Badami Chalukya Architecture

The Badami Chalukya Architecture was a temple building idiom that evolved in the time period of 5th - 8th centuries CE. in the area of Malaprabha basin, in present day Bagalkot district of Karnataka state. This style is sometimes called the Vesara style and Chalukya style. Their earliest temples date back to around 450 in Aihole when the Badami Chalukyas were feudatories of the Kadambas of Banavasi. According to historian K.V. Sounder Rajan, the Badami Chalukya contribution to temple building matched their valor and their achievements in battle.

Their style includes two types of monuments.
* The rock cut halls (caves)
* Structural temples

Cave temple featuresTheir rock cut halls have three basic features.
* Pillared Veranda
* Columned Hall
* A sanctum cut out deep into rock

* Early experiments in rock cut halls were attempted in Aihole where they built three cave temples, one each in Vedic, Buddhist and Jaina styles. Later they refined their style and cut out four marvellous cave temples at Badami.

* One note worthy feature of these cave temples is the running frieze of "Ganas" in various amusing postures caved in relief on each plinth.
* The outside Veranda of the cave temples are rather plain, but the inner hall contains rich and prolific sculptural symbolism. Art critic Dr. M. Sheshadri wrote of the Chalukya art that they cut rock like Titans but finished like jewellers. Critic Zimmer wrote that the Chalukya cave temples are a fine balance of versatility and restrain.

In Pattadakal are their finest structural temples. Of the ten temples in Pattadakal, six are in dravidian style and four in Rekhanagara style. The Virupaksha temple in many way holds resemblance to the Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram which came into existence a few years earlier.
* This is a fully inclusive temple, it has a central structure, "nandi" pavilion in front and has a walled enclosure that is entered by a gateway.

*The main sanctum has a "Pradakshinapatha" and "mantapa". The "mantapa" is pillared and has perforated windows (pierced window screens).
* The external wall surface is divided by pilasters into well spaced ornamental niches filled with either sculptures or perforated windows. Art critic Percy brown says about the sculputres that they flow into the architecture in a continuous stream. It is said that the Virupaskha temple is one of those monuments where the spirit of the men who built it, still lives.

Many centuries later, the serene art of the Badami Chalukya reappeared in the pillared architecture of the Vijayanagar Empire. Their caves include finely engraved sculptures of "Harihara", "Trivikrama", "Mahisa Mardhini", "Tandavamurthi", "Paravasudeva", "Nataraja", "Varaha", "Gomateshvara" and others. Plenty of animal and foliage motifs are also included.

Some important sculptors of their time were Gundan Anivaritachari, Revadi Ovajja and Narasobba.

Important Badami Chalukya temples

Pattadakal
* Virupaksha temple
* Sangameshvara temple
* Kashivisvanatha temple (Rashtrakuta)
* Mallikarjuna temple
* Galganatha temple
* Kadasiddeshvara temple
* Jambulinga temple
* Jain Narayana temple (Rashtrakuta)
* Papanatha temple
* Museum of the Plains and Sculpture gallery
* Naganatha temple
* Chandrashekara
* Mahakuteshwara templeAihole
* Lad Khan temple
* Huchiappayyagudi temple
* Huchiappayya math
* Durga temple
* Meguti Jain temple
* Ravanaphadi temple
* Gowda temple
* Museum & Art Gallery
* Suryanarayana temple Badami
* Cave 1 (Shiva)
* Cave 2 (Vishnu)
* Cave 3 (Vishnu)
* Cave 4 (Buddha)
* Bhutanatha group temples (Badami and Kalyani Chalukya)
* Mallikarjuna group temples (Kalyani Chalukya)
* Yellamma group temples (Kalyani Chalukya)Gerusoppa
* Vardhamanaswamy temple

References

* Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
* Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat (2001). Concise History of Karnataka, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002).
* [http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm History Of Karnataka, Mr. Arthikaje © 1998-00 OurKarnataka.com]

External

* [http://bagalkot.nic.in/ Official site of Bagalkot District]
* [http://www.karnataka.com/tourism/aihole/ Karnataka Tourism Guide]
* [http://www.hotelskarnataka.com/html/aihole.htm Karnataka Hotels]
* [http://www.tourism-of-india.com/aihole.html Tourism of India]
* [http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/kar/temples.htm Temples of Karnataka, Dr. Jyotsna Kamat]