From the dense forests of Mallabhum to the terracotta capital of Bengal. A journey through 1200 years of history.
Adi Malla (Raghunath Malla) founds the Malla dynasty. Originally known as Laugram, the kingdom begins its expansion in the Rarh region of Bengal.
King Jagat Malla shifts the capital to Bishnupur. He establishes the worship of Goddess Mrinmoyee, the tutelary deity of the Malla Kings.
Bir Hambir defeats the Pathan general Daud Khan Karrani. He is said to have offered a garland of skulls to goddess Mrinmoyee after this victory, earning him the title 'Bir', meaning heroic.
King Bir Hambir meets Vaishnava guru Srinivasa Acharya and converts to Gaudiya Vaishnavism. He makes Lord Madanmohan (Krishna) the tutelary deity of Bishnupur.
Bir Hambir commissions the Rasmancha, a large stepped temple to shelter and display Radha-Krishna idols during the grand Vaishnava festivals.
Under Bir Hambir’s patronage, the great iron cannon Dal Madal is cast by artisan Jagannath Karmakar to protect the kingdom.
King Raghunath Singha Dev constructs the Pancha-ratna (five-pinnacled) Shyam Rai temple, showcasing some of the most intricate terracotta panels in history.
King Bir Singha Dev builds the Kesto Rai (Jor Bangla) temple. His queen Siromoni Devi also becomes a patron, commissioning the Madan Gopal temple later in 1665.
Queen Siromoni Devi builds the Madan Gopal and Murali Mohan temples, cementing the royal family's dedication to Vaishnava architecture.
King Durjan Singha Dev constructs the Madan Mohan Temple in the ek-ratna style in honor of Lord Krishna, the guardian deity of the city.
King Gopal Singha Dev I builds the Pancha-ratna Jor Mandir (1726). Later, King Krishna Singha builds the Radha-Gobind temple (1729) and Queen Churamoni builds Radha-Madhab (1737).
Maratha cavalry (Bargis) attack Bengal. Local legend credits the temple deity Madanmohan with scaring off the Bargi forces.
King Chaitanya Singha Dev builds the Radha-Shyam temple (1758). In 1760, the British Permanent Settlement reduces the kingdom to a zamindari, ending autonomous rule.
The Great Bengal Famine (1770) kills one-third of the population. Later, the Chuar Rebellions (1788–1809) erupt against Company rule, led by Malla prince Madhav Singha Dev.
Bishnupur Municipality is formally constituted. The city begins its transition into a modern administrative center.
The traditional Baluchari sari weaving is revived in Bishnupur by master weavers like Subho Thakur and Akshay Kumar Das.
With India's independence, the princely authority formally ends. The royal family is merged into the state of West Bengal.
The Bankura District Museum is established (1951). In 1998, the temples are submitted for the UNESCO Tentative List. Bishnupur continues to thrive as a center for terracotta art and classical music.