The document summarizes the temple architecture of the Early Chalukyas located in Pattadakal, India. It describes the 10 temples located there representing both the Dravidian and Nagara styles. Two important temples highlighted are the Virupaksha Temple built in 740 CE, known for its perfect architectural balance, and the Sangmeshwara Temple, the earliest temple in the Dravidian style. The temples showcase sculptures depicting Hindu religious texts and stories of gods and goddesses, representing the fusion of northern and southern architectural styles during the Early Chalukyan period.

1. Temple Architecture of
Early Chalukyas
“Pattadkal”
Dr.Virag Sontakke
Assistant Professor
A.I.H.C. & Archaeology
Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi
B.A. III
V: Semester
UNIT 3

2. Temple Architecture of
Early Chalukyas
“Pattadkal”

3. Pattadkal Group of Temples

4. Pattadkal
• Pattadakal ("place of coronation") it was used during the Chalukyan for
coronation ceremonies
• Situated 16 km from Badami.
• Important religious center and major cultural center for innovations in
architecture and experimentation of ideas.
• Total 10 temples: 4: Nagar style, 6: Dravid Style
• Second inning of Chalukyan temple architecture
• During 643 CE Pattadkal became a Capital
• Architecture was at peak during the reign of Chalukyan king Vijyaditya and
Vikramadity (696-746).
• These kings and their queens constructed beautiful temples here.
• These temples shows the stylistic changes in architecture and beautiful
sculptures at a one place.
• Final stage of development of Chalukyan temple architecture

6. Basic features of temple
1. garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum)
2. antarala (vestibule)
3. An expansive pillared mandapa (hall)
4. A shikhara on top of the garbhagriha
• Temples built here are mostly dedicated to Shiva
• one Jain temple located almost a kilometre dedicated to
the 23rd Tirthankar, Parsvanatha.

7. Temples at Paddadkal
Sr
No
Name of temple style Period
1 Papnath Nagar 680 CE
2 Jambuling Nagar 680 CE
3 Kar Siddheshwar Nagar 680 CE
4 Kashi-Vishwanath Nagar 680 CE
5 Sangmeshwar Dravid 725 CE
6 Virupaksh Dravid 740 CE
7 Mallikarjun Dravid 740 CE
8 Galangnath Dravid 740 CE
9 Someshwar Dravid 740 CE
10 Jain 740 CE

8. Important Temples
1. Papnath Temple
2. Sangmeshwara temple
3. Virupaksh Temple
4. Mallikarjuna temple.

9. Papnath Temple

10. Papnath Temple
Known as Mukteswar in inscription
Elements:
1. Garbh griha
2. Antarala
3. Mandapa
• Facing east
• Mixture of Dravida, and Nagara styles
• The unusual layout shows lac of placement of main part.
• Shikra is too short as per the length of the temple
• Antarala is also too big
• Length: 90 feet;
• Plan and elevation not harmonise.

13. Internal Art

14. Decoration
• Shows rock cut influence
• The decorations, parapets and some parts of the layout are
Dravida in style, while the shikra and pilastered niches are of
the Nagara style.
• The temple is famous for its sculptures that are imbibed from
the scenes of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
• The wall surfaces are relieved with niches (devakoshthas)
housing Saiva and Vaishnava deities and depicting episodes
from the Ramayana
• The centre of the ceiling is decorated with Natraja, Vishnu.

15. Sangmeshwar Temple

16. Sangmeshwar Temple
• Also known as the Vijayeshvara temple
• Earliest Dravid style temple
• In enclosure
• Built by Vijyaditya in 733 CE
• Plan: Square Layout
1. Garbhgriha (Shivlinga)
2. Mandap
3. Nandimandap
4. Covered pradakshina patha lit by three carved windows
5. Antarala (vestibule) is flanked on each side by smaller shrines.
6. In Mandapa 16 massive pillars set in groups of four, which may have
been added after construction of the temple was completed.
7. Built on a high plinth consisting of five mouldings decorated with
animal and floral motifs.

17. Art
• The vimana is a two tiered structure, crowned with a
square kuta-sikhara and Kalasa.
• Small ganas (playful dwarfs), above the Kapota (eaves)
• Walls of the temple consists number of
niches (devakostha) carved with images of Vishnu and
Shiva.
• Shaiva: Nataraja, Gajantak, Ardhanarishvara, Andhakasur,
Uma-maheshwar.
• Vaishnava : Bhuvaraha, Vishnu, Dakshinamurti.

18. Sangmeshwar Temple

19. Rare view of Sangmeshwar Temple

20. Virupaksha Temple
• Shri Lokeshvara Mahasila Prasada
• The epigraphy reveals this have been built by Queen Loka
Mahadevi 740 CE after the successful military campaigns
of King Vikramaditya II against the Pallavas.
• Architect: Sutrdhar Sarvsiddhachary
• R. Rajan: Perfect balance between Architecture and Art
compare with Kailas of Ellora
• E. Tomory: The Harmonious blending of the elemenst

22. Elements of Virupaksha Temple
1. A square Garbha griha,
2. Pradakshina,
3. Antarala.
4. Mandapa
5. Nandi Mandapa
a. Garbha griha : Shiv Ling, highly
decorated door with dwarpal, vyal etc.
b. Antarala: Two small shrines are placed
to the antarala, (dedicated to
Ganesh,Mahisasurmardini).
c. 16 pillarad Mandapa with three porches
from the east, north and south (for
decoration and light).
d. Further east, a Nandi mandapa is
placed on a plinth.
e. The whole temple is surrounded
by prakara (enclosure) walls that are
provided with subsidiary shrines on its
inner side.

23. The magnificently built Dravida shikhara with
a well-preserved sukanasa ('nose,' arched
projection) on the front is one of the hallmarks
of the temple.
The superstructure is three-storied and topped
by a four-sided amalaka with a kalash at its
finial.

24. Nandi Mandap

25. Virupaksha Art
• The sanctum walls, and also those of the nearby mantapa space,
are decorated with intricately detailed carvings.
• Dwarpala on both sides of the entrance
• The temple, although dedicated to Shiva, also includes Vaishnava
images (Harihara).
• Shiva: Ardhanarishvara, ravnanugrah, lingodbhav,
gajendramoksh,
• Vaishnav: Narasimha, Vishnu, Harihar,
• Shaktism deities
• Scene from Ramayana and Mahabharata
• Other than Hindu gods and goddesses, numerous panels show
depict people either as couples, in courtship and mithuna, or as
individuals wearing jewellery or carrying work implements.[

28. Sum-Up
• UNESCO has described Pattadakal as "a harmonious blend of
architectural forms from northern and southern India" and an
illustration of "eclectic art" at its height.
• The temples of early Chalukyas are symbolic inclination towards
integration, and experimentation, resulting in a merging of the
Northern and Southern Indian architectural styles. Hindu/
bramhanical and Jain tradition
• various Vedic and Puranic concepts, depict stories from
the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, as well
as elements of other Hindu texts, such as the Panchatantra and
the Kirātārjunīya
• Aihole became a locus of scholarship. The experimentations in
architecture extended into Badami over the course of the next two
centuries. This culture of learning encompassed Pattadakal in the
7th century which became a nexus where ideas from northern and
southern India fused.