Located in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, on the west bank of the Malaprabha River, Pattadakal, known for its Hindu and Jain temples, came to be known as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is known for the 7th and 8th century CE temples built during the Chalukya Dynasty. Also called Raktapura owing to its red soil, and being close to Badami and Aihole, became a major cultural centre and religious site for architectural innovation and experimentation, and is protected by the Indian Law and managed by the ASI – Archeological Survey of India.
It was considered a holy place and was used by the Chalukya Dynasty for coronation ceremonies, hence Pattadakal is also known as “the stone of coronation”. The early Chalukya rulers were Vaishnavites, who then converted into Shivaites. The Shivaites made the temples in and around this compound to be dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Built in c.740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband’s victory over the kings from the South, the Temple of Virupaksha is considered a masterpiece.
Pattadakal and UNESCO
“Pattadakal – a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India and an illustration of ‘eclectic art’ at its height”, as described by UNESCO. Falling under the (iii) and (iv) criteria of the UNESCO World Heritage Conventions – Criteria for Selection, this site meets outstanding universal value. The two criteria are:
- (iii) – to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared
- (iv) – to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history
The Group of Monuments at Pattadakal falls under the cultural category and has a site ID by UNESCO – 239. It was accorded World Heritage Status by UNESCO in 1987.
Features of the Temple Architecture
The monuments here are mainly built of sandstone and fall under Temple Architecture. The main features of temple architecture here are :
- Garbha Griha – is the sanctum which contains the main deity.
- Antarala – it is a vestibule or foyer between the garbhagriha and mandapa
- Murti – an enshrined image that is housed by the antarala
- Pitha – a pedestal or a high platform over which the temple is built
- Mandapa – a pillared or pillar-less hall or pavilion
- Shikhara – superstructure located above the garbha griha, it acts as a characteristic feature
- Amalaka – a ribbed stone which usually ridges on the rim that sits on top
- Kalash – a pot with mango leaves and a coconut located at its finial
- Vimana – located above the garbha griha, it acts as a body before the shikhara
Architectural Differences
Dravida and Nagara styles of architecture emerged from the Panchayatana architecture. The development and evolution of these styles are divided into three categories. The stages were :
- Stage 01 – simple pillars and structures
- Stage 02 – addition of carvings and intricate pillars
- Stage 03 – additional intricacy to the shikhara and the pillars
The key differences between these two styles are that the Nagara style is originally from North Indian Temples whereas the Dravidian style is from South Indian Temples. Nagara style of architecture has multiple shikaras and towers, where the shikaras are of curvilinear shape. The Dravidian style has only a single shikara and tower, where the shikara is shaped like a pyramid. Deities are inside and pedestals are higher than the ground in Nagara style. Dravidian style allows for deities to be outside and is situated at ground level.
The Group of Three
Pattadakal is one of the three great centres of experimentation in temple architecture. Here, the Rekhanagara Prasada and Dravidian Vimana styles of architecture were given their final form. The temples seen to have the curvilinear shikhara, which represent the former style are the Papanatha, Kasivisvesara, Jambulinga, and Galaganatha temples. The Mallikarjuna, Sangamesvara, and Virupaksha temples have a square roof of receding tiers that represent the latter. The narratives from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and the Bhagvadgita can be seen as a representation of the Early Chalukyas through intricate and delicate detailing.
Aihole consisted of 125 temples, each having its unique architectural style and was the capital of the Chalukya Dynasty during the 6th – 8th centuries CE, becoming an important centre for architecture at that time. Gaudar, Kunti, Ladkhan, and Hucchapaya are some of the early temples. They characterised a pavilion with a slightly sloping roof.
The Durga Temple is considered unique because of its design. Having an apsidal plan with a non-apsidal shikhara. Aihole is considered the ‘aryapura of inscriptions ‘.
The Badami Cave Temples are a group of rock-cut temples. Built in the 6th century, they are a great example of early Chalukyan architecture. The four cave temples here are dedicated to Lord Shiva(east-facing), Lord Vishnu, and Jain Tirthankars.
With its intricate temple architecture, Pattadakal stands as a cultural hub and a testament to the architectural and cultural skills of the Chalukya Dynasty. The temples are designed in a way to honour Hindu and Jain deities through carvings and sculptures that also reflects India’s heritage and architectural evolution.
REFERENCES:
- Youtube. Pattadakal: UNESCO World Heritage Site: Aihole: Badami: Karnataka: 7th and 8th century temples. 06/08/2023. https://youtu.be/7dcjJY1fJDQ?si=C_uWIO7vUy13TyKH
- RC,Dhruba. World History Encyclopedia. The temples of pattadakal. https://www.worldhistory.org#organisation. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/899/the-temples-of-pattadakal/.
3.BYJUS. Difference between Nagara and Dravidian style of Temple Architecture in India & their comparisons. 05/12/2022. https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/difference-between-nagara-and-dravidian-style/#:~:text=In%20Dravidian%20Style%2C%20the%20entrance%20has%20Dwarapalas.&text=In%20Nagara%20style%2C%20pedestals%20are,level%20in%20the%20Dravidian%20Style.&text=In%20Dravidian%20Style%2C%20deities%20are%20outside.
IMAGE REFERENCES:
1.https://karnatakatourism.org/gallery
2.https://www.facebook.com/MagnificentBharat/photos/pattadakallu-karnataka-indiapattadakallu-also-called-raktapura-is-a-complex-of-7/930206405780428/?_rdr
3.https://www.google.com/search?q=httpslakshmisharath.comwp-contentuploads201504virupaksha&rlz=1C1CHBF_enIN816IN816&oq=httpslakshmisharath.comwp-contentuploads201504virupaksha&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQRRg80gEHODg3ajBqNKgCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
4.https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=3eef141e9e980f13&rlz=1C1CHBF_enIN816IN816&sxsrf=ADLYWIJMIQ2f5iRjPHTZmI_KB5ejg_apUw%3A1716740776939&q=httpstimesofindia.indiatimes.com%2Btravel%2Bdestinations%2Ba-day-at-the-unesco-heritage-site-of-pattadakal-temple%2Bphotostory%2B96276900&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwip77jh3auGAxUkS2wGHQk_AaEQBSgAegQIAxAB&biw=1396&bih=663&dpr=1.38
- https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper1/temple-architecture/print_manually
