This close-up reveals a floral terracotta motif adorning the outer wall of the Pancha Ratna Govinda Temple, Puthia. Such decorative elements were meticulously hand-carved into baked clay, reflecting Bengal’s distinctive temple art tradition. These patterns blend natural themes with religious symbolism, functioning both as ornamentation and sacred expression. Their repetition across temple surfaces showcases the artisans’ skill and the enduring relevance of vegetal motifs in religious architecture. These crafted surfaces not only embellish but also archive regional artistic conventions, bearing witness to the social and material contexts that sustained this craft in Bengal’s temple economy.
