Kantajew Temple
An 18th-century terracotta Hindu temple covered with more than 15,000 sculpted plaques.
📍 Location & access
🧭 Planning your trip
The best window for Kantajew Temple is Nov – Mar. November to February is the easiest season for travel across Bangladesh generally - cool and dry - while the monsoon between June and September is when the haors, waterfalls and hills are at their most dramatic.
How to reach: Train or bus from Dhaka to Dinajpur (about 7–8 hours), then a short drive of around 20 km to Kantanagar village.
Dinajpur is known for kantajew Temple, Ramsagar Lake, litchi.
History
Built between 1704 and 1752 under Maharaja Pran Nath and his adopted son Ramnath of Dinajpur, the temple is famed for terracotta plaques covering every surface, depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and everyday Bengali life. Its top storey collapsed in the great earthquake of 1897 and was never rebuilt.
✅ Tips for visiting
- Bring binoculars or a zoom lens - the finest terracotta detail is high up on the walls.
- Visit in the late afternoon when raking light brings out the carving.
- Combine with Ramsagar National Park, a short trip away, on the same day.
🧭 Nearby
- Dinajpur Rajbari
- Ramsagar National Park
- Nayabad Mosque
Sunrise and sunset at Kantajew Temple today
Useful for planning the golden hour - 11:33 of daylight.
More places like this
Ramsagar National Park
A vast 15th-century reservoir turned national park, ringed by forest and visited by migratory birds each winter.
Lake DinajpurSomapura Mahavihara, Paharpur
UNESCO site - an 8th-century Buddhist monastery, once the largest south of the Himalayas.
Heritage NaogaonSixty Dome Mosque (Shat Gambuj)
UNESCO site built by Khan Jahan Ali in the 15th century - 60 pillars, 77 domes, unmatched brickwork.
Heritage BagerhatMahasthangarh
The oldest urban archaeological site of Bangladesh - the ancient city of Pundranagara, 3rd century BCE.
Heritage BoguraLalbagh Fort
An unfinished 17th-century Mughal fort complex with the tomb of Pari Bibi at its heart.
Heritage DhakaAhsan Manzil
The pink palace on the Buriganga - residence of the Nawabs of Dhaka, now a museum.
Heritage DhakaFrequently asked questions about Kantajew Temple
Where is Kantajew Temple?
Kantajew Temple is in Dinajpur district, Bangladesh, at 25.6836°N, 88.6656°E.
When is the best time to visit Kantajew Temple?
The best season to visit Kantajew Temple is Nov – Mar.
What is Kantajew Temple known for?
An 18th-century terracotta Hindu temple covered with more than 15,000 sculpted plaques.
How do I get to Kantajew Temple?
Train or bus from Dhaka to Dinajpur (about 7–8 hours), then a short drive of around 20 km to Kantanagar village.
How much does it cost to visit Kantajew Temple?
Entry ৳20 (locals), ৳100 (foreigners approx.).