Trikuteshwara temple is a

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

dedicated to

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 ...

. The carved temple is in the town of

Gadag Gadag-Betageri is a city municipal council in Gadag district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Gadag District. The original city of Gadag and its sister city Betageri (or ''Betgeri'') have a combined cit ...

, 50 km southeast of Hubli-Dharwad, in

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 ...

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 ...

. It is dedicated to

and has three

linga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...

s mounted on the same stone. There is a shrine dedicated to

Saraswathi Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a god ...

in this temple and it has carved columns.

Architecture

This temple architecture was planned by the architect Amara Shilpi Jakanachari. The Badami Chalukyas were exponents of early architectural achievements in Deccan.

Aihole Aihole (pronounced "Eye-hoḷé"), also referred to as Aivalli, Ahivolal or Aryapura, is a historic site of ancient and medieval era Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments in Karnataka, India that dates from the sixth century through the twelfth ...

Badami Badami, formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from CE 540 to 757. It is famous for its rock cut monumen ...

and

Pattadakal Pattadakal, also called Paṭṭadakallu or Raktapura, is a complex of 7th and 8th century CE Hindu and Jain temples in northern Karnataka (India). Located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River in Bagalakote district, this UNESCO World Her ...

were their centers of art. They were succeeded by the

Rashtrakuta Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...

s and the

Kalyani Chalukyas The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannadiga dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalyani, today's Basavakalyan in the ...

. The temple has ornate pillars with intricate sculpture. The sanctum enshrines three Shivalingas. The temple has chiseled stone screens and carved figurines. There is a shrine to Saraswati within the Trikuteshwara temple complex, with exquisite stone columns. Inclined slabs that serve as balcony seats are decorated with figurative panels and are overhung by steeply angled eaves. Inside the hall, the columns have figures arranged in shallow niches. The east sanctorum has three lingas representing Brahma, Maheshwara and Vishnu; the one to the south is dedicated to the goddess Saraswati. Just by the side is another temple dedicated to three devis — Saraswathi, Gayathri and Sharada. Only the statues are in a new style; the temple is in old architecture.

History

The temple dates back to the

who ruled this region from around 1050 to 1200 CE, during which time about 50 temples were built. Saraswathi temple has been vandalised in the early age and hence pooja is not offered here. But the architecture is exists. Trikuteshwara temple complex 1

A number of late

Chalukya The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...

monuments (11th-12th centuries) in the city indicate its historic past. Other temples in

are those dedicated to Someshwara and Veera Narayana. In the middle of the city stands the Someshvara Temple. Though abandoned and now in a dilapidated state, its intricate carvings are preserved. The doorways to the hall have densely carved figures and foliation.

Temple gallery

Image:Pillars at Sarasvati Temple in Gadag.JPG ,

architectural style: Ornate pillars at Sarasvati Temple, Trikuteshwara temple complex at

Image:Ornate pillars in the Saraswati temple at Gadag.jpg , Ornate pillars at Saraswati temple in

city,

Image:Gadag Trikuteshwara temple complex 6.JPG , Saraswati temple at Trikuteshwara temple complex

North Karnataka North Karnataka is a geographical region in Deccan plateau from elevation that constitutes the region of the Karnataka state in India and the region consists of 13 districts. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhi ...

Image:Gadag Trikuteshwara temple complex 2.JPG , Trikuteshwara temple,

References

External links

Google Maps
*http://www.indiantemples.com/Karnataka/trikgada.html {{Hindu temples in Karnataka 12th-century Hindu temples Shiva temples in Karnataka Hindu temples in Gadag district Western Chalukya Empire

Architecture

History

Temple gallery

See also

References

External links