Pattadakal: Karnataka’s cradle of architecture

Pattadakal, also called Paṭṭadakallu or Raktapura, is a complex of 7th and 8th century CE Hindu and Jain temples.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Pattadakal is located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka.

UNESCO has described Pattadakal as “a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India” and an illustration of “eclectic art” at its height.

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Pattadakal, also called Paṭṭadakallu or Raktapura, is a complex of 7th and 8th century CE Hindu and Jain temples.

The monument is a protected site under Indian law and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

There are 10 major temples in Pattadakal, all dedicated to Lord Shiva, which contain elements of both South Indian (Dravidian) and North Indian (Nagara) styles of architecture.

The Sangameshwara Temple is another large Dravida-style temple built in the early 8th century by King Vijayaditya.

Galaganath Temple is noteworthy for an exquisite sculpture of Lord Shiva killing the demon Andhakasura. It houses an immense Shiva Linga, called the Sparsha Linga.

Kashiviswanatha Temple is famous for the several female figurines engraved on the walls.

Scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharatha have been depicted in several carvings all over the Papanatha Temple.

The uniqueness of the Jambulinga Temple temple lies in the fact that the temple plinth is decorated with the figures of various kinds of birds.

The Jain Narayana, Chandrashekhara, and Kadasideeshwara are the other major temples here, and Pattadakal also has two beautiful elephants in front.

Popular commemorative temples

Virupaksha Temple (previously known as Lokesvara Temple) is the largest temple in the Pattadakal complex. It was built by Queen Lokamahadevi in the 8th century to commemorate the victory of her husband Vikramaditya II over the Pallavas. The government of Karnataka organises the annual Virupaksha temple car festival which draws large crowds every year.

The Mallikarjuna temple is a miniature version of the Virupaksha temple. It was built by King Vikramaditya’s queen Rani Trilokyamahadevi to celebrate the Chalukyan victory over the Pallavas. A half-broken monolith pillar stands in the middle of the courtyard near the Mallikarjuna Temple. It bears inscriptions about the reigns of king Vijayaditya and Vikramaditya of the Chalukya dynasty. The inscriptions are in the Kannada-Tamil script.

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