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-8th century. The monument is a protected
site under Indian law and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
History
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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 7th to 8th 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
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Location
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