Siddhesvara Temple, Haveri – The Temple

Siddhesvara Temple, Haveri – The Temple

This Temple is facing towards west instead of facing east like all Chalukyan temples. The Temple is similar in plan and architectural style to the other Chalukyan temples like the Mukteshvara Temple at Chavudayyadanapura, the Someshvara Temple at Haralahalli and the Siddharameshvara Temple at Niralgi. The temple consists of sanctum, vestibule, closed mandapa and open mandapa.

The temple is situated little below the ground level making it necessary to descend into the open mantapa (hall). The open hall has three entrances on the western, southern and northern sides. The architrave above the vestibule entrance has images of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, with Shiva in the centre. Ganapati and Kartikeya flank Brahma and Vishnu.

A perforated stone worked window can be seen on either side of the doorway. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Siddhesvara in the form of Linga. The mantapa (hall) in the temple contains sculptures of Uma Maheshwara, Vishnu & his consort Lakshmi, the Sun God Surya, Naga-Nagini, Ganapati, and Kartikeya etc.

In Uma Mahesvara sculpture, Lord Shiva is depicted with four arms, holding the Damaru (drum), akshamala (chain of beads) and Trishul (trident) in three arms. His lower left arm rests on Uma, who is seated on Shiva's lap, embracing him with her right arm while gazing into his face. The sculpture of Uma is well decorated with garlands, large earrings and curly hair. 

The Naga and Nagini, with their tails intertwined, appear on the side of the door to the vestibule along with an image of Parvati. A niche depicts a curious male figure with six hands, the two lower hands each hold a Linga and the middle left hand holds a chakra (wheel). Some ceiling panels contain images of the Saptamatrikas while a square column contains images of the Ashta Dikpalas (eight guardians) along with the Hindu Trinity and Surya.

The Saptamatrikas are also carved into the wall of a step well outside. The Saptamatrika sculptures on friezes has the female deities, generally each with a child on the lap to denote motherhood and are identified by the vahana (vehicle) of their male counterpart, found under them. The Sapta Matrikas are flanked by Lord Veerabhadra and Ganesha.

The exterior walls of the temple are decorated with aediculas, miniature decorative towers on pilasters and niches. These niches enshrines loose sculptures of Surya canopied by a seven hooded snake and the Mahishasura Mardhini. Several old Kannada inscriptions can be found in the temple. Most of the inscriptions records the grants and gifts given to the temple.

These inscriptions are dated in the years I 228 CE, I 260 CE, 1269 CE and 1301 CE. But an inscription slab outside the temple records a grant made in 1108 CE and another inscription can be found on a beam in the temple dated to the second regnal year of Veera Ballala I (1087 CE). There is another inscription in the village dated in I067 CE, recording the grant of the village of Haveri to four hundred Brahmanas but it does not mention the temple.

Though, it is currently used as a Shiva temple, the temple was constructed as a Vaishnava temple initially, but later got converted to Jain temple and finally converted to Shiva temple when it came under the possession of Shiva devotees. The changes can be corroborated by the presence of many loose sculptures in the temple premises and the defaced sculptures on the temple walls.