Kantajew Temple
কান্তজীউ মন্দির
An 18th-century temple whose every wall is covered in exquisite terracotta stories.
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Completed in 1752 by Maharaja Ramnath of Dinajpur, Kantajew Temple is dedicated to Krishna. Its three-storey brick body is covered with thousands of terracotta plaques showing scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, Krishna's life and everyday 18th-century life, from hunts to processions. The nine spires that once crowned it fell in an earthquake in 1897, but the decoration survives remarkably well. It stands beside the Dhepa River in the village of Kantanagar.
How to get there
About 20 km north of Dinajpur town in Kaharol upazila; take a bus or CNG along the Dinajpur–Thakurgaon road and turn off at Kantanagar.
Good to know
Bring binoculars or a zoom lens to read the upper panels. Go in the morning for the best light.
More from Dinajpur
District guide →
Place Ramsagar National Park
রামসাগর জাতীয় উদ্যানA huge, centuries-old man-made pond surrounded by trees, picnic spots and birdlife.
Place Dinajpur Rajbari
দিনাজপুর রাজবাড়ীThe weathered palace of the Dinajpur Rajas, with temples still in use inside the grounds.
Hidden place ▶ Video Nayabad Mosque
নয়াবাদ মসজিদA three-domed 18th-century mosque near Kantanagar, linked by legend to the temple's builders.
Food Dinajpur Litchi
দিনাজপুরের লিচুThe most celebrated litchis in Bangladesh, from orchards around Dinajpur town.
Nearby
Tradition Kantajew Rash Mela
Dinajpur · কান্তজীউ রাস মেলাA large yearly fair at Kantanagar around Rash Purnima, with worship, music and stalls.
Hidden place ▶ Video Nayabad Mosque
Dinajpur · নয়াবাদ মসজিদA three-domed 18th-century mosque near Kantanagar, linked by legend to the temple's builders.
Representative photo Hidden place ▶ Video Aokora Mosque (the 'talking mosque')
Dinajpur · আওকরা মসজিদA small 1766 mosque on the Belan riverbank in Khansama, named for the echo it once gave back.
Place Nilsagar
Nilphamari · নীলসাগরA huge, ancient tank south-west of town, a winter haven for migratory birds.