Report of a Tour through the Bengal Provinces/Ekteswar

by Joseph David Freedone Melik Beglar

EKTESWAR.

Two miles south-east of Bánkurá, on the left bank of the Darikeswara river, is the small village and temple of Ekteswar; the temple is remarkable in its way; the mouldings of the basement are the boldest and finest of any I have seen, though quite plain; the temple was built of laterite, but has had sandstone and brick additions made to it since; there are traces of three different restorations or repairs executed to this temple; the first was a restoration of the upper portion, which had apparently fallen down. In the restoration, the outline of the tower and general appearance of the temple before its dilapidation appears to have been entirely ignored, and a new design adopted. After this, repairs on a small scale were carried out, of which traces are to be seen in various patchy portions of brick and mortar; lastly, a series of brick arches were added in front of the temple. The object of worship inside is a lingam, which is said to have thrust itself up through the ground. Several pieces of sculpture, both broken and sound, and almost all Brahmanical, lie in groups on platforms outside, none of any special interest and none inscribed.