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
For brief details, please refer below link;
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
For brief details, please refer below link;
No comments:
Post a Comment