Sri Kadasiddeshwara Gudi / Sri Kadasiddhesvara Temple/ கடசித்தீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Pattadakal, Bagalkot District, Karnataka.

The visit to this Sri Kadasiddhesvara 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 )

கடசித்தீஸ்வரர் கோயில்.. இந்த சிறிய கோயிலின் காலம் 7ஆம் நூற்றாண்டின் இடைப் பகுதியில் இருந்து 8ஆம் நூற்றாண்டின் முற்பகுதி எனக் கருதப்படுகிறது. கிழக்கு நோக்கி கட்டப்பட்டுள்ள இந்த கோயில் நாகர வகையை சார்ந்தது. விமானத்திற்கு மேலே சிகரம் காணப்படவில்லை. கருவறை சதுர வடிவில் உள்ளது. உள்ளே சிவலிங்க திருமேனி காணப்படுகிறது. தேவகோட்டத்து சுவர்களில் வடக்கில் அர்த்தநாரிஸ்வரர், மேற்கில் அரிஅரன் தெற்கில் லகுலீசர் சிற்பங்கள் காணப்படுகின்றன. விமானம் சுகநாசிகை, முகப்பில் சிதைந்த நடராஜர் பார்வதியுடன் காணப்படுகிறார். கருவறை வாயிலுக்கு இருபுறமும் கங்கை, யமுனை சாமரம் ஏந்தியவாறு நிற்கின்றனர். வாயிலின் நடுவே உமையுடன் சிவன் அமர்ந்திருக்க, இருபக்கமும் பிரம்மா, விஷ்ணு அமர்ந்தவாறு காணப்படுகின்றனர். இடப வாகனம் கருவறையை நோக்கி அமர்ந்தவாறு உள்ளது. வாயில்காப்போர்கள் சிதைந்த நிலையில் காணப்படுகின்றனர்.

From the northern end of this temple complex, the two temples, The Kadasiddhesvara Temple  and the Jambulinga Temple, are one beside the other. They 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 a deva-koshta containing an image of a deity. 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.

ARCHITECTURE

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 entrance lintel has beautiful images of Shiva and Parvati seated on a Rishabam, flanked by Brahma and Vishnu. The temple measures 8.75 m e-w x 4.10 m n-s, has an ornate doorway flanked by Saiva dvara-pala in the front The dvara-bandha comprises five sakhas one of which is a zoo- anthropomorphic naga sakha. At the bottom of the sakhas are graceful bas-reliefs of the Ganga and the Yamuna, the river goddesses. In the dvara- bandha of the garbha-griha, though similar to the front, one would not miss to notice a special feature in the lalata the image of Siva and Uma his consort seated close to him and the Rishabam, his vahana below, bold and beautiful. At the extremities of the same lintel are: a figure of four armed Brahma to the right and of Vishnu to the left, a format found only in this temple. Outside in the deva-koshthas on the south, west and the north walls of the garbha-griha respectively are sculptures of Siva, Hari Hara and the Ardhanarisvara. The last two are the spiritual synthetic forms of Siva and Vishnu and of Siva and Sakti i.e. Purusha and Prakriti respectively and historically implying a sincere attempt to forge unity between the Saiva, Vaishnava and Sakta sectarians.

The Ardhanarisvara is an excellent work of art. It is particularly noteworthy that along the top zone of the walls runs a fine sculptural frieze of humour provocative kubja ganas in various postures and attitudes.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple may be dated to eight - ninth 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 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 ---

Hero Stones and Loose Sculptures of Badami Museum, Bagalkot District, Karnataka.

The visit to this Hero Stones and Loose sculptures at Badami Museum on the North banks of Agasthya Lake before Mallikarjuna Group of Temples at Badami 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 organisers Mrs Radha and Mrs Nithya Senthil Kumar and Mr Senthil Kumar..

Initially it was a place to store and preserve the explored materials, sculptures and inscriptions. Finally it was transformed into a full-fledged museum in 1982. The museum displays a rare collection of local sculptures such as the Lajja Gauri images of fertility cult and prehistoric inscriptions from 6^th  to 16^th  century.

The Archaeological Museum was established in the year 1982 houses 181 antiquities including sculptures, decorated architectural members and inscriptions found in and around Badami. There are four galleries in the museum and surrounded by an Open Air gallery. At the entrance, is an open-air gallery presenting Jaina image, Nataraja, Rishabams, kirtimukha, erotic figures and some decorated architectural members.

There are four well furnished galleries, which includes exhibits such as – attractive makara torana-carved on both sides, Siva represented as Kalari, Tripurantaka, Bhairava, Nataraja and Vishnu as Narasimha, Female divinities (Lajja gauri, matrikās, Bhairavi and others).

