Mallikarjuna Temple,
Pattadakal, Karnataka
Mallikarjuna 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. Mallikarjuna temple, also called the Trailokeswara Maha Saila
Prasada in a local inscription, is a mid-8th Century Shiva temple
sponsored by queen Trailokyamahadevi. It is located south of the Kashi
Vishwanatha temple, southwest of the Sangameswara temple and near Virupaksha
Temple. 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 was built about the same time as the
Virupaksha temple, with a similar design and layout, but is somewhat smaller
and has a few important differences. The temple reflects a fully developed South
Indian vimana style architecture. Its garbha griha (sanctum) has a Shiva
Linga and features a circumambulatory path (pradakshina patha). In front of the
sanctum is an antechamber (antarala) with small shrines for Durga as Mahishasuramardini killing the buffalo
demon and another for Ganesha on each side, both currently empty.
Access to the sanctum is through a
pillared sabha-mandapa (community hall) with entrance porches, enclosures
(prakara) and a gateway (pratoli). The temple has three mukhamandapas on three
sides with a partially collapsed stone Nandi mandapa in front of the temple. A
large pillared hall is following by sanctum. The temple, though similar to the
Virupaksha temple, experiments with new architectural ideas that makes it
distinct.
The depiction of a dancing Shiva, as Nataraja, in the
Mallikarjuna temple is set in the shallow arch of the sukanasa. There are only
a few noticeable differences between these two, one of them being a
hemispherical amalaka as
opposed to a four-sided one, and a parapet devoid of certain architectural
elements such as kuta (square), Sala (oblong) etc. that
correspond to the projections and recesses below.
The niches on temple walls are also gracefully
decorated. The use of stone carvings for storytelling is prevalent throughout
the temple. The legends of Hindu epics and the Puranas are
depicted on the temple pillars in the community hall. These stories span all
major traditions within Hinduism, including Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism.
The mukhamandapas and the pillars of the hall have
wonderful carvings of gods and scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and
Panchatantra. The ceiling of the temple is also adorned with beautiful figures.
The Mahamandapam has sculptures of elephants supporting the ceiling. The rasa leela
of Krishna, whose stories are found in the Bhagavata
Purana, are shown on friezes as are Hindu fables from the Panchatantra.
Like other Hindu temples, the friezes of the Mallikarjuna
temple show kama and
mithuna
scenes of amorous couples. In other places, artha scenes
such as a worker walking with an elephant carrying a log and single women with
different emotional expressions are carved into stone; one of these women
carries an 8th century musical instrument.
Connectivity
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