Maluti

If you love heritage and temple architecture, then head to this nondescript village and you will be left speechless. The village of fewer than 400 families is also home to 72 ancient TERRACOTTA temples! The sheer number of temples packed into this small village will leave the visitor stunned and astounded. You would end up losing count of the temples and at the same time marvel at their beauty and grace. Maluti temples were built during the timeline of the 17th to 19th centuries. Of the original 108 temples constructed by kings of Baj Basanta dynasty, only 72 remain now. What is impressive about these temples located in five clusters is, they have almost identical towers and similar shapes. Barring monsoons, temple lovers can visit Maluti any time. The village is 55 kilometres from Dumka, the district headquarters. Though Maluti is in Jharkhand it is best approached from Rampurhat town in West Bengal district which is only 16 kilometres away. The nearest airport is at Andal near Durgapur in West Bengal, approximately 100 kilometres away.

Tarapith Temple
Located in West Bengal, this town about 19 kilometres away from Maluti, is famous for the goddess Tara Devi temple. This ancient temple built in the 13th century (1225) is a revered Shakti Peetha. The temple has multiple arched entrances which have artistic carvings above them.

Massanjore Dam
Located at about 55 kilometres from Maluti in the village of Massanjore, this dam of 21 gates was built across Mayurakshi river in the year 1955. The wide valley flanked by hills is a great place to build a dam. The beautiful garden in front of the dam and the forests around attract tourists to the dam for an outing.

Mallarpur Shiva Temple
This ancient temple is in the Mallarpur village of Bhirbhum District of West Bengal state, 13 kilometres away from Maluti. The main temple has more than 20 temples around it. These are again Terracotta temples like many of the ancient temples of the region and have attractive colour and designs.