Pradip Kumar Kar

Pradip Kumar Kar is a researcher, publisher, poet, novelist and filmmaker based in Bishnupur, West Bengal. He has a master’s degree in Sanskrit and Philosophy. As an editor he has worked with a number of newspapers and magazines, including TERRACOTTA, a monthly Bengali magazine based on archaeology, anthropology and folklore of West Bengal; KRANTI, a Bangla literary magazine; weekly Jangal Mahal Express; daily Amrita Dhara; and has contributed to DESH, published by the Anandabazar Patrika. As a poet and novelist, he has ten books to his credit and as a filmmaker, two documentary films. He is also a recipient of the Junior Research Fellowship from Ministry of Culture, Government of India, New Delhi (2010-2012).

This grant will enable Pradip to study the inscriptions on the plaques in temples built between the 16^th and 19^th century in West Bengal. While names of the wealthy patrons like kings and feudal lords were usually inscribed on plaques of temples they built, the names of the artists were never considered worthy of such mentions. As a result, while the patrons were immortalised, artists remained invisible in the history of Indian art. This happened also because artists came from socially ostracised caste backgrounds. However, the temples Pradip wants to work with are different and have the names of the artists inscribed which he wants to unearth. This will provide comprehensive identity profiles of the artisans and craftsmen who made these temples.

Like various other regions of India, temples of West Bengal have attracted scholarly attention since colonial times. Scholars from India and abroad have produced substantial literature on temples built in different periods of history. Most of it, however, is focused predominantly on the architectural and sculptural styles of the temples. According to Pradip, studies on the engraved inscriptions are scarce and mostly centred on the people who ordered the constructions of the temples. Through this project, he will attempt to glean out the information about the artisans and craftsmen who constructed these temples to build a picture of their social lives and the world they lived in.

Pradip will divide his study into five phases. In the first phase, he will concentrate on gathering as much primary and secondary data as possible. The second phase will involve deciphering the deeper meanings of the temple inscriptions, with inputs from renowned experts in the field. It will also include working on comparative studies of different inscriptions. In the third phase, he will study the local histories and literature alongside the temple inscriptions. During the fourth phase, he will compile the details of the artisans, their social and cultural identities, places they hailed from, as observed in the inscriptions and analyse them. The fifth stage will include following various chains of information provided on the temple plaques to understand various aspects including the resources, time and manpower for building such structures. Simultaneously, Pradip will study the contemporary market trends of the time, cost of material, and major social events that happened during the construction of these temples to understand the context within which they were being built.

The outcome of this project will be an essay and a set of small exhibitions held in four districts of West Bengal. The Grantee’s deliverables to IFA with the final reports will be an essay, photographs from the exhibitions and photographs and documentation of two hundred temples across West Bengal.

This grant is made possible with support from Titan Company Limited.