Report of a Tour through the Bengal Provinces/Katrás

by Joseph David Freedone Melik Beglar

KATRÁS.

Katrás is an important village, about 6 miles south of the police outpost between Gobindpur and Topchânchi; there must once have been numerous temples here, but the materials have been used up in building new ones; to the north of the village is a small temple, perhaps partly old, but standing on a terrace, which has evidently been restored. As the basement moulding of this terrace are curious, I have inserted it (vide plates); close to it, on a small mound, are the ruins of an old temple; here lies an old sculptured doorway and several fragments; in the vicinity are several low mounds, with fragments of statues and cut stone lying about.

To the east of, and separated from, the village by a small rivulet stands a half-ruined old temple known as the Dewal; this temple is especially interesting, as showing the construction of temples of this class—single-cell ones—and for the simplicity of its mouldings; the temple is remarkably plain; it has in front the tall triangular opening, formed of overlapping stones, and divided into two portions by a broad slab let in across; at present I see no remains of any mandapa in front, but the existence of the dividing slab shows that it existed at one time, as otherwise the slab dividing the opening into an entrance proper and an illuminating window becomes meaningless.

The temple is filled up inside to some depth with rubbish; on excavation, I came upon an argha eccentrically placed; judging from this that it was a later addition, I continued the excavation, and came upon an argha centrically placed and in situ; the temple was, therefore, Saivic; the exterior of the temple is also buried under about three feet of rubbish, and this may account for my not seeing any traces of the foundations of a mandapa in front.

Close to the temple is a tank, now nearly dry, known as the Ghât Bándhá Tal; it was evidently attached to the temple; its name is said to have been derived from the existence of a stone ghat, which was once found upon digging, but which is now again buried. A fair, lasting one day during the month of Chait, is annually held here. The temple stands on the crest of high undulating ground. The place is known as Jhinjhi Páhári. For details of measurement and construction, I refer to the plates and photograph; description is superfluous. The temple faces west; on the entrance is a human head sculptured on the architrave; the head has matted locks, and is apparently intended for Siva.

I have elsewhere indicated the importance of Katrás; it is even now of some importance, as the Rájá of Jhariá occasionally resides here. There are numerous modern temples and several pakka residences in the village.

From the evident simplicity of the mouldings and the occurrence of the triangular overlapping opening in front, which, however necessary constructively in brick buildings, is not a necessity here, and from this opening being designed in accordance with the proportions that held in brick temples, I infer this temple to be one of the oldest found in Magadha (supposing Magadha to have extended to the Dámudá river southwards). The district of which Katrás is, or was, the capital is known, in Muhammadan history, as Jhárkhand, which appears to have been derived from Jhariágarh; but as Jhariágarh is traditionally said to have risen into importance after the decay of Katrás, or rather as its rise is said to have caused the decay of Katrás, I infer that the temple here must date to a period long anterior to the Muhammadan conquest.

About 8 miles west of Katrás is a temple at Dumra, but which I could not visit.

Two miles south of Katrás are two small and apparently modern temples, one dated in Samvat 1904, 18th Vaisâkh: the village is called Malkará.

About 8 miles south by a little west from Katuis, on the right bank of the Dámudá river, are the ruins of a large religious establishment; the place is now utterly deserted, the nearest village being two miles off; the ruins are known as the ruins of Chechgaongarh.