Kashi Vishwanatha Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Kashi Vishwanatha Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Kashi Vishwanatha Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Pattadakal in Bagalkot District of Karnataka, India. This temple is part of Pattadakal Group of Monuments, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Temple complex is located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River. The Temple is also known as Kashivishweswara Temple. The temple has been variously dated to the late 7^th century, early 8^th century or the mid-8^th century. Kashi Vishwanatha Temple is situated adjacent to Mallikarjuna Temple. This 8th century structure is one amongst the jewels of Pattadakal built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The monument is a protected site under Indian law and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-history.html

The Temple

This is probably the last temple built in this compound, datable to the middle of the 8th century CE. In plan, the temple follows the general pattern of Early Chalukyan architecture as evidenced in other temples of this location. It showcases the wonderfully developed style of rekha nagara shikhara rising in five stages, unfortunately the amalaka and kalash are missing. Sculptures of Ardhanariswara (half-Shiva, half-Parvati) and Lakulisha are carved into the northern wall of the temple mandapa, but these have been damaged and defaced. 

The kapota (cornice) are decorated with motifs and carved with ganas (playful dwarfs) carrying garlands; brackets show flying couples and kirtimukhas. A well-preserved sukanasa adorns the front of the shikhara with an image of Uma-Maheswara carved within a chaitya arch. The whole shikhara surface is designed in a mesh-like manner. The temple has only sanctum and antarala left and the remaining parts are collapsed.

The sanctum is supported by two pillars and has a Shivalinga carved out of black stone. The temple also features a pranala, a stone structure used to drain out water used during devotional activities, and an antarala, or foyer, connecting to a mandapa with a ruined entrance porch. The river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna are still visible at the entrance to the mandapa. Beyond the mandapa, further east a small Nandi mandapa, now largely ruined, is placed.

The temple sits on a raised platform, with five layers of mouldings, decorated with 8th-century carvings of horses, elephants, lions, peacocks and flowery vine designs. The wall surfaces have pilaster pairs supporting chaitya-style arches. The entrance door features a Shaiva dvarapala (guardian) on each side. The doorway of the sanctum has a carving of Garuda holding snakes. Bottom of the doorway has nice sculptures of female figures in different postures. 

Inside the temple are pillars and pilasters intricately carved with friezes depicting the Bhagavata Purana (Vaishnavism), the Shiva Purana (Shaivism) and the Ramayana. One frieze shows the demon Ravana lifting mount Kailasha, others show the playful pranks of Krishna, while another narrates the Kalyansundarmurti (marriage of Shiva and Parvati). One relief show Shiva coming out of the cylindrical Linga. The mandapa ceiling has carvings of Shiva, Nandi and Parvati holding Kartikeya. This image is concentrically surrounded by the ashta-dikpalas (eight directional guardians). There are also few pillar reliefs of men riding mythical animals.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-connectivity.html

Location

Kadasiddheswara Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Kadasiddheswara Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Kadasiddheswara Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Pattadakal in Bagalkot District of Karnataka, India. This temple is part of Pattadakal Group of Monuments, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Temple complex is located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River. The Temple is dated to mid-7^th Century. Kadasiddheswara is the first temple in the Pattadakal site.  The monument is a protected site under Indian law and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-history.html

The Temple

This is a small Temple and faces east. It is built around a square garbha griha (sacrum sanctum). It houses a Linga on a pitha (platform), and the Nandi bull faces it from outside; there is a mandapa around the sanctum. Another mandapa provides a circumambulation path in an expanded axial layout. Much of the temple has been eroded or was damaged in the following centuries.

The Shikhara (spire) is a northern Nagara style (Rekhanagara) with a sukanasa projection on the east. The sukanasa has a damaged Nataraja accompanied by Parvati. The outer walls of the Kadasiddheswara sanctum feature images of Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati) on its north, Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu) to its west and Lakulisha to the south.

