INTRODUCTION

attadakal is an enchanting name in the history of temple architecture. It is located on the banks of the Malaprabha River and it is surrounded by red sandstone hill ranges. It was a great centre for Art and Culture and congenial for human settlement. It was one of the important Religious and royal centre of the Chalukyas ofP Badami. The temples constructed here mark the blending of the Rekha-Nagara-Prasada and the Dravida Vimana stylesof temple building. The temples are adorned with sculptures of various god forms and human life as well as plant and animal life. The Art and Architecture of the temples provide a glimpse of the contemporary society in its various dimensions

REKHA-NAGARA TEMPLES OF PATTADAKAL

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KADASIDDHESVARA TEMPLE this temple was

constructed in the late 7th century A.D. it is a RekhaNagara model. This temple has a flat rook Mandapa without any pillars. It has three Talas,and the Shikharas does not have any Stupi. On the exterior walls on all the three sides are Deva-Koshtas of sculptures of lord Shiva, Harihara and Ardhanarisvara. The Sukanasika has the image of Natya Shiva. The temple has an ornate doorway flanked by Shaiva Dwarpalas in the front. It has an Antarala and a Garbagriha. The Dvar-bandha of the Garbagriha comprises of panchsakhas which are the Nagasakha,

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vela sakha, and patrasakha. At the bottom of the Sakhas are beautiful Bas-Relief of the Ganga and the Yamuna, the River Goddesses. The Lalata Bimba of the Dvarbandha has the image of Shiva and Uma with Nandi as their Vahana. On the left side of the lintel is the image of four armed Brahma and on the right side is of lord Vishnu, a format found only in this temple. JAMBULINGA TEMPLE it is a Rekha-Nagara style temple. Originally it had a Mukha-mandapa and Nandi-mandapa. This temple is of teen Talas. It is incomplete because it does not have a Amalaka and Stupi. The Dvarabandha comprises of teen sakhas, they are vela sakha, patra sakha and stambha sakha. It has a Bas-Relief of Purna-Ghata, a symbol of prosperity on each side. The stamba sakha of the dvarbandha is of Ghattapallava order. The lintel of the Dvarbandha has small five niches each containing a Shiva Linga, symbolising the Shiva Pancha-Tatvas that is Sadyojata, Tatpurusha, Vamdeva, Aghora and Isana. In the interior it has a Garbagriha and Antarala. The dvarsakhas of the Garbagriha are pancha sakhas. With Dvarpalas on both sides and attendants at the bottom. In the Deva-Koshtas on the exterior wall are the images of Shiva in the form of Lakulisha on the south, Surya in the west and Vishnu in the north. The sukhanasika of this temple has the image of Natya shiva along with Parvati.

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THE GALAGANATHA TEMPLE- this temple was

constructed in the early 8th century A.D. the temple is constructed on aplatform called Jagati and the Jagati is surrounded by Pranala. It is of Sandhara style because it has a Pradikshana-path around the Garbhagriha. This temple has a very curvilinear Shikara. It has four Talas and it has a Amalaka and Stupi. The Dvarbandha of the temple comprises of Pancha Sakhas that is patra sakha, stamba sakha, vela sakha, and Nag sakha. The Lalatabimba has the image of Nataraja. The sukanasika is missing. A little below the exterior of the devakoshta of the Garbagriha is a series of five square boxes at regular intervals containing miniature figures. What is particularly noteworthy in the temple is the Ghana-Dvaraseach on the south, west and north. The western and northern are missing. The southern Ghana-dvara exhibits a colossal sculpture of eight armed Shiva as Andhakasuri the destroyer of the demon Andhakasur. The sculpture is flanked on both sides by Vyalas. The walls of the Garbagriha are highly decorated with Rathikas. The pillars throughout the temple are of Ghatapallava order.

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KASI VISVESVARA TEMPLE this temple was

constructed during the ate 8th century A.D. The temple comprises of garbagriha, Antarala, Sabha mandapa and the mukha mandapa is missing. It has

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panchadvara sakha at the bottom are beautiful Bassrelief of Ganga and Yamuna besides other attendants. The Lalatabimba is of Garuda holding the Nag sakhas. In the Sabha mandapa are four pillars in which three are of ghatapallava order and one is of Amalaka with padmabandha on it. The three Amalaka pillars are sculptural panels with depiction of gods and goddesses or scenes from Puranic episodes relating to Shiva leelas and Krishna leelas. The panchasakha dvarabandha of the Antarala is ornate with shiva dvarpalas on the sides. On the bottom are Shiva Linga being worshipped by kinnaras. On the ceiling of the Garbagriha is the relief of Padma. On the exterior of the side walls are Stamba Panjaras( tall, slender pillared niches). In the niches of the northern wall are sculptures of Ardhanarisvara and Jatadhari Shiva. On the exterior walls are Kubja Ganas carrying garlands. This is a temple of five talas and the sukanasika has the image of Nataraja. PAPANATHA TEMPLE- it was constructed between 7-8th century A.D. it is located on the confluence of the Malaprabha River. The plan of the temple is oblong. It comprises of Garbagriha with Sandhara Pradikshina Path, Antarala, Sabha Mandapa and Mukhamandapa. Its a combination of vimana and Rekha Nagara style. The outer walls of the Garbagriha has a Ghanadvara and enshrining the colossal

sculpture of Natya Shiva, Shiva and again a Nataraja. On the Adhishtana level there are elephants in various poses and on the pillars in the mukhamandapa are figures of dampatis. In the ceiling is a beautiful large square panel displaying eight armed Shiva dancing on apasmara along with Parvati. On the right side the accompanying artist is playing on a Ghata with four spouts. His right hand is in chinmudra. This panel is of the best specimenof the chalukyan art for spatial distribution and balance. The dvarbandha is well designed and ornate it is crowned with sala shikhara. The Lalatabimba is of Gajalakshmi, right above that is the image of Shiva and Parvati. In the Sabhamandapa are four rows of pillars each dividing the hall into central nave and side aisles. The pillars are slender and they are fixed into a moulded pitha. On the ceiling there are big sculptural panels of Gajalakshmi, Vishnu and Ashtadikpalas.the dvarbandha of the garbagriha has panchsakha and the lalatbimba has the icon of Garuda. This temple is highly decorative and ornated. CONCLUSION the rekha-Nagara variety of temples in Pattadakal has evolved from simplicity to magnificence within the span of two centuries. In all the temples the artist has given a unique identity to it and stated its importance. We also get to understand the position of the society through various portrayals.

Here through various designs we get to know the influence of epics and trantism.