architecture

1. Prepared By :
Bharat Agarwal (2012UAR1631)
Deepak Chejara (2012UAR1412)

2. INTRODUCTION
 The rule of the Chalukyas marks an important milestone in
the history of South India.
 It is also called as a golden age in the history of Karnataka.
 Though they ruled a vast empire, the Chalukyan workshops
concentrated most of their temple building activity in a
relatively small area within the Chalukyan heartland.
 The Chalukyas were greatly interested in temple
architecture.

3. HISTORY
 The Chalukyan Dynasty was a dominant
power in northern karnataka during the 6th
century.
 This dynasty is attributed with having
introduced its own style of temple
architecture called Chalukyan Architecture.
 This architecture blends the finer aspects of
the Dravidian and Nagara temple
architecture.
 Hence it is also referred as Vesara

4. CHALUKYAN TEMPLES
 They built a number of rock-cut cave-temples and
structural temples of brick dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu
and Brahma.
 Some exquisite sculpted monuments have been
excavated at Aihole, Badami, Pattadakal and
Mahakuta.
 Badami Architecture style is called as the Vesara style
and Chalukya style.
 The Chalukya style mainly originated in Aihole and
badami and was perfected in Pattadakal and
Mahakuta.

5. AIHOLE
 Aihole is a small vilage on the banks of River
Malaprabha, located near Badami in the state of
Karnataka.
 The village of Aihole contains over 125 temples
from the Early Western Chalukya and later
periods (6th - 12th century).
 Aihole, often termed as the ‘cradle of Indian
architecture’
 The artisans worked on the rocks to create the
earliest rock cut shrines and graduated to the full
fledged Chalukya style of architecture.

6. TEMPLES OF AIHOLE
 Ravana Phadi
 Durga Temple
 Hucchimalli gudi
 Lad khan

7. RAVANA PHADI
 It is the earliest rock cut temple in chalukyan dynasty.
 The 6th century cave temple is dedicated to Shiva. A broken column lines up
with the cave entrance, which opens to the southwest. The cave is dramatically
recessed on a deep ledge, with free-standing shrines on either side.
 It is carved out of the sandstone outcrop.
 it has retained its originality quite well with the lapse of time. It is Dedicated to
Shiva,
A Nandi sculpture,
lined up with the
column below the
ledge, faces towards
the cave entrance.
The column's
pincushion-shaped
capital is displayed
in the center of the
lawn.

8. RAVANA PHADI
• Shiva, in his ten-armed form (compare Ellora
Cave 29), dances beside Ganesh and Parvati (left,
hidden behind pillar).
• The panel is located in a shallow chamber on the
left side as you face the linga shrine.
• Shiva's elongated torso, high hat, and pleated
garments are markers of the Early Western
Chalukya style in sculpture.
• There is a Sivalinga in the inner room
(cella or sanctum sanctorum, where the
idol of the deity is kept). The walls and
sides of the temple are covered with large
figures

9. DURGA TEMPLE
• The name "Durga" refers to a fort, not to the goddess; apparently at one time the
building was used as a military outpost (durg).
• It is not known to which deity the temple was originally dedicated. The entrance is in
east .
An incomplete tower perches on the roof above the
sanctuary.
The Shikhara seems to be inspired from North
Indian temple.
• Temple was built roughly between 7th – 8th century BC.
“Rekhanagara”
type shikhara

10. PLAN
• The temple's unusual apsidal form is thought to imitate the earlier Buddhist chaitya
halls.
• An inner wall of similar shape encloses the sanctuary.
• A colonnaded corridor runs around the temple enveloping the shrine, the
mukhamantapa and the sabhamantapa and also allows parikrama or
circumambulation.

11. ENTRANCE PORCH
• The porch faces east. Entrance stairs run up sideways, behind the
frontal barrier wall in the foreground.
• The columns are decorated with couple sculptures.
•There are intricate lattice windows and a riot of carvings on the
walls and ceiling.

12. • The medallion depicts a stylized lotus pond. A
school of fish, encircled by a band of lotus
plants, converges radially to a central nub.
• The design is symmetric, with plants arranged
in alternating closed and open views. The
formal pattern is much enlivened by the
naturalistic rendering of its fish and plant
motifs.
•A naga king, his body coiled into a circle, is
accompanied by female attendants.
• In his right hand, the naga carries a garland
(not his tail, as it may seem at first).
•In his left hand, he bears an offering platter,
which, like those of the attendants, is filled
with fruits of the earth.
CEILING ARTICULATION

14. SCULPTURES IN TEMPLE
Shiva with Nandi Narasimha Vishnu with Garuda

15. VarahaDurgaHarihara
SCULPTURES IN TEMPLE

16. HUCCHIMALLI GUDI TEMPLE
•Hucchimalli is a 7th-century Hindu temple
(gudi). The building faces west, and consists
of a mandapa plus sanctuary.
•It was the first south indian temple with a
porch.

17. A distinctively slanted roof covers the
circumambulatory passage around the temple
shrine.
NORTH SHRINE
The tower of this small detached shrine appears to
be fashioned in pyramidal style, unlike the curving
tower of the main temple.
The pierced stone screen between porch and shrine
is a later addition.
HUCCHIMALLI GUDI TEMPLE

18. LAD KHAN TEMPLE
 The temple's design contains other unusual features (plan). The porch fronts a
square mandapa. In the center of the mandapa, a Nandi faces the small interior
shrine, which abuts the rear wall of the mandapa. Instead of the usual tower, a
rooftop shrine (the structure on top of the roof in this photo) is positioned over
the center of the mandapa.

19. LAD KHAN TEMPLE
ROOFING

20. LAD KHAN TEMPLE

21. LAD KHAN TEMPLE

22. GAUDARA GUDI
 Gaudura Temple appears to be the oldest of all Aihole temples. The temple has
16 pillars, a sanctum and parikrama path.