Abstract:
The prerogative of cultural geography is to analyse how space, place and landscape are
shaped by culture. It focuses on people’s relationship to the natural world and the modification
of that natural landscape into cultural landscape. Cultural landscape is tangible outcome of
the complex interaction between human groups with its own practice, preferences, values,
aspirations and a natural or modified environment (Knox & Manston, 1987). This interaction
is time and space specific. Thus each and every place has its own cultural identity. This
identity may become a resource for the further development of that place. So is happen in
case of the ‘temple town’ Bishnupur. Geographically it is located between 22057’15" N to
23012’32"N latitude and 87031’46"E to 87024’11"E longitude. The place significance of
Bishnupur is historically rooted. It was the capital of Malla (local chieftain) dynasty. The
Malla kings patronise many handloom and cottage industries including Silk, Tasar, Conch
shell carvings, Bell metal, Patachitra etc. Along with this the Malla kings constructed many
terracotta and brick made temples as religious symbols from locally available building
materials. Malla reign faced many ups and downs for several times. Naturally many cultural
practices imprinted their material and non material culture to the indigenous Bishnupur
culture. The terracotta temples witnessed as piece of evidence of that acculturation process.
The temples of Bishnupur and surrounding areas were constructed in 16th or 17th century. The
temple architecture of neighbouring state Orissa has great impact on the temple of the study
area. Incarnation of Mughal and South Indian style of temple can also be found (Santra,
1998). The Mughal, Parsic, Indo-Parsic, Hindu classics, Buddhist style and the mythological
influences are prominent in terracotta ornamentation. Beside that the influence of Portuguese
architecture is prominent (Dasgupta 1980). Thus mixture of tangible or natural resource and
intangible resource in form of religious beliefs makes temples as a part of cultural environment
which becomes a resource base for tourism.
