapat and Bahulara villages have naked Jain images, which are known as "Nangta Thakur" or the naked deities. These deities are there along with Hindu deities.
According to a Bengali inscription in the main temple at Dharapat, it was built in 1694 or 1704. The idol is thought to be of Shyama Chand Thakur, commonly known as Nangta Thakur. The temple was built by Advesh, Raja of Dharapat. Barren women of the locality worship at the temple with the hope of bearing a child. The temple came up in place of a plastered laterite structure that had collapsed. The new temple has four small statues of flying lions on its four sides. There are three excellent stone idols in the temple — two Jain deities and Vishnu. All three are on the outer walls. There are a number of abandoned temples in the village. There are some stone relics in Dharapat. One of them, and a very interesting one, is a statue of Parasnath that has been converted into a Vishnu idol by carefully adding two hands. It obviously signifies the overpowering Hindu influence after the decline of Jainism in the area.
Bishnupur subdivision
Bishnupur subdivision is a subdivision of the Bankura district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of Bishnupur municipality, Sonamukhi municipality and six community development blocks: Indas, Joypur, Patrasayar, Kotulpur, Sonamukhi and Bishnupur. The six blocks contain 56 gram...
of Bankura district
Bankura District
Bankura district is one of the seven districts of Burdwan Division in the Indian state of West Bengal. The district has been described as the “connecting link between the plains of Bengal on the east and Chota Nagpur plateau on the west.” The areas to the east and north-east are low lying alluvial...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. It is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of Bishnupur.
Geography
Dharapat is located at 23.0723882°N 87.2992516°ECulture
Bankura district was once under the influence of JainismJainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
and a number of Jain relics lie scattered in the district. Jain relics at villages Sonatapal
Sonatapal
Sonatapal is located north-east of Ekteswar, near Bankura town, on the banks of Dwarakeswar River in Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal....
, Bahulara
Bahulara
Bahulara is a census village under Onda II village panchayat, in Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is from Onda railway station and from Bishnupur.-Siddheshwara temple:...
, Dharapat, Harmasra
Harmasra
Harmasra is a gram panchayat under Taldangra intermediate panchayat, in Khatra subdivision of Bankura district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Harmasra is located at...
and Paresnath (near Ambiknagar) are now taken as Hindu relics and some of the intact images are daily worshipped as Hindu deities. The temples at Dharapat and Bahulara villages have naked Jain images, which are known as "Nangta Thakur" or the naked deities. These deities are there along with Hindu deities.
According to a Bengali inscription in the main temple at Dharapat, it was built in 1694 or 1704. The idol is thought to be of Shyama Chand Thakur, commonly known as Nangta Thakur. The temple was built by Advesh, Raja of Dharapat. Barren women of the locality worship at the temple with the hope of bearing a child. The temple came up in place of a plastered laterite structure that had collapsed. The new temple has four small statues of flying lions on its four sides. There are three excellent stone idols in the temple — two Jain deities and Vishnu. All three are on the outer walls. There are a number of abandoned temples in the village. There are some stone relics in Dharapat. One of them, and a very interesting one, is a statue of Parasnath that has been converted into a Vishnu idol by carefully adding two hands. It obviously signifies the overpowering Hindu influence after the decline of Jainism in the area.