A wonderful Architecture of a peaked temple: Mahilara Sarkar Math

Peaked Temple: Mahilara Sarkar Math

This Math (shrine) is located in the village of Mahilara under the Gournadi upazila of Barishal district. Mahilara Bazar is at the south of about 6 kilometers on the Dhaka-Barishal highway from Gournadi upazila headquarters. An east facet paved road is on the southwards of 500 meters from the Bazar. This math is seen on the paved road of 250 meters east. There is a big pond on the south side of the Math, a small pond on the east, and paved roads on the west and the north side.

Map: location of Mahilara Sarkar Math.

This Sankar Math, known as the Sarkar Math, is a wonderful example of peaked temple art. No inscription was found in the Math. However, its architectural style is suspected to be seen, this Math was built in the 18th century AD. It is also suspected that during Nawab Alibardi’s regime, Sarkar Rupram Das Gupta built it.

The Math is about 20.21 meters high. Each side or arm’s length is 1.91 meters in the lower part of this Math built in octagonal shape. These arms have climbed up to about 6.2 meters from the bottom. After that, the Math became increasingly narrow and moved upwards. The narrow part is decorated with numerous bow-shaped cornice decorations and gradually ends up to the peak. Inside the Math, there is a small room built in a square. 

The only entrance to this room is on the west wall of the Math. The panel of the Segmental arch over the entrance has several geometric designs. The same decoration is also on the other side of the Math. The Math is slightly leaned to the South. To make it straight,  the technology of how to straighten up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy may be used. At present, this Math is  preserved by the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh. [Md. Shahin Alam]

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