Mahakuta Lakulisha.jpg

The Mahakuta group of temples is located in Mahakuta, a village in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka state, India. It is an important place of worship for Hinduism, Hindus and the location of a well-known Shaiva monastery. The temples are dated to the 6th or 7th century CE and were constructed by the early kings of the Chalukya dynasty of Badami. The dating of the temples is based on the style of architecture which is similar to that of the temples in nearby AiholeCousens (1926), p. 51 and the information in two notable inscriptions in the complex: the Mahakuta Pillar inscription dated between 595–602 CE (written in the Sanskrit language and Kannada script); and an inscription of Vinapoti, a concubine of king Vijayaditya, dated between 696–733 CE and written in the Kannada language and script.Cousens (1926), p. 52

Basic plan

The Karnataka artisans of the 7th century achieved a certain eclectism in their architecture by building south Indian ''dravida'' style temples adjacent to north Indian ''nagara'' style temples.Sinha (2000), p. 34 Further, their ''dravida'' and ''nagara'' styles were local, indigenous variants and unrelated to the architectural styles that prevailed in modern Tamil Nadu to the south, and Central India ("Madhyadesha") to the north.Sinha (2000), p. 35 They achieved this by combining the basic plan of one style with characteristics of the other. The ''dravida'' style temples here have a tiered tower over the shrine which is capped with a dome like structure. The ''nagara'' style temples use a curvilinear tower over a shrine which has a square plan, and is capped by a ribbed stone. The development of this hybrid style, achieved by combining the typological features of the two basic architectural styles, is considered a peculiarity of the Karnataka region and defines the beginnings of the Vesara style of architecture.Sinha (2000), p. 38

A natural mountain spring flows within the temple complex and feeds fresh water into a large tank called the ''Vishnu Pushkarni'' ("Lotus (plant), Lotus pool of god Vishnu") and an ablution tank called ''Papavinasha Tirtha'' ("Tank of Ablution"). Among the several shrines in the complex, the Mahakuteshvara temple, built in the ''dravida'' style, and the Mallikarjuna temple are the largest. There is a small shrine in the centre of the ''Vishnu Pushkarni'' tank and in it is a Shiva ''linga'' (universal symbol of god Shiva) called ''Panchamukha linga'' ("five faced linga"), one face for each direction and one on top.

Inscriptions

The Mahakuta complex has provided historians two important 7th century inscriptions. The Mahakuta Pillar inscription, dated variously between 595–602 CE records a grant made by Durlabhadevi, a queen of Pulakeshin I (the father of king Mangalesha). The queen supplemented an earlier grant with an endowment of ten villages, including Pattadakal and Aihole to god Mahkuteshvara Natha. In addition, the inscription provides important information about the Chalukyan lineage, their military expeditions, their conquests and early monuments.''The Mahakuta Pillar and Its Temples'', p. 253, Carol Radcliffe Bolon The pillar goes by the name ''Dharma-jayastambha'' ("Pillar of victory of religion") and is on exhibition at a Adil Shahi, Bijapur archaeological museum.Cousens (1926), p. 52 The other inscription, ascribed to Vinapoti, king Vijayaditya's concubine, is inscribed in the porch of the Mahakuteshvara temple. It describes a grant of ruby, rubies and a silver umbrella to the deity ''Mahakuteshvara'' in addition to a piece of land.

Gallery

Mahakuta group of temples2 at Mahakuta.jpg, Vishnu temple with ''nagara'' superstructure (left) and a shrine with Kadamba Dynasty, Kadamba superstructure (right) at Mahakuta
Mahakuta group of temples at Mahakuta.jpg, Mahakuteshvara temple (painted white) in the ''dravida'' style (rear) and Sangameshvara temple in ''nagara'' style (front)
Mahakuta group of temples3 at Mahakuta.jpg, Sangameshvara temple with ''nagara'' superstructure at Mahakuta
7th century Kannada inscription at Mahakutesvara temple in Mahakuta.jpg, 7th century Kannada inscription of Vinapoti, concubine of Badami Chalukya King Vijayaditya
Wall relief sculpture at the Mahakuta group of temples at Mahakuta.jpg, Sculpture of ''Ardhanareeshvara'' (form of the Hindu god Shiva) at the Mahakuta temples
File:Mahakuta 3.jpg, Mahakuta temple tank

See also

*Aihole
*Badami Cave Temples
*Badami Chalukya Architecture
*Banashankari Amma Temple, Banashankari Amma Temple at Cholachagudd
*Pattadakal

Notes

External links

Mahakuta on Google Maps

Relive 6th century at Mahakuta

References

*
*
*
*''Karnataka State Gazetteer'' 1983.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahakuta Group Of Temples
7th-century Hindu temples
Hindu temples in Bagalkot district
Chalukya dynasty