About

Pattadakal, also called Raktapura, is a complex of 7th and 8th century CE Hindu and Jain temples in northern Karnataka. Pattadakal is considered to be a holy place for royal coronation, 'Pattadakisuvolal', from which it derives its modern name. There are ten major temples at Pattadakal, nine Hindu and one Jain, along with numerous small shrines and plinths. Eight of the major temples are clustered together in a complex about 6 hectares in size, a ninth one (Papanatha temple) about half a kilometer south of this cluster, and the tenth, a Jain temple, located about a kilometer to the west of the main cluster. The Hindu temples are all connected by a walkway, while the Jain temple has road access.

The Pattadakal temple complex is on the bank of the Mallaprabha River which flows South to North at this particular location. The Chalukyan kings were coronated in this location. This is the earliest extant temple-complex in the Chalukyan series.

The eight temples in the complex are the Galaganatha temple, Kadasiddheswara temple, Chandrashekhara temple, Jambulingeswara temple, Sangameshwara temple, Kashi Vishwanatha temple, Mallikarjuna temple, and the Virupaksha temple. Constructed over a period of two hundred years, this complex encloses a number of different temple styles, illustrating the progression of architecture and design over the period. The temples in the complex are generally dedicated to Shiva, but elements of Vaishnavism and Shaktism theology and legends are also featured. The friezes in the Hindu temples display various Vedic and Puranic concepts, depict stories from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, as well as elements of other texts, such as the Panchatantra and the Kirātārjunīya. The most sophisticated temples, with complex friezes and a fusion of Northern and Southern styles, are found in the Papanatha and Virupaksha temples.

The first temple as one enters the complex from the northern entrance is the Kadasiddheswara temple. It is a modest structure constructed sometime during the middle to late 7th century CE. in a still-evolving Early Chalukyan architecture style, with its shikhara being developed along the northern rekha nagara style, with a curvilinear profile and a simple sukanasa projecting from the superstructure at the front, above the antarala. The sukanasa depicts an image of a dancing Shiva with Parvati as a shallow relief chaitya (prayer hall) arch. The Devakoshthas houses images of Ardhanariswar, Harihara and Shiva on the north, west, and south sides respectively.
A plinth in the front of the rectangular mandapa, with usual decorative moulds suggests the presence of a mukha mandapa (porch). The figures of Shiva and Parvati grace the lintel of the door to the garbha griha with carvings of Brahma and Vishnu on either side.

The next temple as one proceeds southwards is the Jambulingeswara temple. Its ground plan and period of construction are both comparable to the Kadasiddheswara temple. The square garbha griha houses a lingam on a pitha and opens to the antarala at front which further expands to a mandapa. A sukanasa projects from the sikhara (built in northern style in three diminishing stages) at the front. The small Nandi mandapa to the east is largely ruined with the image of Nandi itself barely discernible. A detailed frieze of swans runs below the cornice of the temple wall all along. The moulded plinth is decorated with figures of Kudu, birds and other ornamental elements.

The next temple as one proceeds southwards is the Galaganatha temple. This temple is one of the last to be built at the site around 750 CE, and among the best preserved. It has a superstructure in the northern style as adopted by Early Chalukyan architects. It has an amalaka and kalash at the top, along with a partially-damaged sukanasa at the front. The circumambulatory passage is closed on three sides but the large open space on top of the plinth in front of the temple suggests that there might once have been a mandapa here. The plinth with three mouldings is decorated with both floral and human designs, depicting stories from everyday life. Stories from Panchatantra and Shiva slaying Andhakasura from the puranas are also depicted. The entrance to the sanctum is flanked by Ganga and Yamuna, as recognized by their respective mounts - the crocodile and the tortoise - on both sides with the lintel being carved with a Nataraja.

The next temple as one proceeds southwards is the Chandrashekhara temple. It is a small structure and is missing its entire superstructure on top of the garbha griha. It has a lingam on a pitha in the sanctum sanctorum, while gracefully depicted Dwarpalas stand on either side of the entrance door. A Devakoshtha can be seen on both the north and south walls of the sanctum.

