Navratna Mandir at Sirajganj in Bangladesh is one of the rare examples of temple design in this county. It is located at the Hatikumrul union in Ullapara Upazila, Sirajganj. It is the largest Navaratna Mandir of Bangladesh. Local people fondly call it Dol Moncho.
The name Dol Moncho means swinging platform. Swinging the idol of the deity is one of the fond procedures of the Hindu worship especially during festivals. Elevated platforms and open structure with arched veranda are the features of this temple.
In 1664 Nayeb Dewan Ramnath Bhaduri built this temple on the model of Kantajis Mandir in Dinajpur. The temple is known as Navratna Mandir because it has nine ratna-spires carved out of terracotta. This 15.4 mt. square temple is surrounded by itsuriki wall. The temple is full of medieval artefacts and has an entrance on the east side, and a staircase on the north side of the Kuthuri. Above the central worship hall of the Navratna Mandir is another room with a balcony. Besides, there are many stories surrounding the pond located next to the Navratna Mandir.
The most striking feature is the elaborate decorations covering the walls. In some temples, every inch of the surface (even the inside walls) is decorated with terracotta. This ornamentation is composed of rows of burnt-brick panels, each with a figure or geometric patterns, arranged in particular ways in specific parts of temple walls, and often forming large sculptural compositions.
The ground floor of the temple has a central Garbha Griha (shrine) surrounded by two verandahs. The outer verandah has seven archways on each side. The central shrine has two arch openings – one in the east and other in the south. The second floor of the temple has been built without any outer verandah, while the third storey looks over the central shrine of the temple. Brick and lime mortar were used for the construction of the temple due to a lack of suitable stone in this alluvial delta, giving rise to the use of burnt bricks and terracotta for temple construction and decoration. These precious gems of Hindu temple architecture are calling for attention and care.
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