Sri Jambulingeshswara Gudi / Sri Jambulinga Temple / ஜம்புலிங்கேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Pattadakal, Bagalkot District, Karnataka.

The visit to this Sri Jambulinga 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.

The Pattadakal temple complex 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 )

ஜம்புலிங்கேஸ்வரர் கோயில்

இந்த கோயில் மற்ற கோயில்களை விட சிறிதாகவே கட்டப்பட்டு உள்ளது. இந்த கோயிலின் காலத்தை 7ஆம் நூற்றாண்டின் இடைப் பகுதியில் இருந்து 8ஆம் நூற்றாண்டின் முற்பகுதி என வரலாற்று ஆய்வாளர்கள் வரையறுத்துள்ளனர். கருவறை சதுர வடிவத்தில் உள்ளது. தேவகோட்டத்தில் வடக்கில் விஷ்ணு, மேற்கில் சூரியன், தெற்கில் லகுலீசர் உள்ளனர். இங்கே உள்ள சுகநாசிகையில் ஆனந்த தாண்டவம் ஆடும் நடராஜரின் சிற்பம் தெளிவாக உள்ளது. நடராஜருக்கு அருகே பார்வதி தேவியும். இடபமும் காணப்படுகின்றனர். இந்த கோயிலும் நாகர வகையை சேர்ந்தது. இங்கும் விமானத்தின் மேலே சிகரம் இல்லை. வாயில்காப்போர்களும் காணப்படவில்லை.

From the northern end of this temple complex, the two temples the Kadasiddhesvara Temple and the Jambulinga Temple, are one beside the other.

ARCHITECTURE

Both Kadasiddhesvara Temple and the Jambulinga Temple are modest and plain and broadly similar to each other in plan, form, elevation and style. Both are of rekha- nagara model. Each of them has a closed flat roofed mandapa without pillars and with the doorway in the front approached by a flight of steps. On the exterior of the walls of the garbha- griha is deva-koshthas containing an imagee of at deities. In the mukha-patti of the sikhara is a panel of natya Siva. The amalaka and kalasa of the sikhara of both the temples are missing. Originally, as attested by the frontward projecting corbels of the front wall pilasters there was a mukha-mandapa to each of them that had disappeared in course of time.

The Jambulinga Temple had originally a rectangular large mukha-mandapa with the flight of steps on the south and north sides. Near the front edge at the centre was a Rishaba-mandapa. Now only the adhishthana is exists. At the bottom of the front dvara- bandha comprising three sakhas, without naga sakha, is a bas-relief of purna- ghata, a symbol of prosperity, on each side. In fact the stambha-sakha of the dvara- bandha is of the ghata- pallava order and the dvara- bandha, of the triple sakha order. Unusually, at the lintel level are five small niches each containing a Siva linga, perhaps symbolizing the Siva pancha-tatvas; Sadyojata, Tatpurusha, Vamadeva, Aghora and Isana.

The dvara-bandha of the garbha- griha is of the pancha sakha order with dvara palas on the sides and attendants at the bottom. In the deva koshthas on the exterior walls of the garbha griha, are the images of Siva in the form of Lakulisha (the founder of the Lakula Saiva sect) on the south, Surya in the west and Vishnu in the north. Underneath the kapota of the roof are a series of flying pigeons. Over the garbha griha rises the rekha nagara shikhara with mukha patti of the usual type.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple may be dated to Mid 7^th to 8^th century, by the Chalukya dynasty.

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 ---