The ruin is called the Namath Kali temple. It is located at the famous Kamakhya temple complex. It is a ruined temple- ‘Only the plinths, the southern column of what appears to be a veranda or an archway, and the inner cell have existed. The floors have been damaged already. The inner cell wherein regular oblations are being paid to the presiding goddess consists of four walls with an entrance door, all in a nearly damaged condition’. Architecturally it belongs to the Bishnupur group of temples. Curiously enough, written history is silent about this temple even though it is a part of the great Kamakhya temple complex. Although, the creator of Namath Kali is not known, it is a temple where oblations are paid to goddess Siddhesvari Kali on a daily basis.
The Namath Kali is a temple of the Aat-chala type of Bishnupur temple architecture. The Chala temples of Bengal are designed in the style of the typical Bengal thatched houses with exquisite influences of Islamic architecture such as ‘short and stout brick columns with a square base at the bottom, the triple archway entrance to the porch, the entrance to the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) in the form of mihrab frame (the prayer niche in a mosque), the lotus motif on the spandrels of entrance arch of the Garbhagriha (terracotta relief work), the temple corners designed with terracotta plaques etc’. Displaying of Krishna iconography is another major feature of this style. The Namath Kali temple is a south-facing rectangular building. It has an entrance with triple archway to the porch behind. The three-arched entrance, however, is completely damaged except the southern corner column. The temple has plain walls in the exterior except the entrance. The northern column, however, at the rear shows a row of human beings in a sitting posture, one at the top of another. The varied ornamental motifs consist of animals, birds, male and female human figures, different deities and other divine figures, temple motifs, various floral and geometric designs, trees etc. The walls in the interior are also plain. Except the front window, the temple has small-sized windows on the two side walls.
This ruined temple also has a similar structure located in Joysagar area of Sivasagar district. This structure is called Ghanashyam’s House. Though classified as a house, the structure, architecturally belongs to the group of Bishnupur temples. All the above-mentioned features are present in Ghanashyam’s House; in fact, the compound has a Bhog-ghar (a kitchen house) in its front and a brick-built gate house at its rear (northern direction). Curiously enough, there is not even a corner for an altar to be placed in. But the close architectural similarities between the two structures are discernible to any visitor of the two sites, and they are the only two examples of Bishnupur group of temples in Assam.
Historical investigations carried out to trace the identity of the two identical structures have found that both the buildings were the creations of Ghanashyam Khanikar. He was an architect-mason who was brought to the Ahom kingdom from Bengal by Ahom monarch Swargadeo Rudra Singha. The monarch brought him to build the new capital city of Rangpur. Ghanashyam’s House is located in the western bank of Joysagar, the huge pond, the monarch dug up in the memory of his mother Joymati. A different opinion is also in existence that Ghanashyam Rajmistri was brought to Assam by Swargadeo Rajeshwar Singha, the fourth son of Rudra Singha. In all probability, Ghanashyam’s House which is also known as Nati Gosain Doul (not so familiar) was renovated by Nati Gosain, the grandson of Parbatiya Gosain of Kamakhya temple of Guwahati under the patronage of Rajeshwar Singha, another great patron of art and architecture.
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It is quite likely that the Namath Kali temple was also built by Ghanashyam Khanikar under the patronage of King Rajeshwar Singha. What is most intriguing is that these beautiful structures have not been mentioned in any of the Ahom age records. Ghanashyam Khanikar, however, is mentioned in a few medieval works.
Oral traditions say that Ghanashyam Khanikar was a Hindu convert whose original name was Ghansamuddin. Ghanashyam’s eventual fate was tragic because the Barphukan of Guwahati arrested him while crossing the border after completion of his task at Rangpur on the charge of carrying a map of Rangpur. Immediately the architect was brought back to Rangpur, tried, proved guilty and life imprisonment was awarded to him. While in incarceration, he got his house constructed. It is perhaps because of this tainted tale the two architectural marvels and their creator have had remained sidelined in history.
(The author is the Associate Professor & HoD of Department of History at Assam Royal Global University. All views and opinions expressed in the article are the author’s own)
