Joy dol

In the month of December, 1697 king Rudra Singha completed the excavation of the joysagar at the Rangpur capital after 45 days. The tank was consecrated after 3 months of its excavation in around March/April in 1698 by holding an assembly of the Mahajans, and named it Jaysagar. In the next year, Rudra Singha, built the temples on the bank of the tank dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva, Durga and Surya. It is also said in some chronicles that Rudra Singha constructed this sea-like tank to commemorate his mother's name Joymoti. The area of the tank with its bank in 318 acres, and the area under water is 155 acres.^[5]

The Sivadol (also known as the Vaidya Natha) and the Devi dol, constructed by the same king Rudra Singha in the year 1699 CE, stand on the north and west banks of the tank respectively. The Siva temple was constructed on a square plinth. The main shrine height is 16.85m high. It has four large turrets around the main sikhara. There are niches in the wall containing stucco figurines representing various aspects of Lord Siva.^[6] The surrounding of the temple is protected by a brick fort.

 

The Devi dol at Joysagar is a simple brick built double-roofed hut built on a rectangular plinth. A similar type of mukhamandapa provides entrance to the temple. There are niches on the walls of the main temple containing different representations of the goddess. Besides these temples, on the south-west bank of the tank there is a small brick-built temple commonly known as the Ghanashyam House or Nati-Gosain temple.^[7]