Sri Chandrashekhara Gudi / Sri Chandrasekhara Temple/ சந்திரசேகரர் கோயில், Pattadakal, Bagalkot District, Karnataka.

The visit to this Sri Chandrasekhara Temple at Pattadakal was a part of “Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal, Mahakuta and Aihole temples Heritage visit” organized by வரலாறு விரும்பிகள் சங்கம் Varalaru Virumbigal Sangam – VVS and எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு,  between 24^th December to 28^th December 2022.  I extend my sincere thanks to the organizers Mrs Radha and Mrs Nithya Senthil Kumar and Mr Senthil Kumar.

This Pattadakal temple complex is on the banks of river Malaprabha, comprises nine temples near to one another in a row and from the north to south as follows…..

1. The Kadasiddhesvara Temple

2. The Jambulinga Temple

3. The Galaganatha Temple

4. The Chandrasekhara Temple

5. The Sangamesvara Temple

6. The Kasi Visvesvara Temple

7. The Mallikarjuna Temple

8. The Virupaksha Temple

9. The Papanatha Temple ( This temple is 200 metres away from Virupaksha Temple on south side )

சந்திரசேகரர் கோயில்

காலகநாதர் கோயிலுக்கு தென்புறம், கிழக்கு நோக்கியவாறு எளிமையான கட்டுமானமாக கட்டப்பட்டுள்ள இந்த சிறிய கோயிலின் காலம் 8ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு என கருதப்படுகிறது. கருவறைக்கு உள்ளே லிங்கம் காணப்படுகிறது. கருவறை வாயிலில் துவாரபாலகர்கள் காணப்படுகின்றனர். வெளியே காணப்படும் மேடையின் மீது இடப வாகனம் மூலவரை நோக்கி அமர்ந்தவாறு உள்ளது. கருவறைக்கு மேலே விமானம் காணப்படவில்லை.

The Chandrasekhara temple of moderate proportions and measures 10.0 x 5.20 metres, plain and simple, is located between the Galaganatha on the north and the Sangamesvara on the south.

ARCHITECTURE

This entirely flat roofed temple consists of a rectangular closed mandapa without pillars, antarala and a receding garbha-griha. In the front is a flight of steps with balustrades, to the mandapa.  Each dvara-bandha of the mandapa and garbha-griha is flanked by Saiva dvara- palas. The exterior of the walls is throughout decorated with pilaster motifs at regular intervals.

In front of the temple is Rishaba mandapa of which only the adhishthana with Rishabam thereon at the centre is extant.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple is assigned to late 8^th Century ( 750 CE ), by the archaeologists.

POLITICAL HISTORY OF CHALUKYA DYNASTY

Jayasimha, a Chalukya King probably the founder, carved out a region and ruled. He was immediately followed by Ranaraga who expanded and consolidated the kingdom. However, not much is known about these two Chalukyan kings. It was Pulakesi I, the third king in the genealogical line, who made Badami, the capital of the kingdom in 543 CE and built a fort on the top of what is now known as the North hill. His son, Kirtivarma (1) with the assistance of Mangalesa his younger brother, conquered the neighbouring kingdoms of the Kadambas in the south- west, the Mauryas of the Konkana, the Kalachuris etc,.  It was his celebrated grandson Pulakesi-II who extended the political boundaries of the kingdom far and wide from Narmada to Kaveri. He installed his younger brothers Jayasimhavarma in the north comprising Gujarath region and Kubja Vishnuvardhana in the eastern division while he ruled the central part from Badami. However, he met with a crushing defeat at the hands of Pallava Narasimhvarman of Kanchi in 642 CE. Badami was 'terra incognito' for the next twelve years. In 654 CE,  Vikramaditya - I, Pulakesi's son, succeeded in re-conquering the kingdom from the Pallavas. The kingdom grew further and was prosperous, strong and generally peaceful under the next three rulers in succession namely: Vinayaditya, Vijayaditya and Vikramaditya II in spite of their frequent, successful wars particularly with their arch enemy, the Pallavas others in the north. Kirtivarman- II, the son of Vikramaditya- II though capable and experienced in wars and administration, succumbed to the 756 CE onslaught by Dantidurga, the Rashtrakuta chief ruling the Ellora region. This ended the Badami Chalukyan rule. The Badami region thus became a part of the Rashtrakuta kingdom.

By 973 CE the Chalukyas till then keeping a low profile at the appropriate occasion seized and rose to power supplanting the Rashtrakutas. Later Kalyana in Bidar district, Karnataka had the fortune of becoming the capital of the kingdom and continued to be so till the ruling dynasty fell in about 1189 CE. However, Pattadakal gained some importance by becoming the headquarters of an administrative division known as Kisukadu 70 ruled by Nolamba Pallava Permanadi Singhanadeva as mandalika (feudatory) under Someshvara II, Bhuvanaikamalla, the Chalukyan king, around 1070 CE and hundred years later by Chavumda II of the Sindha family, a mandalika to Noormadi Taila- III the Chalukiyan king. Chavumda’s senior queen  Demaladevi and their son Achideva by virtue of his position as prince were then enjoying  Pattadakal.

Ref

1. A Hand book on World Heritage Series Badami, published by Archaeological  Survey of India. 

2. A Hand book on Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal & Aihole issued by VVS in Tamil. 

3. Temple architecture and Art of Early Chalukyas Badami, Pattadakal, Mahakuta, Aihole by George Michell

HOW TO REACH

Pattadakal Group of temples are  13 KM from Aihole,  17 KM from Badami and 459 KM from Bengaluru.

Nearest Railway Station is Badami. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---