Panchalingeshwara Temple, Govindanahalli – The Temple

Panchalingeshwara Temple, Govindanahalli – The Temple

Panchalingeshwara Temple is a rare example of a Panchakuta (five shrines with five towers) construction in Hoysala architecture. The Temple complex was originally built as Chatushkuta (four shrined). However, there was an addition of another shrine on the eastern side made the temple complex fall under Panchakuta type. The five shrines are built on a north-south axial plan with the sanctums face east.

The Sanctum of each shrine is guarded by dvarapalas. The sanctum (garbhagriha) of each shrine is connected to navaranga hall by a vestibule with sukanasi above. Each of the shrines houses a Linga representing five different aspects or manifestations of Lord Shiva. The five Lingas are named Sadyojatheshwara, Vamadeveshwara, Aghoreshwara, Tatpurusheshwara and Ishaneshwara from north to south. The fifth kuta is a later addition and has differently styled pillars.

Depictions of Lord Shiva and Parvathy accompanied by Nandi, Ganesha and Karthikeya can be seen on the top of the lintel of the shrines. A long-pillared hall on the east connects the individual mantapa together. The entrance to the temple complex is via two porched entrances whose ceiling are supported by lathe turned pillars. The porches are located in front of the second and third shrines. These porched entrances houses a Nandi each.

Each entrance is guarded by dvarapalas. The tower over each shrine (shikhara) comprises the standard three tiers of roofs with each vertically ascending tier diminishing in height. Above this is a structure called the stupi that holds the finial, a decorative water-pot like structure called the Kalasha. The vestibule of each shrine has a low protruding tower (also called sukanasi). This tower is shorter than the main tower over the shrine and hence appears like an extension of it. 

The inner walls of the each mantapa have seventeen niches many of which house sculptures of merit. The entire wall facing towards the east direction is decorated with perforation so that natural sunlight lights the temple premises. There is a twin snake sculpture intertwined together in the temple premises. The male snake with seven head and the female snake with five heads is a unique sculpture which can be seen only in Panchalingeshwara Temple.

There is an idol of Ganapathi holding a weapon in the temple premises. It gives a metallic sound when struck. The outer wall comprises of miniature decorative towers. Each tower is unique and there is no repetition at all. Though the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the outer walls of the temple are carved with sculptures depicting various forms of Vishnu and Vaishnava characters in majority.

This might be due to the construction activities carried out during two different phases of Hoysala rule. The sculptures found in the outer walls are Seshayee Vishnu, Vamana, Trivikrama, Narasimha, Kalinga Mardana Krishna, Varaha, Lakshmi Narayana on Garuda, Venugopal, Vithoba, miniature forms of Matsya & Kurma, Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Bhairava, Mahishasuramardhini, Brahma, Saraswathi, Indra and Arjuna.