PATHRA - A VILLAGE OF TEMPLES (Hardcover, MD. YEASIN PATHAN (Author), Arindam Bhowmik (Editor, Illustrator))

The elders of Pathra village said a proverb – “Siv Mandir chilo unoasi, asi holei hoye jeto Kashi” That is, there were eighty-nine Shiva temples in the village. If it was eighty, it would have been a famous pilgrimage site like Kashi (Varanasi). If only Shiva temple was 79, then how many temples were there in total? We may never get the answer to that question again. At one time, as a result of indigo cultivation and silk cultivation, the landowners in this region became rich. All those landlords built temples in Pathra. However, long before indigo or silk cultivation, this region was rich and had many temples. Evidence of this can be found in the ninth century Vishnulokeshwar idol or 1000 year old Jain temple found in this region. However, the temples of the ninth century or earlier are no more. In this book, the author has tried to explore the history of that Pathra village. Md. Yeasin Pathan He was born on March 4, 1952 in the village of Hatihalka. Father Taharit Pathan and mother Atashi Bibi. Since childhood he wondered at the beauty of ancient temples dotting banks of Kangsabati in Pathra village. But, he was pained at seeing the divine structures being looted by people. Changing course of Kangsabati also obliterated some. While poverty forced him out of studies after class eight, he was unwilling to give up on these temples. Soon after starting efforts to preserve the temples, at the age of 17, he realized his name might as well be his nemesis. He started preaching about the importance of the heritage and how the area could develop into a tourist spot around these temples to bring prosperity to the inhabitants. He was working as a peon in a local school. However, most of his meager earnings and time went toward organizing people and events to spread awareness about the priceless heritage. In 1991, he established the NGO 'Pathra Archaeological Preservation Committee' with Hindus, Muslims and Tribals as members. It provided a platform not only for discussion