Mounted on a lintel at the sanctum entrance is Shiva and Parvati flanked by Brahma and Vishnu on either side. The steps at the sanctum entrance are flanked by the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, with attendants. The Temple is very similar to the Hucchimalli Gudi shrine located in Aihole. Its ground plan and period of construction are both comparable to the Jambulingeshwara temple.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-connectivity.html

Location

Jambulingeshwara Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Jambulingeshwara Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Jambulingeshwara Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Pattadakal in Bagalkot District of Karnataka, India. This temple is part of Pattadakal Group of Monuments, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Temple complex is located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River. This Temple is also called as Jambulinga Temple. This Temple is dated to mid-7^th and or 8^th century. Jambulinga Temple is situated behind Galaganatha Temple. The monument is a protected site under Indian law and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-history.html

The Temple

The style of the temple is northern rekha-nagara with a curvilinear profile of squares diminishing as they rise towards the sky. The amalaka and kalasha of the northern style, however, are damaged and not in place. The entrance of the Jambulingeshwara mandapa is decorated with three shakhas, each with purnakumbhas below their capitals.

A swan themed frieze covers the passageway with the faint remains of the carvings of swans, kutas and salas. Its ground plan and period of construction are both comparable to the Kadasiddheswara temple. The temple is built around a square garbha griha (sacrum sanctum), whose outer walls feature intricate devakostha (linteled niches with decorated frames with Hamsa and mythical makaras).

Inside the frames are images of Vishnu on its north, Surya (Sun god) to its west and Lakulisha to the south. The square garbha griha houses a Lingam on a pitha and opens to the antarala at front which further expands to a mandapa. The temple also experiments with the idea of projecting sukanasa from the shikhara in front, over the mandapa. The sukanasi of the temple has a carved image of Lord Shiva with Parvathi. The temple faces east, greeting the sunrise.

The Nandi too is provided with a raised platform which is in ruins and the Nandi image shows signs of erosion. The dancing Shiva Nataraja with Parvati and Nandi by his side on the frontal arch sukanasa is better preserved. This temple is constructed in the lines of Huchchimalli Temple in Aihole, but small in size. The temple is built on a high plinth having five moldings with decorated miniature ganas and birds.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-connectivity.html

Location

Galaganatha Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Galaganatha Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Galaganatha Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Pattadakal in Bagalkot District of Karnataka, India. This temple is part of Pattadakal Group of Monuments, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Temple complex is located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River. The Galaganatha temple lies to the east of the Jambulingeshwara Temple and to the north of Virupaksha Temple. The Temple is estimated to be from mid-8^th century. The monument is a protected site under Indian law and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-history.html

The Temple

The temple is a northern Rekha-Nagara style with a Linga, and a vestibule (antarala) within the temple sanctum (garbha griha). Outside the temple is a seated Nandi that faces the sanctum. The exterior sanctum walls are embellished with niches or devakostas that were produced by well-designed pilasters.  The sanctum has a covered circumambulatory path (pradakshina patha), indicating that this Hindu tradition was well established by 7^th to 8^th century.

The pradakshinapatha (passage for circumambulation) is closed on three sides but the large open space atop the plinth in front of the temple suggests the regrettable loss of the mandapa to the ravages of time. Various mandapas exist in this temple, such as a social or community hall (sabha mandapa), used for ceremonial functions, and a mukha mandapa, of which only the foundation remains. 

The entrance to the mandapa is flanked by the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna with the lintel being carved with a Nataraja. Small statues of Kubera and Gajalakshmi have been placed within Galaganatha Temple. This temple was constructed on a plinth with three mouldings that present chaitya arch motifs as well as playing dwarves.

This temple possesses an exquisitely developed superstructure in the northern style as adopted by Early Chalukya architects. The Galaganatha temple is mostly in ruins, except for the southern part which contains a carved slab showing an eight-armed Shiva killing the demon Andhaka, while wearing a garland of skulls as a yajnopavita (sacred thread across the chest).

The Galaganatha temple is notable for being almost an exact copy of the Svarga Brahma temple of Alampur in Andhra Pradesh, a temple that is dated to 689 CE. Given both Alampur and Pattadakal were a part of the Badami Chalukya kingdom, an exchange of ideas is likely. The basement of the eastern moulding is notable for depicting friezes of Panchatantra fables, such as that of the mischievous monkey and the fable of two-headed bird.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattadakal-group-of-monuments-connectivity.html

Location