Places in Raghunathpur subdivision in Purulia district M: municipal town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, H: historical/ religious centre, T: tourist centre Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
Banda is 1 km from Cheliyama, which contains the Radha Vinod temple with the most richly decorated terracotta carvings.[2]
Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
Banda Deul
There is a temple at Banda, which is described by the Archaeological Survey of India as a rekha deul of triratha variety in sandstone.[3] The temple is richly decorated, the themes being creepers, scroll work and stylised chaitya window.[3]The temple is datable to c. 11th century AD.[3]
In 1872, the archaeologist J.D.Beglar came across this temple, then covered with deep vegetation in a forest. The area around the deul was cleared and it started attracting attention. It is not clear whether it was a Hindu or a Jain temple. The ground plan is star shpaed.[3] Internally the cella is square with a rectangular Mukhamandapa.[3] The temple consists of a single cell and it once had a mandapa.[4]
The temple had a mandapa which has largely collapsed, However, eight pillars are still there supporting the cross beams. The temple has a water outlet with a makara (crocodile) head.[2]
^ ab"District Census Handbook, Puruliya, Series 20, Part XII A"(PDF). Banda - Page 101: Brief Description of Places of Religious, Historical or Archaeological Importance and Places of Tourist Importance of the District. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
