I grew up in Kolkata during my school and college years but sadly did not get to see much of Bengal then. I made a day trip to Kalna sometime back and was planning a trip to Bishnupur which finally materialized. I quickly booked a room in West Bengal Tourist Lodge for us since it was just after Durga Puja and Bengalis travel the most during that time. We left by Rupasi Bangla at 6.30 am from Santragachi Station in Kolkata and the 3 hour journey was pretty uneventful except for the stations that showed up on either side, sounds of hawkers selling eatables, fruits and the changing faces of people around in the neighboring seats. A 25 minute Rickshaw Ride through the narrow alleys dotted with shops took us to the gate of the lodge.
Most of Bishnupur Temples can be covered on Foot in 2 circuits except Madanmohan Temple which is a little off the walking route. I was traveling with my mother and aunt so we decided to avail a ToTo which is a battery operated vehicle.
BISHNUPUR HISTORY
Bishnupur was the centre of the Malla Kingdom for centuries and had a flourishing economy promoting art and culture. The name Malla means wrestler and was named after the first king Adi Malla who though born in a princely household was raised by a Fisherwoman (Bagdi) and later by a priest. At the time he inherited the throne of Pradyumnapur he was the undefeated wrestler in the region and hence the name “Malla” . The 19th ruler of the dynasty Jagat Malla relocated the capital of the kingdom from Pradyumnapur to Bishnupur after he received divine guidance from goddess Ma Mrinmoyee to whom he dedicated the first temple in Bishnupur. Unfortunately this temple does not exist any more and a newly constructed structure is known as Mrinmoyee Temple located near Radhe Shyam Temple. Most of the temples that can be seen now were built in the 17th and 18th century under the patronage of Raghunath Singha Dev , Bir Singha and Durjan Singha Dev each of whom ruled for 20-30 years. The kings were devotees of Krishna who is an avatara of Lord Vishnu and most of the temples are named so and have extensive relief work on the walls depicting Krishna Leela.
Around Bishnupur
Most of Bishnupur Temples can be covered on Foot in 2 circuits except Madanmohan Temple which is a little off the walking route. I was traveling with my mother and aunt so we decided to avail a ToTo which is a battery operated vehicle along with a guide. The soil here is red and as the wind blows and covers my face and sleeves with a layer of red earth, I am touched by “Ranga Maati” or Red Earth. The temples are made of this earth as a combination of laterite and terracotta; some still reflect the bright color while others have a layer of black on them due to years of erosion and neglect. The main attraction are the temples which can be covered in 2 circuits and takes about 2 hours for Circuit A and 3 hours for Circuit B. The temples in Circuit B still have intricate artwork on the walls and pillars that are worth the time. Food options are limited so we stuck to our meals in the lodge and nibbled into “Tele Bhaja” while walking around and not to forget the beautiful Baluchari Sarees that we picked up from a weaver. Stop by and listen to a baul sitting by the roadside and singing a catchy colloquial song in praise of Krishna and Radharani while strumming at his “Ektara”
Bishnupur Temple Circuit A –
Rasmancha : The oldest brick temple us dated to 1600 AD. A brick and stone structure it has a pyramidal top and arched structure below which is very typical of Bengal architecture. It was the place where everyone would bring their Radha Krishna idols during “Rash” for worship. Rash is an importance festival for the Vaishnavites celebrated during the Full Moon Night in November also called Rash Purnima. It is a unique and striking structure but most of the terracotta work on the walls is now in ruins.
Dolmadol : A little ahead is a nearly 4 metre long cannon which was perhaps used by the Malla kings those days. Its just a brief photo opportunity and nothing spectacular about it.
Nandalal Temple: It is an “Eka Ratna” or single towered structure made of laterite located in a lush green garden. Not much is left of the wall carvings now.
Jor Mandir: As the name suggests these are multiple temples located together in a single complex. These temples are very similar to Nandalal Temple built in 18th century and the historical stories and events once carved on its wall is mostly non existent now
Radha Madhav : It is the only temple with an adjoining hut like structure. This temple is unique because it has entry only from 2 sides through a typical 3 arched doorway. The remnants of the external walls tell stories of Krishna Leela. It was constructed by Churamoni , queen of Bir Singha Dev after his demise and maybe the hut was made for her to pray.
Radha Gobinda – Kalachand : All these temples are located very close to each other and are single spired Eka Ratna Temples made of laterite and with little or no carvings remaining on the walls.
Bishnupur Temple Circuit B :
Walk towards the right from the lodge and take a turn next to the musuem; passing by the non descript GhumGhar. A little ahead take a turn towards
Shyam Rai Temple :This is the only Pancha Ratna or 5 Pinnacles Temple in Bishnupur. It has terracotta art work on all 4 sided entrance through the 3 arched gateways. The panels are mostly dedicated to incidents from Radha and Krishna’s life.
Kestorai : Also known as the Jor Bangla Temple this is a combination of 2 thatched roof structures joined to each other. The terracotta work on the walls though fading and in near ruins have panels depicting scenes from Ramayan, Mahabharata, contemporary social scenes comprising floral motifs, ships, boats, people and much more.
Lalji – All that remains now is barren walls and the rest is left to our imagination
Radhe Shyam – This is the newest temple in Bishnupur built around 1758 using laterite stone and limestone stucco under the patronage of Chaitanya Singha. The few panels left depict stories of Radha and Krishna. 
Gateways & Stone Chariot: Pass through the large gateway and you can see the small gateway by the side. The road on the other side winds its way towards Madan Mohan Temple which is the most spectacular temple in Bishnupur. We preserved the best for the last else the remaining would lose its charm
Madan Mohan: This temple is relatively larger than the rest of the Eka Ratna styled ones and the terracotta wall art has very detailed depiction of Krishna Leela. Located away from the remaining temples, this is also a functional temple. 
With the passage of time all that will remain of these beautiful terracotta temples and the exquisite wall art will be just the structure. I was a tad bit disappointed with the upkeep, except for the carefully manicured lawns around these temples. All these carvings were a way to record history, to promote learning and connect with the divine. Bishnupur Temples have long been in the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage but have not made it whilst they deserve to. It would lead to restoration and preservation which would generate employment, focus back on art and give a nudge to tourism like I have seen in Cambodia. On the question of restoration, as I travel through different parts of India visiting old monuments and temples , I increasingly notice the earlier facades being replaced with flat stones, bricks .etc. Restoration requires huge amount of money, public/private will and more over finesse is not guaranteed so replacing with flat bricks and relegating the old pieces to a museum seem to be more of the preferred route by the authorities.