 The Chalukya dynasty was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts

of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries.
 Rule of chalukyans – golden age in history of Karnataka
 The political atmosphere in South India shifted from smaller kingdoms to large empires
with the ascendancy of Badami Chalukyas. A Southern India-based kingdom took control
and consolidated the entire region between the Kaveri and the Narmada rivers. The rise
of this empire saw the birth of efficient administration, overseas trade and commerce and
the development of new style of architecture called "Chalukyan architecture".
 The building material they used was a reddish-golden Sandstone found locally. 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 –
Aihole, Badami, Pattadakal and Mahakuta in modern Karnataka state.
 1st phase – 6TH CENTURY - 3 elementary cave temples at AIHOLE and 4 at BADAMI

 Cave temples – plain exterior but an exceptionally well finished interior consisting of a
pillared verandah, a columned hall (mantapa) and a cella (shrine, cut deep into rock)
which contains the deity of worship.[103] In Badami, three caves temples are Vedic and
one in Jain. The Vedic temples contain large well sculpted images
of Harihara, Mahishasuramardhini, Varaha, Narasimha, Trivikrama, Vishnu seated
on Anantha (the snake) and Nataraja (dancing Shiva).

dancing shiva
 Example – VAISHNAVA temple – 578 CE
 2nd phase – aihole n badami - LAD KHAN TEMPLE - interesting perforated stone windows
and sculptures of river goddesses – c.620
 the Meguti Jain Temple (634) which shows progress in structural design
 the Durga Temple with its northern Indian style tower (8th century)
 Huccimalli Gudi Temple with a new inclusion, a vestibule, connecting the sanctum to the
hall. Other dravida style temples from this period are the Naganatha Temple at Nagaral;
the Banantigudi Temple, the Mahakutesvara Temple and the Mallikarjuna Temple at
Mahakuta; and the Lower Sivalaya Temple, the Malegitti Sivalaya Temple (upper) and
the Jambulingesvara Temple at Badami.

 3rd phase - The structural temples at Pattadakal- 8th century (now a UNESCO World
Heritage Site)- mature phase of Badami Chalukyan architecture.
 There are ten temples at Pattadakal, six in southern dravida style and four in the
northern nagara style.
 the Virupaksha Temple (740–745) and the Mallikarjuna Temple (740–745) in the
southern style. Inscriptional evidence suggests that the Virupaksha and the Mallikarjuna
Temples were commissioned by the two queens of King Vikramaditya II after his military
success over the Pallavas of Kanchipuram
 Mallikarjuna

 Sangamesvara Temple (725), The Papanatha temple (680) and Galaganatha Temple
(740 )
 Hoysala architecture popularised in the 13th century.


 Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi , the Mallikarjuna Temple at Kuruvatti, and the

Kallesvara Temple at Bagali
Brihadeeswarar Temple
– CHOLA PERIOD – TAMIL ARCHITECTURE
 The temple stands amidst fortified walls that were probably added in the 16th
century. The vimanam (temple tower) is 198 ft (60 m) high and is one of the
tallest in the world. The Kumbam (the apex or the bulbous structure on the top)
weighs around 80 tons.[4]There is a big statue of Nandi (sacred bull), carved out of
a single rock measuring about 16 ft (4.9 m) long and 13 ft (4.0 m) high at the
entrance.[5] The entire temple structure is made out of granite, the nearest
sources of which are about 60 km to the west of temple.
 The solid base of the temple raises about 5 metres (16 feet), above which stone
deities and representatives of Shiva dance.[11] The big Nandi (bull), weighing
about 20 tonnes is made of a single stone and is about 2 m in height, 6 m in
length and 2.5 m in width.[12] The presiding deity of lingam is 3.7m tall.
The prakaram (outer precincts of the temple) measures 240m by 125m.[12] The
outer wall of the upper storey is carved with 108 dance karanas – postures
of Bharathanatyam, the classical dance of Tamil Nadu.[12] The shrine of Goddess
was added by Pandyas during the 13th century, Subramanya Shrine
by Vijayanagara rulers and the Vinayaka shrine was renovated by Maratha rulers.
 TEMPLE COMPLEX - The temple complex sits on the banks of a river that was
channelled to make a moat around the complex's outer walls, the walls being built
like a fortress. The complex is made up of many structures that are
aligned axially. The complex can be entered either on one axis through a five-
story gopuram or with a second access directly to the huge main quadrangle
through a smaller free-standing gopuram. The massive size of the main Vimanam
(Shikhara) is ca. 60.96 meters high, with 16 elaborately articulated stories, and
dominates the main quadrangle. Pilaster, piers(a raised structure), and
attached columns are placed rhythmically covering every surface of
the Vimanam.[14] The gopuram of the main entrance is 30 m high, smaller than
the vimana. It is unusual in the dravidian architecture where the gopurams are
generally the main towers and taller than the vimanam.[15]
 MAIN TEMPLE - A first rectangular surrounding wall, 270 m by 140 m, marks the
outer boundary.[15] The main temple is in the center of the spacious quadrangle
composed of a sanctuary, a Nandi, a pillared hall and an assembly hall
(mandapas), and many sub-shrines. The most important part of the temple is the
inner mandapa which is surrounded by massive walls that are divided into levels
by sharply cut sculptures and pilasters providing deep bays and recesses. Each
side of the sanctuary has a bay emphasising the principle cult icons.
 pradakshina around the garbhagriha for circumambulation (pradakshina). The
entrance is highly decorated. The inside chamber housing the image of the god is
the sanctum sanctorum, the garbhagriha.[9] The garbhagriha is square and sits on
a plinth, its location calculated to be a point of total equilibrium and harmony as it
is representative of a microcosm of the universe
 Here is the massive gopuram or gateway mentioned above. Within this a portico,
a barrel vaulted gorpuram with over 400 pillars,
 MURALS OF SHIVA, ASURAS ETC
 -