Situated 120 meters north of Garh Darwaja, the larger of Bishnupur’s surviving city gates, stands the Stone Chariot (Ratha), a peculiar yet diminutive monument in the town.
Perched upon a modest laterite plinth, likely no taller than 3.5 meters, this miniature stone chariot serves as a symbolic representation of Bishnupur’s temple architecture. Its lower level, open on all sides with five arched entrances, closely resembles the arched pavilion design of the Rasmancha. Meanwhile, the upper level, adorned with a shikara and triple-arched openings on each side, mirrors the laterite Eka-Ratna temples like the Nandalal Temple found throughout the town.
Within the confines of the first level, a set of stone wheels, three on each side, can be observed by crouching down and peering through the arched openings.
In India, stone chariots primarily serve as architectural embellishments or symbolic representations within temple complexes. While they lack functionality as actual chariots, these elaborately carved stone structures are quite prevalent, especially in South India.
Among the most renowned is the stone chariot at the Vitthala Temple in Hampi, Karnataka. Additionally, the Pancha Rathas of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu exemplify monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture by portraying entire temples as chariots. Notably, the Sun Temple at Konark, Odisha, features twelve intricately carved giant wheels flanking the temple, symbolically pulled by seven stone horses.
It is intriguing that this stone chariot stands independently without any association with nearby temples that still exist. Its proximity to what was likely a main thoroughfare into the city, just preceding one of the city gates, suggests its location held significance.
Regarding its age, in the absence of any inscription, dating relies on the structure’s fabric and form. Among the ten Eka-Ratna temples built of laterite stone in Bishnupur, the oldest is the Kalachand temple, erected in 1656. Given that earlier temples were constructed from terracotta bricks, it’s plausible to estimate that this laterite stone chariot was likely built in the latter half of the 17th century or the early half of the 18th century.
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