Fund flow for Bishnupur tourism facelift

KOLKATA: The historic terracotta temples at Bishnupur may soon receive the attention they deserve. The tourism potential of the only surviving specimen of terracotta architecture in the world is yet to be exploited as the temple town is plagued by poor infrastructure.
Now, that is set to change with the Union tourism ministry approving a Rs 3.5 crore integrated infrastructure development project for the seat of Bengal’s Malla dynasty.
Though the letter is yet to arrive, tourism secretary R.K. Tripathy confirmed that the Centre had given its nod for developing facilities for tourists. "We had submitted a project proposal for Rs 5.07 crore in March 2002. Despite the project size being pruned, it will help give the town a facelift," he said.
Though the Archeological Survey of India took up preservation work decades ago, Bishnupur has no tourist infrastructure. Those who brave the conditions put up at a run-down government tourist lodge. Rickety rickshaws take them through dirty dingy alleys on a jerky temple tour. “The project attempts to transform the area into a tourist-friendly destination. A landscaped tourist circuit will be created with properly developed and illuminated roads, scenic water bodies with boating facilities, motels and restaurants,� Tripathy said. The temples are found in two big concentrations – the Shyam Rai, Jore Bangla, Radha Shyam, Lalji, Krishna Balaram, Nikunja Behari and Keshar shrines lying within the fort area and the Kalachand, Radha Madhav, Radha Govinda, Jore Mandir and Nandalal temples which are dispersed over an area to the south and south-west of Lalbundh. The Malleswar, Madan Gopal and Madan Mohan temples are to the north of the fort. "Two large tanks -- Lalbundh and Shyambundh -- are in a poor state. They will be reclaimed and spruced up with illuminated fountains. Boating services are proposed along the canal linking the two tanks," tourism director M.K. Sengupta said.
Two motels with modern tourist reception and information centres, two museums on Malla art and handicraft and an open-air theatre are proposed along with restaurants and refreshment kiosks.
A world-class tourist resort comprising cottages, a multicuisine restaurant, swimming pool and a conference hall is also on the cards. The entire project has to be completed in two years. State tourism officials hope that the development would spur tourism and help Bishnupur bag the prestigious Unesco world heritage status. Though former ASI director Komal Anand had proposed the temple town in 2000, it did not come through.