: 200 Yrs Ago, How Queen Ahilyabai Made a Bihar Villages Black Granite World Famous #IndiaNEWS #History Located on the bank of the Phalgu River, the Vishnupada temple in Bihar’s Gaya district is surrounded

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200 Yrs Ago, How Queen Ahilyabai Made a Bihar Villages Black Granite World Famous #IndiaNEWS #History
Located on the bank of the Phalgu River, the Vishnupada temple in Bihar’s Gaya district is surrounded by rocks and water. The marvellous structure, which dates back to the 8th century, has put Patharkatti village on the map of the finest stone carvings.
The temple was built by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar. According to folklore, she was searching for craftsmen to erect the temple with stones that could survive harsh weather conditions. Unable to source skilled men locally, she procured them from Rajasthan’s Gour community. On the completion of the structure, when the workers wanted to return home, the Maharaja of Tekari allotted them a piece of land in Patharkatti village, 40 kilometres away from Gaya. Since the area fell under the Maharaja’s jurisdiction, the artisans were allowed to quarry the stone for free initially, and later at an annual royalty of Rs 1. 50.
While Ahilyabai only played a small role in the migration process, she ended up generating livelihood for several families, as well as enriching a tiny village with art and craft. Devotees and buyers from across both India and the world visit the village to purchase authentic sculptures of gods and goddesses, as well as decor and household items such as bowls and thalis made from black stone.
However, there are other historical accounts that state that the stone carvings were present way before the Maharani became involved. Ashok Sinha, director of Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan (UMSAS), a government-run organisation that looks after art preservation, confirms the same.
“We have found several sculptures made from black stone across Bihar, especially in the Nalanda district, which are much older than the Vishnupada temple. Such stones are only found in Patharkatti village, and some settlements were living in the area before communities from Rajasthan came in,� Sinha tells The Better India.
Sinha also hints towards the other possibility, according to which Ahilyabai revived the dying craft after several decades by constructing a temple. This does not come as a surprise to him, given that stone crafting in Patharkatti has been revived multiple times throughout various periods. The most recent attempt was made in the 1960s by UMSAS.
Queen Ahilya Bai and Rabindra Nath Gour
“It is quite amusing to see how this craft keeps coming back to offer the world such exotic items,� says Rabindra Nath Gour, who is an eighth or ninth generation craftsman. “Our ancestors from Jaipur were employed by the Maharani for the temple work in 1787. Since then, we have been living in Patharkatti and passing down the skills from one generation to another. �
So what makes Patharkatti (named after pathar or stone) village and its carving techniques stand out from the rest of India? Rabindra and Sinha provide insight into its history, culture and economics.

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