Surul
Encyclopedia
Surul is a village in Bolpur subdivision
of Birbhum district
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
.
now adjoins a part of Surul. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Santiniketan
.
Surul consists of a large population of Bagdis
, Bauris
, Haris
and Doms
, as well as weavers. The Sarkars who were zamindar
s of the village brought in Brahmin
s and other upper castes.. The Sarkar family had contributed a vital role towards development of the overall area and establishment of Visva-Bharati.
The village was economically sound, being the centre of business and was the site of a commercial residency under John Cheap. After East India Company gave up its mercantile dealings in 1835, the residency was allowed to fall into decay. There is no trace of it now.
carvings are distinct. The older temples were built in 1830, within a few years of John Cheap’s death. Most of the temples are dedicated to Shiva
, one to Manasa
and one pancharatna (five towered) temple to Lakshmi-Janardan. Most of the carvings are traditional depictions such as the Ramayana
war but the depictions of Europeans need special mention.(See the picture alongside).
During late 1940s Indian artist Mukul Dey
extensively photo-documented the terracotta temples of Surul, which were subsequently published in an album titled Birbhum Terracottas, Lalit Kala Akademi
, New Delhi, 1959.
Bolpur subdivision
Bolpur subdivision is a subdivision of the Birbhum district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of Bolpur municipality and four community development blocs: Bolpur–Sriniketan, Ilambazar, Labhpur and Nanoor. The four blocks contain 40 gram panchayats...
of Birbhum district
Birbhum district
Birbhum district is an administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the northernmost district of Burdwan division—one of the three administrative divisions of West Bengal. The district headquarters is located at Suri...
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...
.
Geography
SriniketanSriniketan
Sriniketan is a town in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Sriniketan is located at . It has an average elevation of .-History:...
now adjoins a part of Surul. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Santiniketan
Santiniketan
Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata . It was made famous by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town that attracts thousands of visitors each year...
.
History
Surul is a village adjacent to Visva-Bharati Universiry, Santiniketan/Sriniketan, founded by Rabindranath Tagore. A major part of the university stands within Surul mouja.Surul consists of a large population of Bagdis
Bagdi (caste)
The Bagdis are indigenous people descended from people with Dravidian links found in the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bagdis are populous in Bankura, Birbhum and other districts in the western fringe of West Bengal...
, Bauris
Bauris
The Bauris are people of aboriginal origin, belonging to a caste, low in the caste system in India, found in large numbers in Bankura, Birbhum and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal....
, Haris
Haris (caste)
The Haris are people of indigenous origin found in large numbers in Birbhum, Bankura and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal....
and Doms
Doms
The Doms are a Bengali Hindu caste found in large numbers in Birbhum, Bankura and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal...
, as well as weavers. The Sarkars who were zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
s of the village brought in Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
s and other upper castes.. The Sarkar family had contributed a vital role towards development of the overall area and establishment of Visva-Bharati.
The village was economically sound, being the centre of business and was the site of a commercial residency under John Cheap. After East India Company gave up its mercantile dealings in 1835, the residency was allowed to fall into decay. There is no trace of it now.
Culture
The temples at Surul are well-protected and terra cottaTerra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
carvings are distinct. The older temples were built in 1830, within a few years of John Cheap’s death. Most of the temples are dedicated to Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, one to Manasa
Manasa
Manasa is a Hindu folk goddess of snakes, worshipped mainly in Bengal and other parts of northeastern India, chiefly for the prevention and cure of snakebite and also for fertility and prosperity. Manasa is the sister of Vasuki, king of Nāgas and wife of sage Jagatkāru...
and one pancharatna (five towered) temple to Lakshmi-Janardan. Most of the carvings are traditional depictions such as the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
war but the depictions of Europeans need special mention.(See the picture alongside).
During late 1940s Indian artist Mukul Dey
Mukul Dey
Mukul Chandra Dey was a student of Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan. He is considered as a pioneer of drypoint-etching in India....
extensively photo-documented the terracotta temples of Surul, which were subsequently published in an album titled Birbhum Terracottas, Lalit Kala Akademi
Lalit Kala Akademi
The Lalit Kala Akademi or National Academy of Art is India's National Academy of Arts. It was an autonomous organization, established at New Delhi in 1954 by Government of India to promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, both within and outside the country...
, New Delhi, 1959.