THE TEMPLES IN MIDNAPORE

According to the regional history there was a succession of satraps in the Bhan dynasty and Chandravan was really Chandraketu.There is an inscription on the famous Lalaji temple at Chandrakona, which throws some light on the dates of the rulers of Bhan dynasty. The Lalaji temple was erected in 1655 according to these inscriptions.8 

Chandrakona in its heyday was supposed to have 52 bazaars and 53 roads. It was a place of trade importance and noted for its textile products, sugar, brass-ware and milk products. But all this is now nostalgic and all that remains are lofty buildings in ruins and relics literally of innumerable temples.

It is difficult to think what Chandrakona was like when all these temples used to tinkle with the temple bells for Arti in the evenings. There is hardly any locality or lane at Chandrakona where there are no temples. It looks as if every thriving family had a family deity enshrined in a temple. The abandoned homestead lands where the temples are now in ruins, jungles thrive and jackals howl. Just as the occupants have deserted the houses so the deities have also deserted the temples.

7. Baharistan-I-Chaybi: vol. I, p. 130 quoted in Paschim Banger Sanskriti by Binoy Ghosh.

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