The Kalleshvara temple (also spelt "Kallesvara" or "Kalleshwara") is located in Aralaguppe, a village in the

Tiptur Tiptur is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. It is the second largest and the fastest growing city in Tumkur district. It is a sub-divisional headquarters of Tumkur district in Karnataka. Capital city Bengaluru is 1 ...

taluk A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

Tumkur district Tumakuru District is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. It is the third largest district in Karnataka by land area with an area of 10,598 km2, and fourth largest by Population. It is a one-and-a-half-hour drive from ...

, in the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

History

According to historian I. K. Sarma, the temple is a fine example of native Western Ganga art of the 9th century, with influences from the Badami Chalukya and Nolamba architectural idioms.Sarma (1992), p. 88 It is dedicated to the Hindu god

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

(also called "Ishvara") and was commissioned by a

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...

king of the Nolamba dynasty. Historians I.K. Sarma, B.S. Ali and K.V. Soundara Rajan date the temple to the late 9th century to early 10th-century period. B.S. Ali calls this temple one of the finest examples of Western Ganga art while Aschwin Lippe and Soundara Rajan feel the temple is more consistent with contemporary Nolamba style.Ali and Soundara Rajana in Sarma (1992), p. 88, p. 90 The dating of the temple is confirmed by two inscriptions. One inscription in the temple dated 895 C.E. (''saka'' 817) describes the commissioning of the temple by a Nolamba king under his overlord, the Western Ganga King Rachamalla II (r. 870–907 CE). The inscription also records the grant made by King Rachamalla II himself to the construction of this temple (called ''Kalla-degula'' in the inscription). The other inscription, a

Hero stone A hero stone (Vīragallu in Kannada, Naṭukal in Tamil) is a memorial commemorating the honorable death of a hero in battle. Erected between the second half of the first millennium BC and the 18th century AD, hero stones are found all over Ind ...

in the temple tank ('' pushkarni''), confirms that this region was under the overall control of the Western Ganga Dynasty during this period. Historian Sarma argues that the Western Gangas and Nolambas had close links with regards to "cultural art" and they would have, in their commission, common guilds of architects (''sthapatis'') and sculptors (''silpis'').Sarma (1992), p. 90-91 According to Sarma, the three lateral shrines with an enclosure for Nandi the bull (''Nandi-sala''), the vehicle (''vahana'') of the god Shiva, was added during the later

Hoysala The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later moved ...

period and this is confirmed by art critic Takeo Kamiya.Sarma (1992), p. 91Kameya in "Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent"

Temple plan and sculptures

Door Jamb in Kalleshvara Temple at Aralaguppe

The plan of the sanctum (''

garbhagriha A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the '' murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ' ...

'') is a square pyramidal one, with a plain exterior with simple pilasters, a vestibule (''antarala'') separating the sanctum from a closed hall (''

mantapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture. Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...

'') with an exceptionally well sculptured section called the ''mahamantapa'' or ''navaranga''. The superstructure over the shrine (''

shikhara ''Shikhara'' ( IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chambe ...

'') and vestibule (''sukanasi'') have been renovated at a later period but the base on which the temple stands (''

Adhiṣṭhāna The Sanskrit term adhiṣṭhāna ( sa, अधिष्ठान; ; ja, 加持 ''kaji''; th, อธิษฐาน ''àtíttǎan'') is the name for initiations or blessings in Vajrayana Buddhism. The term has various meanings, including the r ...

'') is original in construction.Sarma (1992), p. 90 The doorjamb (''sakha'') and the lintel above the main door have exceptional art. The doorjamb exhibits seated door keepers (''dwarapalas'') at the base, bold scrolls of decorative creepers that run along the sides of the main door and contain ''

Yaksha The yakshas ( sa, यक्ष ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in ...

'' (benevolent spirits from Hindu mythology) and ''Yakshis'' (or ''Yakshinis'', their female counterparts). Above the door, forming the lintel (''lalata'') is a sculpture of

Gajalakshmi Gajalakshmi (), also spelt as Gajalaxmi, is one of the most significant '' Ashtalakshmi'' aspects of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi. Mythology In Hindu mythology, Gajalakshmi is regarded to have restored the wealth and power lost by ...

(a version of the goddess

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with ''Maya'' ("Illusion"). Alo ...

) with elephants showering her from either side. Sarma feels this sculpture may have inspired the monolithic carving at the main entrance (called ''akhanda bagilu'') on the Vindyagiri hill in the famous

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

heritage town of

Shravanabelagola Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage de ...

. The ceiling panel grid ('' ashta-dik-pala'' grid) of images in the ''mahamantapa'' (a section of the ''

'') needs special mention and speaks of the good taste of the Ganga-Nolamba architects. The panel images include a four handed dancing and well ornamented Shiva, and a four tusked elephant (''gaja'') carrying on its back the god Indra and his consort

Sachi Indrani (Sanskrit: इन्द्राणी, IAST: ''Indrāṇī, lit.'' Indra's queen), also known as Shachi (Sanskrit: शची, IAST: ''Śacī''), is the queen of the devas in Hinduism. Described as tantalisingly beautiful, proud and k ...

.Sarma (1992), p. 90

Gallery

File:Kalleshvara Temple at Aralaguppe(rear view).JPG, Rear view of Kalleshvara temple complex File:Old Kannada inscription Hero Stone from 9th century AD in Kalleshvara Temple at Aralaguppe.jpg, Hero stone with old Kannada inscription (870-906 A.D.) at Kalleshvara temple File:Window art in Kalleshvara Temple at Aralaguppe.JPG, Window art at one of the shrines in the Kalleshvara temple complex

Notes

References

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External links

{{commons category, Kalleshvara Temple, Aralaguppe Hindu temples in Tumkur district Shiva temples in Karnataka