Pathra, Paschim Medinipur

Pathra is a village and a gram panchayat in the Midnapore Sadar CD block in the Medinipur Sadar subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Geography

Location

Pathra is located at .

Area overview

Paschim Medinipur district (before separation of Jhargram) had a total forest area of 1,700 km², accounting for 14.31% of the total forested area of the state. It is obvious from the map of the Midnapore Sadar subdivision, placed alongside, is that there are large stretches of forests in the subdivision. The soil is predominantly lateritic. Around 30% of the population of the district resides in this subdivision. 13.95% of the population lives in urban areas and 86.05% lives in the rural areas.

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.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Census of India, Pathra had a total population of 3,356, of which 1,726 (51%) were males and 1,639 (49%) were females. There were 495 persons in the age range of 0–6 years. The total number of literate persons in Pathra was 1,921 (67.14% of the population over 6 years).

.*For language details see Midnapore Sadar (community development block)#Language and religion

Culture

Pathra is a village of temples with hundreds of small temples. Unfortunately, many of the temples are in bad shape because of lack of preservation, damage by the Kangsabati and vandalizing by the locals. There are 34 temples with "enriched terracotta artwork". Those deserving a special mention are the ''naba-ratna'' temple, ''kachari mahal'', ''rasmancha'', ''dalan'' of Kalachand, Durgeswar temple and Pancha Shiva temple.

Most of the temples were built by the Ghosal (later changed to Majumdar) and Banerjee families. The decline started when the rich families shifted base. However, with the persistent efforts of a small group of enthusiasts, Pathra has turned the tide. Due to the continuous effort of one public spirited person Yasin Pathan, Archaeological Survey of India has taken charge of 28 temples and have repaired 18 temples. Pathra Archeological Preservation Committee, a non-government organization, also looks after the structures.

A major attraction is the 250-year old, 40 feet high ''Nava-ratna'' temple. There is a small ''at-chala'' temple in the same compound. Located nearby are three ''at-chalas'' and a ''pancha-ratna'' temple. Behind the cluster is a Durga ''dalan''. Some distance away is another group of ''pancha-ratna'' temples. The Sitala temple (also known as ''Burimar than'') is also 40 feet high. Other important temples are Sarbamangala, Kalachand, Das Mahavidya and Hansa. The''rasmancha'' built in 1832 has nine small towers.

David J. McCutchion mentions a ruined temple at Pathra as a ''char-chala'' on an elongated base, the ''nava-ratna'' as having smooth rekha turrets, the Kalachand temple as a flat roofed temple with a porch on five arches, and the Sitala temple as having a shallow porch projection.

The Dharmaraj temple, the temples of the Bandopadhyay family, the Sitala temple and the ''Nava-ratna'' complex, all four at Pathra are Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal.

Pathra picture gallery

File:Navratna Temple Complex- Pathra- West Bengal- NT-06.jpg, ''Nava-ratna'' temple of Majumdar family
File:Navratna Temple Complex- Pathra- West Bengal- NT-14.jpg, ''Nava-ratna'' temple
File:Temples of Bandhopadhyay Family- Pathra- West Bengal- BT-15.jpg, ''Pancha-ratna'' Shiva temple of Banerjee family
File:Temples of Bandhopadhyay Family- Pathra- West Bengal- BT-05.jpg, ''Pancha-ratna'' Shiva temple
File:Dharmaraaj Temple- Pathra- West Bengal- DT-01.jpg, ''Pancha-ratna'' Dharmaraj temple
File:Dharmaraaj Temple- Pathra- West Bengal- DT-03.jpg, ''Pancha-ratna'' Dharmaraj temple
File:Sitala Maata Temple- Pathra- West Bengal- ST-01.jpg, Sitala temple

References

External links

{{Temple towns in West Bengal

Villages in Paschim Medinipur district