Badami Chalukya Architecture

All you want to know about Badami Chalukya Architecture

This article cites its sources but does not provide page references.
You can improve this article by introducing citations that are more precise.
This article or section may require cleanup because it is in a list format that may be better presented using prose.
You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (September 2007)
Sangameshvara temple 725 CE Pattadakal
Sangameshvara temple 725 CE Pattadakal
Galaganatha temple, 680 CE Pattadakal
Galaganatha temple, 680 CE Pattadakal

The Badami Chalukya Architecture was a temple building idiom that evolved in the time period of 5th - 8th centuries CE. in the area of Malaprabha basin, in present day Bagalkot district of Karnataka state. This style is sometimes called the Vesara style and Chalukya style. Their earliest temples date back to around 450 in Aihole when the Badami Chalukyas were feudatories of the Kadambas of Banavasi. According to historian K.V. Sounder Rajan, the Badami Chalukya contribution to temple building matched their valor and their achievements in battle.

Their style includes two types of monuments.

  • The rock cut halls (caves)
  • Structural temples

Cave temple features Their rock cut halls have three basic features.

  • Pillared Veranda
  • Columned Hall
  • A sanctum cut out deep into rock
  • Early experiments in rock cut halls were attempted in Aihole where they built three cave temples, one each in Vedic, Buddhist and Jaina styles. Later they refined their style and cut out four marvellous cave temples at Badami.
  • One note worthy feature of these cave temples is the running frieze of Ganas in various amusing postures caved in relief on each plinth.
  • The outside Veranda of the cave temples are rather plain, but the inner hall contains rich and prolific sculptural symbolism. Art critic Dr. M. Sheshadri wrote of the Chalukya art that they cut rock like Titans but finished like jewellers. Critic Zimmer wrote that the Chalukya cave temples are a fine balance of versatility and restrain.

In Pattadakal are their finest structural temples. Of the ten temples in Pattadakal, six are in dravidian style and four in Rekhanagara style. The Virupaksha temple in many way holds resemblance to the Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram which came into existence a few years earlier.

  • This is a fully inclusive temple, it has a central structure, nandi pavilion in front and has a walled enclosure that is entered by a gateway.
  • The main sanctum has a Pradakshinapatha and mantapa. The mantapa is pillared and has perforated windows (pierced window screens).
  • The external wall surface is divided by pilasters into well spaced ornamental niches filled with either sculptures or perforated windows. Art critic Percy brown says about the sculputres that they flow into the architecture in a continuous stream. It is said that the Virupaskha temple is one of those monuments where the spirit of the men who built it, still lives.

Many centuries later, the serene art of the Badami Chalukya reappeared in the pillared architecture of the Vijayanagar Empire. Their caves include finely engraved sculptures of Harihara, Trivikrama, Mahisa Mardhini, Tandavamurthi, Paravasudeva, Nataraja, Varaha, Gomateshvara and others. Plenty of animal and foliage motifs are also included.

Some important sculptors of their time were Gundan Anivaritachari, Revadi Ovajja and Narasobba.

Jain tirthankara Parshvanath, Cave No.4 Badami Cave Temples

Virupaksha temple wall sculpture Pattadakal

drunken woman supported by man Badami Cave Temples

Sanctum inside Cave No.1, Badami Cave Temples

Important Badami Chalukya temples

Pattadakal

  • Virupaksha temple
  • Sangameshvara temple
  • Kashivisvanatha temple (Rashtrakuta)
  • Mallikarjuna temple
  • Galganatha temple
  • Kadasiddeshvara temple
  • Jambulinga temple
  • Jain Narayana temple (Rashtrakuta)
  • Papanatha temple
  • Museum of the Plains and Sculpture gallery
  • Naganatha temple
  • Chandrashekara
  • Mahakuteshwara temple

Aihole

  • Lad Khan temple
  • Huchiappayyagudi temple
  • Huchiappayya math
  • Durga temple
  • Meguti Jain temple
  • Ravanaphadi temple
  • Gowda temple
  • Museum & Art Gallery
  • Suryanarayana temple

Badami

  • Cave 1 (Shiva)
  • Cave 2 (Vishnu)
  • Cave 3 (Vishnu)
  • Cave 4 (Buddha)
  • Bhutanatha group temples (Badami and Kalyani Chalukya)
  • Mallikarjuna group temples (Kalyani Chalukya)
  • Yellamma group temples (Kalyani Chalukya)

Gerusoppa

  • Vardhamanaswamy temple

References

External

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Chalukya_Architecture"

No comments have been added.



Your name:

City:

Country:

Your comments:

Security check *
(Please enter the number into adjoining box)

 

  • Ads

           
eXTReMe Tracker