Pattadakal

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Group of Monuments at Pattadakal


State Party = IND
Type = Cultural
Criteria = iii, iv
ID = 239
Region = Asia-Pacific
Year = 1987
Session = 11th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/239

Pattadakal (Kannada - ಪಟ್ಟದಕಲ್) is a town in the Indian state of Karnataka famous for its group of monuments that are the culmination of earliest experiments in vesara style of Hindu temple architecture. The temples were built in the 8th century CE. The uniqueness of this place derives from the presence of both the Dravidian or the Southern and the Nagara or the Northern (Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture!!

Pattadakal is 22 km from Badami, the capital of the Chalukya dynasty of Southern India, who built the temples in the seventh and eighth centuries. There are ten temples including a Jain sanctuary surrounded by numerous small shrines and plinths. Four temples were built in Dravidian style, four in "nagara" style of Northern India and the Papanatha temple in mixed style.

The group of monuments in Pattadakal was designated a World Heritage Site in 1987.

*Virupaksha Temple

The best known is the "Virupaksha" temple, built by Queen Lokamahadevi in 745 to commemorate her husband's victory (Vikramaditya II) over the Pallavas of Kanchi. The temple closely resembles the "Kailashnatha" temple in Kanchi which served as a model for this temple. The "Virupakhsa" temple in turn served as an inspiration for the "Kailashnatha" temple built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty in Ellora. The "Virupaksha" temple is rich in sculptures like those of "lingodbhava", "Nataraja", "Ravananugraha" and "Ugranarasimha".
*Sangameshvara Temple built by King Vijayaditya Satyashraya is incomplete, yet attractive.

*Kashivisvanatha temple was built by the Rashtrakutas in the 8th century.

*Mallikarjuna Temple is a smaller version of the "Virupaksha" temple and was built by Vikramadiyta's second queen Trilokyamahadevi in 745.

*Galganatha temple contains a sculpture of Lord Shiva killing the demon Andhakasura, Kadasiddeshvara temple which has a sculpture of Shiva holding a "Trident" or "Trishul" in his hands and its twin temple, the Jambulinga Temple are all built in "nagara" style and resemble the "Hucchimalli' Guddi" at Aihole.

*Jain Temple located on the Pattadakal-Badami Road, is built in the Dravidian style by the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta. It has some very beautiful sculptures & probably dates from the 9th century and was built by either King Amoghavarsha I or his son Krishna II

*Papanatha temple is built in the vesara style dated to 680. The temple was started in "nagara" style but later changed to a more balanced Dravidian style. Sculptures here speak of scenes from "Ramayana" and "Mahabharatha". This temple has many similarities with the "Navabrahma" temples in Alampur, Andhra Pradesh, which were also built by the same dynasty.

*Museum of the Plains and Sculpture gallery is maintained by the "Archeological Survey of India" on the "Bhutanatha" temple road.

Other important monuments here are the monolithic stone pillar bearing inscriptions, Naganatha temple, Chandrashekara temple and inscriptions in the Mahakuteshwara temple.

See also

* Badami Chalukya Architecture
* Badami
* Aihole
* Badami Cave Temples

External links

* [http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-monuments/pattadakal-temple.html Pattadakal Temples]
* [http://www.indoarch.org/intro_arch.php Architecture on the Indian Subcontinent]
* [http://www.indiamonuments.org Photographs of Pattadakkal and other sites in the Deccan]
* [http://www.india-picture.net/search.php?searchstring=Pattadakal&go=Go%21 Photos of Pattadakkal]
* [http://www.nri-connect.com/IndiaTravelTourism/Heritage-Indian-Sites.htm Compilation of Indian Heritage Sites]
* [http://www.pattadakal.com Pattadakal]