THE CHALUKYAS OF AIHOLE, BADAMI AND PATTADAKAL

(450 AD to 750 AD)

• The Chalukya Dynasty began in the mid fifth century AD. The capitals at
Aihole , Badami and Pattadkal saw the construction of a fabulous series
of monuments.

• The Chalukya territory lay between Kanchipuram and Ellora and

constituted a centre of influence in medieval Indian art. Many artistic
innovations originated here and spread their influence far and wide,
while the contributions of the Pallavas in the South and of Orissa in the
north east were absorbed into Chalukyan art with northern influence.

• Aihole Group of Temples

• Badami Group of Temples
• Pattadakal Group of Temples
AIHOLE GROUP OF TEMPLES
Majority of Temples at Aihole are
Brahmanical, few are Jain.
• All appear to have been erected in the
period between 450 AD and 650 AD.
• Aihole group of temples consist of
some seventy buildings, about thirty
of which are contained inside a walled
and bastioned enclosure, while the
other are disposed within vicinity. It is
in fact a town of temples.
• Temples at Aihole have flat or slightly
sloping roofs but in some instances are
surmounted by a small upper storey or
tower (shikhara), which appears to
have been added later.
• Aihole is significant in view of its two
main temples, the Ladh khan Temple
and Durga Temple. They illustrate two
distinct variants in the development of
dressed stone Hindu Architecture.
 LADH KHAN TEMPLE AIHOLE (5th C)

• It is considered to be the oldest of the Aihole Group.

• The Temple is so called because of a Muslim hermit Ladh Khan had made it
as his residence in 19th century.
• In shape it is a comparatively low flat roofed building.
• It is inspired or devised from Village “Santhagraha” or Village Meeting
hall which was planned for secular and civic use. It was Timber
Construction.
LADH KHAN TEMPLE AIHOLE (5th C)
AIHOLE GROUP OF TEMPLES

• The temple stands on square plan

of 15m side with high platform.
• It comprises a double peripheral
corridor surrounding a sculpture of
Nandi, the bull emblem of Shiva.
• It s cella or Garbhagriha stands next
to the back wall of the temple.
• Sixteen columns support this
structure, which is lit by holes in
pierced in the stone slabs.
• It is preceded by a vestibule with
four central and eight outer
columns, all of which rise from a
low perimeter wall. This form a sort
of verandah and could have served
as a mandapa.
• Access is via a staircase flanked by
an elegant banister.
• The roofing technique seem to be a primitive effort to replace the
conventional thatched roof on a wooden frame with a stone roof.
• The squat square section pillars carry the considerable weight of the roof
via a system of capitals composed of four sturdy brackets arranged in a
cross shape.
• The decoration of the Temple includes
handsome jali‐ stone slabs whose
perforations compose geometrical motifs
and relief sculptures on the columns of the
vestibule.
• On the summit of the roof , a small cubical
shikhara has reliefs of the three divinities:
Vishnu, Surya and Devi.
• No Mortar is used in construction of the
temple
DURGA TEMPLE AIHOLE (675 to 725 AD) AIHOLE GROUP OF TEMPLES

• It is an apsidal – ended structure measuring 18m x 12m, with a large portico

on its front 7.5m depth, so that the entire length is 25.5m.
• Its peripheral colonnade itself has a apse, which encloses a structure of the
same shape containing a hall, in which two rows of four columns form a nave
and the side aisles.
• The cella apsidal formula is reflected in the cella, which stands in the centre
of the apse, leaving a narrow corridor for circumambulation. The layout
adopts some elements of the plan of a Buddhist chaitya.
• In front of sanctuary an
entrance portico slightly
narrower than the temple is
reached by two staircases at
right angles to the temple axis.
• In the portico, a series of
columns rises from the low
perimeter walls. Graceful
deities, treated in a vigorous
style of relief carving,
ornament the pillars, which
are capped with bracket
capitals.
• Raised on a high particularly
high and heavily moulded
plinth, the topmost tier of the
flat roof is 9m from the
ground. Over the apse a short
pyramidal tower or shikhara,
has been added later.