Showing posts with label Patadakal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patadakal. Show all posts

April 29, 2016

Pattadakal Historical Temples



About Pattadakal and History

Pattadakal is an enchanting name in the history of Indian temple architecture. Located on the left banks of river Malaprabha surrounded by pinkish and red sandstone hills and close to Badami, a must visit for its beautiful stone temples. A small village in Badami taluk and Bagalkot district of North Karnataka. Earlier days, this was called Kisuvolal (kisu means red and volal means valley city) also called Rakthapura meaning Red city. This is the cradle of Indian temple architecture.

Do you know? From the scientific dating of the animal fossils along with the tools of Pattadakal types from Hunasgi-Isampur(about 100 kms from northeast) known to be about 10.5 Lakh years old.

About 4 or 5 Kms north and northeast of Pattadakal, In Siddhanakolla and Aihole are the upper Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Megalithic cave paintings and other cultural relics (circa 15000 to 300BCE).

In nearby places such as Akkaragal, Siddhanakal and Aihole are burial sites with many megalithic tombs, all in ruins. These builders were masters of Iron technology. The entire region is rich in Iron and Manganese ores.

At the western outskirts of this Pattadakal is Bachangudda, an isolated high hill and on top there is a temple of early Rashtrakuta dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.


Temple Models

Rekha Nagara Model Temple (Indo Aryan) - Kasi Vishveswara Temple
Dravida Vimana Model (Dravidian) - Sangameswara Temple


Pleaces covered in this blog and in Pattadakal

Everything is in the same complex. See the panoramic view of all below. It takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to see all the places here.

1. Kasi Vishevesvara Temple
2. Sangameshvara Temple
3. Virupaksha Temple
4. Papanatha Temple
5. Mallikarjuna Temple
6. Jaina Temple
7. Kadasiddesvara Temple
8. Galaganatha Temple
9.Chandrasekhara Temple
10. Jambulinga Temple
11. Museum

Buy the ASI guide book on Pattadakal which has plenty of details. Also refer Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattadakal


Tips to plan and visit the places in Aihole

Visit museum for local guide (they charge around 300/= or buy the booklet). This can be planned along with Hampi/Badami visit. Refer my respective blogs for all details. Check the nearby places section below.


Stay options and Food options

I suggest you buy and have the Tender coconut and Bananas here. They also sell the Bajra (Pearl millet) Buttermilk but they sell it on used bottles which is a concern. Carry snacks or food along with you. Water bottles you can buy here. For good food, visit Badami.

You can stay at Badami. Refer my other Badami blog for details.


Nearby Places and my Blogposts

 

Note: Refer my Hampi blog which has the details on planning all these places in 4 days. Click the images or the place name title to read the respective blog.

 

Hampi                                                       Badami                                          Sandur   











Aihole                                                              Banashankari, Mahakuta and Kudalasangama



http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.in/2016/04/aihole-historical-temples.htmlhttp://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.in/2016/04/banashankari-mahakuta-kudalasangama.html


 

 

Moving onto photos...



Pattadakal Panorama view
All types of temples in One location !

Pattadakal Kasi Visvesvara Temple Tower
Wov, the tower looks so beautiful and intricate carvings 

Pattadakal Jambulinga Temple
How beautiful .... 

Pattadakal Pillar Inscriptions
Old Kannada script, Zoom to read it

Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple
Nandi Mandapa in front (left side) and the Virupaksha Temple on right side, Poojas happening daily here

Pattadakal Pillar Inscriptions
Old Kannada inscriptions on the pillar 

Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple Nandi
Beautiful and big Nandi in Nandi Mandapa of Virupaksha Temple

Pattadakal Vamana Sculpture
Look at that decoration above Vamana 

Pattadakal Temple Airy Decorated Windows
Beautiful Window... 

Pattadakal Temple Dvarapala
Dvarapalaka, Gigantic and did you notice the ornaments?

Pattadakal Gajendra Moksha
Gajendra Moksha

Pattadakal Nandi Mantapa
View of Nandi Mandapa 

Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple Nandi Mantapa
Wov, Old Mandapa and New Nandi 

Pattadakal Surya Narayana Sun God
Sun god with his horses on ceiling

Pattadakal Pillars
So small and intricate and neat

Pattadakal Bhisma Sarasayya From Mahabharatha
Bhisma on arrow bed (From Maha Bharatha story)

Pattadakal Airy decorated Windows
Just the Windows, but how beautifully done !


Pattadakal Ravana Lifting Kailash Mountain From Ramayana
Scene of Ravana lifting the Kailash mountain (from Ramayana story)

Pattadakal Virupaksha Temple View
View of the Virupaksha Temple from side

Pattadakal Sangamesvara Temple
Sangameshwara Temple View

Pattadakal Sangamesvara Temple
Sangameshwara Temple View

Pattadakal Mallikarjuna Temple on Right
Kasi Viswanatha Temple on Left and Mallikarjuna Temple on right

Pattadakal Panorama View
Panoramic view of all temples in Pattadakal

Pattadakal
Decorations in the ceiling 

Pattadakal




Hope you liked this Blog post, Dont forget to share with your friends and add your comments below. Thank you.  Read my other Blogs on Sandur, Badami, Aihole, Hampi ....etc all. 

Hampi and all Nearby places - Click here to read

Badami - Click here to read 

Sandur - Click here to read 

Aihole - Click here to read 

Banashankari, Mahakuta, Kudalasangama - Click here to read