The next temple as one proceeds southwards is the Sangameswara temple, which is a little closer to the riverbank, and thus significantly out of line with the rest of the temples in the complex. It was built in 720 CE by Vijayaditya and originally named as the Vijayeswara temple. It is one of the best preserved temples in the complex. Stylistically, it is reminiscent of the Shore temple of Mahabalipuram, with a two-tiered shikhara, topped by a four-sided amalaka and kalash. The garbha griha houses a lingam and there are sub-shrines on either side of the antarala. The temple is built on a high plinth consisting of five mouldings decorated with animal and floral motifs. To the east of the mandapa, an image of Nandi stands on a small plinth. Niches bearing sculptures of different avatars of Vishnu and Shiva alternate with intricately carved lattice windows occupy the temple walls.

The next temple as one proceeds southwards is the Kashi Viswanatha temple. This is probably the last temple built in this compound, datable to the middle of the 8th century CE. It is in the style of rekha nagara with its shikhara rising in five stages. The amalaka and kalash, which wouldd have once crowned the shikhara, are missing. While the pavilion for Nandi itself has not survived, the Nandi itself is available, in a crouching positin, facing the lingam. A well-preserved sukanasa adorns the front of the shikhara with an image of Uma-Maheswara carved within a chaitya arch. The whole shikhara surface is decorated with diamond florets, creating an impression of a write-mesh wrap.
Sculptures of Ardhanariswara and Kalabhairava grace the northern side of mandapa wall. The walls are also decorated with paired pilasters supporting the pediments of the elaborately relieved chaitya arches. Stories from Shiva and Bhagavat puranas are also depicted. An exquisitely prepared ceiling panel that lies at the center of the mandapa depicts Shiva, Parvati holding Kartikeya, and Nandi.

The next temple as one proceeds southwards is the Mallikarjuna temple. It was originally called the Trailokeswara temple in honour of the Queen Trailokya Mahadevi. It was built for the same purpose, at the same time as Virupaksha temple which stands beside it. One noticeable difference between these two is that the Mallikarjuna temple has a hemispherical amalaka, while the Virupaksha temple has a four-sided one.

The Virupaksha temple is the largest temple in the complex and is an active house of worship. It is the southernmost temple within the main complex. It is located within its own compound wall, and consists of a tall vimana with axial mandapas and peripheral sub-shrines round the court, enclosed by a wall with gopura-entrances in front and behind. The massive gopuras are among the earliest of this style. The compound-wall of the complex, following the plan of the group itself, has on its coping kuta and said-heads, suggestive of a derivation from the Shore-temple at Mahabalipuram-a device which gives the impression of a lower storey when viewed from a distance.

The Papanatha temple is accessible via a short and narrow pathway that connects it to the main temple complex. It boasts of a vimana of the northern style with an elaborately carved sukanasa at front. Both the amalaka and kalash are missing. It is the largest temple in the group in the rekha nagara style.

The Shri Jaina Narayana Temple is just under a mile to the west of the temple complex which has all the other temples. It was built in the 9th century CE, probably in the reign of the Rashtrakuta king Krishna II. It is a three storeyed temple with the two lower storeys being functional. This temple has on plan a square sanctum with a circumambulatory path, an antechamber, a hall and a porch. It stands on a plinth of triple moulding having projections and recesses. The garbhagriha walls show slight central projections and a range of thin pilasters. The north and south walls of the mandapa are divided into seven bays. The recesses between these bays contain narrow niches adorned with images of seated Jinaas and other figures. These walls are crowned by a string of square, oblong, and miniature shrine architectural elements. The walls of the upper shrine reflect the arrangement of the walls of the ground floor on a diminished scale. The third storey of lesser width is relieved on its sides except on the front side. The bays contain arches and half-arches. The subdued recess over this storey supports a beautifully carved square sikhara. The open porch has peripheral rows of pillars connected by balcony seating. Many of these pillars are partially lathe-turned. The exterior is adorned with bas-relief figures of purna-ghata, nidhis, vyalas, and dancers. On the wall of the hall, inside the porch to the either side of the doorway, are large elephant figures with a rider. The doorframe of the hall is decorated with six bands. The doorframe of the sanctum has five bands, of which a handsome pillaret on either side supports an elegant crocodile with a very florid tail.

Architecture

The Virupaksha is a large temple consisting of a tall vimana with axial mandapas and peripheral sub-shrines round the court, enclosed by a wall with gopura-entrances in front and behind, all designed and completed at one time.

The Mallikarjuna, built immediately after and close to the Virupaksha, is a smaller temple with a four-storeyed vimana with a circular griva and sikhara. It has more or less a similar plan.

Both the Virpuaksha and the Mallikarjuna temple were built at the same time, by the same architects, and follow the same design principles, with the Virupaksha being the larger of the two temples.