The panels depicting Bhāgavata or Krishnalilā scenes are outstanding specimens. The large, scaled model of the prehistoric cave at Shidlaphadi, the trans-slides depicting the various aspects of prehistoric life and the newly organized section exhibit human evolution, prehistoric paintings and stone implements, are important attraction of this museum. The section on conservation, excavation, epigraphy and the newly discovered quarry site along with iron implements, etc. are highly educative and highlight the multifaceted culture of Badami. A rare line drawing of the paintings in cave-III is yet another important exhibit in the museum. Trilingual Audio Video film information is available in the museum.

Apart from this, the museum has departmental publication sales counter and reference library with good number of collection of books regarding art and architecture.

Lajja Gauri

Lajja Gauri (Nude Goddess) is a UNIQUE type of sculpture in the realm of religious sculptural art of the Badami Chalukya period. Suçla representations associated with the worship of Gotheless of fertility and progeny having an ancient folk or indigenous a origin have come to light from many parts of India especially from the Deccan date wise. They range from 3^rd  - 2^nd  century BCE. to 17^th century CE and include Terracotta figurines stone sculptures and wooden figures. Significantly in the early medieval context a number of such relief sculptures, which were under regular worship, have been discovered within the Chalukya Dominion in the Malaprabha a valley, the cradle of early Chalukyas, this Goddess has appeared in every major site between Aihole and Badami. The one displayed here originally installed in the premises of the Nageswara Temple in the Naganathankolla (Nagaral), is one of the most artistically executed and best preserved images of the goddess.

The Goddess is depicted in high relief, almost is life size on a rectangular stele of Grayish sandstone as laying flat on her back emphasizing the Birth giving posture, in her two upraised hands she gently holds lotus Buds, The most important feature is that in place of the head a fully blown lotus is shown. The torso bears protrusion of fully developed breasts and the knees are drawn apart towards the shoulders for an easy delivery as it were. The goddess wears a lower garment (Ardhoryka) flowing across her thighs and in between the folded legs. She is also decorated with a pair of heavy necklaces, armléls, a pair of bangles and anklets.

The tradition of worshiping this form of mother goddess by women aspiring for off springs is still alive in the vicinity of Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole.

Ref

ASI website : http://www.asidharwadcircle.in/badami-museum/

VISITING HOURS

The visiting hours of the museum are from 9.00 Hrs. To 17.00 Hrs and closed on Fridays.

HOW TO REACH

The Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ) Museum is about  2 KM from Badami Bus Stand and autos are available from the base of the caves also.

The Bhutanatha Temple is about 22 KM from Pattadakal, 36 KM from Aihole and 453 KM from Bengaluru.

Nearest Railway station is Badami, about 7 KM.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE  : CLICK HERE

HERO STONES

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Bhootanaatha Gudi / Bhoothanatha Temple / பூதநாதா கோயில், Bhutanatha Group of Temples, Badami, Bagalkot District, Karnataka.

The visit to this  Bhutanatha Group of Temples at Badami 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.

Monuments at Badami

Badami, also known as Vatapi, was the capital of the Chalukyan empire ( 6^th  to 8^th  cent. CE.), which extended in the time of Pulikesin-II from Kanchi in Tamil Nadu to the banks of the Narmada and from Orissa to the west coast. After a set-back for a while owing to the attack of the Pallavas under Narasimha Varman-I, the Chalukyan kings regained their territory and gave impetus to the revival of Hindu religion and art under royal patronage Mahakuta, Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami became great centers of experimentation in temple building

Attracted by the scenic beauty and natural defences provided by the majestically standing hills and the vast sheet of water below. The Chalukyan kings shifted their early capital from Aihole to Badami. The remains of which can still be seen in the valley on the northern slopes. The natural gorge leading to the hill-city and embellished with temples and gateways is one of the major attractions of Badami apart from the famous rock-cut Brahmanical and Jaina caves which contain some of the finest sculptures known for their grace and vigour. The Chalukyan rulers built several structural temples along the edge of the lake and hill-tops which the visitor should not miss to see. Even while experimenting in temple building they evolved the proto type of the famous southern vimana style which the Malegitti Sivalaya. The lower Sivalaya and the upper Sivalaya represent.

