Friday, February 1, 2019

Sangameshwara Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

Sangameshwara Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka
Sangameshwara 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 has been dated to the mid-8th century by ASI. Sangameshwara Temple is also called the Vijayeshwara Temple.

Sangameshwara Temple situated between Galaganatha and Virupaksha temples inside the temple complex is the oldest temple in Pattadakal. It was commissioned by Chalukyan ruler Vijayaditya in the year 720 AD, but it seems the construction was never completed. 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
Sangameshwara Temple is a large, Dravida style east facing temple located on the south side of the Chandrasekhara Temple. Inscriptions at the temple, and other evidence, date it to between 720 CE and 733 CE. The death of its patron king, Vijayaditya, in 734 CE resulted in the temple being left unfinished, although work continued intermittently in later centuries. During the Badami Chalukya reign, between 543-757 CE, other important Sangameshwara temples were built, such as the one at Kudavelli; in modern times, this temple was relocated to Alampur, after extensive restoration work. 

The inscriptions found in this and other temples mention sponsor names from different centuries, including those of Hindu queens, suggesting they actively supported the temple architecture and arts. The temple has two entrances on north and south. Although the temple is not the largest among those at Pattadakal it is nonetheless of imposing proportions. The temple has a square layout, with an east facing sanctum. The sanctum, surrounded by a covered pradakshina patha (circumambulatory path) lit by three carved windows. Inside the sanctum is a Shiva Linga.

In front of the sanctum is a vestibule that is flanked on each side by smaller shrines. These shrines once contained carvings of Ganesha and Durga, but the carvings have since gone missing. Further east of the hall is a seated Nandi. Past the vestibule is a mandapa within which are sixteen massive pillars set in groups of four, which may have been added after construction of the temple was completed. The vimana superstructure above the temple and the outer walls of the temple are well preserved. 

The vimana is a two-tiered structure, crowned with a square kuta-shikhara and kalasha. The temple walls contain many devakostha (niches) carved with images of Vishnu and Shiva, some of which are in various stages of completion. The temple is built on a raised moulded base, with decorative friezes of elephants, yali and makara mythical creatures. Above the kapota (eaves) are detailed friezes of ganas (playful dwarfs), who are portrayed as if they are struggling to hold the weight of the temple structure.

The parapet displays hara (various kinds of string in Hindu temple texts) of various styles, including karnakutas(square), and salas (oblong), which flow with the design below them and are decorated with kudus. Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism themes are presented in the carvings at the temple. The Shaiva iconography include a dancing Nataraja, Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati as essential halves of each other), Shiva with Bhringi, Shiva spearing the demon Andhaka, and the yogi, Lakulisha.

The Vaishnava iconography includes avatars of Vishnu such as Varaha lifting goddess earth (Bhudevi). Excavations into the foundations of its ruined hall, in 1969 and 1971, revealed the archaeologically significant discovery of a brick temple structure beneath the hall. This discovery led to the proposal that Sangameshwara had been built over an older temple, possibly dating to the 3rd century CE. The temple also has inscriptions dated 1162 AD, from the reign of Kalyani Chalukyas.

Connectivity
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