ABSTRACT
Studies in early medieval/medieval temple architecture in Bengal received tremendous attention among scholars by the beginning of nineteenth century CE. More than a century of research on the archaeological significance of architectural remains in Bengal has been centred round mainly two themes: the dating of the monuments on the basis of perfunctory and superficial studies of the architectural details and eventual discussions on the religious affiliation of the shrine mostly based on sculptural evidences. They emphasised mainly on the evolutionary development of temple shrines in a specific spatial-temporal context with divergent artistic skill – both indigenous and reflections of the influences from neighbouring regions. The concept of temple polity and its relationship with the landscape and sociocultural setup was further enhanced by scholars of late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Scholars, during this time, worked on the social processes underlying temple-building in medieval Bengal. They introduced some new conceptual tools and methodologies in understanding various ramifications and linkages of social, religious, and geographical factors influencing temple-building and the vice versa. This chapter highlights the development of temple-building activities in Bengal from the early medieval/medieval to late medieval period within diverse spatiotemporal contexts reflecting regional differences and geocultural milieu.