The curve-linear sikhara of the Yellamma temple represents the northern style. While the Bhutanatha temples with stepped pyramidal roof represent the Kadamba-nagara type. Within a distance of 48 kms. More than one hundred and fifty temples were built by Chalukyan kings. The rock-cut temples-(caves - 1 to 4 are ornamented with exquisitely carved animal and human figures, gods and demi-gods. Floral and geometric patterns and scenes recalling the great episodes from the epics and puranas. Although the Chalukyans were Vaishnavites they encouraged construction of Jaina and Saiva temples also. After the fall of the Chalukyan empire the Rashtrakutas and Vijayanagar rulers and finally Tippu sultan occupied Badami the fort walls and other edifices built by them can also be seen here Badami abounds in a number of inscriptions, some of which are indispensable for writing the history of India. Among them mention may be made of the Pallava inscription on the boulder near the north gate and that of Mangalesha in cave 3. Here lived Prasanna Venkatadasa, a great Vaishnava saint of the 16^th century CE, who used to meditate and sing devotional songs on a platform near the north-gate.

பூதநாதர் கோயில் தொகுப்பு 

அகஸ்திய ஏரிக்கு அருகில் காணப்படுவதே பூதநாதர் கோயிலாகும். கிழக்கு பூதநாதர் கோயில்கள் பிரதான பூதநாதர் கோயில்கள் எனவும், வடக்கு பூதநாதர் கோயில்கள்/மல்லிகார்ஜுனர் கோயில்கள் என இங்குள்ள கோயில்களை இரண்டு வகைகளாக பிரித்துள்ளனர். இவை முறையே திராவிட மற்றும் நாகர கோயில் கட்டிடக்கலை கலைப்பாணியில் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. பிரதான பூதநாதர் கோயில்கள் வாதாபி சாளுக்கியர் காலத்தில் 7-8ஆம் நூற்றாண்டிலும், வடக்கு பூதநாதர் கோயில்கள் கல்யாணி சாளுக்கியர் கலைப்பாணியில் 11-12ஆம் நூற்றாண்டுகளில் எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. பிரதான கோயில் சிவனுக்காக எடுக்கப்பட்டது. வடக்கு பூதநாதர் கோயில்கள் விஷ்ணுவிற்காக எடுக்கப்பட்டு, பிற்காலத்தில் சிவன் கோயிலாக மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது. 

பூதநாதர் கோயிலுக்கு பின் புறம் உள்ள மலையின் பாறையில் நரசிம்ம அவதாரம், மகிஷனை வதம் செய்யும் தேவி, கணபதி, திரிமூர்த்திகளின் சிற்பம், வராக  அவதாரம் போன்றவை புடைப்பு சிற்பங்களாக காணப்படுகின்றன.

Ananda Sayana Perumal

Trimurtis

Bhutanatha Temple, The Bhutanatha Group of Temples.

The Bhutanatha Group of Temples consists of Bhutanatha Temple and the Dasavatar Bas reliefs on a boulder and a Buddha Cave.  This group has the main temple called “Sri Paigara Shridhara Bhuteshwara”  in a record of the eighth century on the banks of Agasthya Lake. The temple has undergone renovations many times, and is a simple structure. An inscription in front mandapa records as "Kariyamma sthanada divige". is a Rashtrakuta temple to its north-east with Lakulisha image within and the image is assigned to the 7^th  or 8^th Century CE. There are many shrines of Kalyana Chalukya times around this.

The main portion of this west-facing temple, comprising of a small square porch, a rectangular pillared hall and a square sanctuary was built in the first of 8^th century CE, during the time of Chalukyas of Badami. It’s porch was enlarged in the 11^th -12^th centuries during the reign of Chalukyas of Kalyana. Its deity is Bhuthesvara, a form of Siva, represented as a Linga. Its sanctuary's elevation details are simple and consist of a basement with upana, jagati, tripatta-kumuda and prati mouldings, a wall with kudya-stambhas ( thin pillar-reliefs), kapota ( roll-cornice), hara (entablature, suggesting the end of ground storey ), super structure of storeys defined by haras, except the last, a griva ( neck ), a square sikhara (cupola) and a stupi (pot-finial). This makes it an excellent specimen of a dravidian temple. The differences between the early and later chalukyan pillars can be noticed in the large open porch / mukha mantapa entered from the sides and front. The added part has a kakshasana or peripheral back.

 Lathe turned pillars

 Tharanga pothyal

 Lathe Turned pillars

HOW TO REACH

The Bhutanatha Group of temples is about 2 KM from Badami Bus Stand and autos are available from the base of the caves also.

The Bhutanatha Temple is about 22 KM from Pattadakal, 36 KM from Aihole and 453 KM from Bengaluru.

Nearest Railway station is Badami, about 7 KM.

Ref

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

2. A Hand Book on விஜயநகர் - சாளுக்கிய மரபு நடை கையேடு - Hampi Badami, Pattadakal & Aihole issued by VVS in Tamil

3. Temple Architecture and Arts of Early Chalukyas Badami, Pattadakal, Mahakuta Aihole by George Michell.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE  : CLICK HERE

Sanctum Entrance 

Sanctum Entrance Mahishamardini

Buddha in the cave 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---