Maluti Terracotta Temples

Maluti, a small heritage village just across the Jharkhand border in Dumka district, is famous as the 'Village of Temples'. It houses a stunning cluster of 72 surviving terracotta temples (out of an original 108), built between the 17th and 19th centuries, making it one of the largest concentrations of terracotta temples in India. The temples were built by the Baj Basanta dynasty. According to history, Basanta Ray, a poor villager, caught and returned the pet falcon (baj) of Sultan Alauddin Hussain Shah of Gauda in the 15th century. The pleased Sultan granted him a tax-free kingdom, and his descendants, instead of building palaces, competed with each other in building temples — giving Maluti its extraordinary heritage. Most temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva, along with shrines to Goddess Mauliksha, Durga, Kali and scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata carved in exquisite terracotta panels. The temple of Maa Mauliksha, the presiding deity of the village, is believed to be closely connected with Maa Tara of Tarapith — many consider Mauliksha to be the elder sister of Tara. The saint Bamakhepa is also said to have spent time in sadhana at Maluti. The village has been recognised by the Global Heritage Fund and is under restoration as a protected heritage site.