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Situated
on the Western periphery of the State, Bankura bordered the
western limits of the State till transfer of Puruliya to West
Bengal in 1956. Long
known for its handicrafts, art and cultural traditions, Bankura
boasts of the finest example of terracotta temple panels in the
State at Bishnupur. Some
pre-historic artifacts have also been discovered at Sushunia
hillock of this district.
Though basically an agricultural district, being the
fourth highest producer of cereals in the State, Bankura is also
developing industrially with 10,887 registered small scale
industries employing about 52,864 persons as on 31.8.2000
(Economic Review 2000-2001).
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Bankura
is famous for its Terracotta Temples of Bishnupur and many other
places in the district. For centuries together the artisans of
this area have developed this art. The most famous product of
this district in terracotta handicrafts is the famous 'Bankura
Horse'. It is produced exclusively by the artisans of Panchmura,
a village, about 8 Km. south-east of Taldangra Block
Headquarters. In course of the last few decades the fame of the
commonly known 'Bankura Horse' has reached many parts of the
globe. The 'Bankura Horse' has now come to be regarded as a
symbol of the artistic excellence of Indian rural handicrafts -
a fact which finds confirmation in its use as the official
crest-motif of the All India Handicrafts Board. The long-necked
Panchmura Horse is made hollow with some circular vents to
facilitate uniform firing in the country kilns. Panchumura Horse
stands on its four legs with the neck held high and the ears and
the tail erect and straight. The original function of these
terracotta horses were a ritualistic one. People would offer
them as a token of their devotion to Dharma Thakur, Manasa and
numerous other village deities. Such offerings are also made on
the tombs of Muslim Saints whose worshippers do not necessarily
belong to the Muslim community alone. The structure of 'Bankura
Horse' has been so fashioned as to symbolize a mark of devotion.
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