Pattadakal is located in the Bijapur
district of Karnataka. It was the second capital and coronation town of the
early Chalukyas. The complex of Patadakal owns 10 temples which dates from
7th to 9th century AD. The Chalukyas were great patrons of art who inspired
and encouraged the craftsmen of their kingdom to experiment and innovate
different architectural styles. In the temple construction a tinge of
Dravidian style of temple architecture can also be found.
Temple In View
The
Ratrakuta Jain Temple outside the complex is currently
under restoration and is built on the banks of the Malaprabha ( Tungabhadra
River ).
The 8th century
Kaddi Siddesvara Temple and the
Galaganatha Shrine are the first temples which you can come across here.
The tiny
Jambulinga Temple is said to have
inspired the tapered shikharas of Orissa's temples. The beauty of the temple
is adorned by the makara torana, with its brilliantly executed Nataraja.
The Dravidian style
Sangameshwara Temple was built
incompletely by Vijayaditya in 6-7th AD. This is however said to be the
oldest temple here.
The 8th century
Virupakasha and Mallikarjuna are the two
notable temples in Pattadakal, apart from Papanatha that are dedicated to
God Surya. The Virupaksha temple was built by Lokamahadevi, the chief queen
of Vikramaditya II, to celebrate the victory over the Pallavas at
Kanchpuram. Virupaksha incorporates all the aspects of temple building with
beautiful pillars, rows of ganas on the plinth, and jewelled pearl etchings
for trims. The beautiful pillared hall is adorned with large panels
depicting scenes from Hindu myths and epics.
Outside the complex one can find the Papanath Temple which is the oldest of
the lots, dating back to about 8th century. It has mythological scenes
carved on its ceilings.
Year Of Kudos
The Group Of Monuments at Pattadakal were added in
the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1987. Theses monuments
presents the high point of the art and architecture during the Chalukya
dynasty.
Peppery Bulletin
- Temples constructed here mark the blending of the Rekha Nagara
Prasada and the Dravida Vimana styles of temple building.
- The Virupaksha temple later served as a model for the Rashtrakuta
ruler Krishna I (757 -783 A.D.) to carve out the great Kailasa at
Ellora.
