The Karnataka artisans of the 7th century achieved a certain eclectism in their architecture by building south Indian dravida style temples adjacent to north Indian nagara style temples.[4] Further, their dravida and nagara styles were local, indigenous variants and unrelated to the architectural styles that prevailed in modern Tamil Nadu to the south, and Central India ("Madhyadesha") to the north.[5] They achieved this by combining the basic plan of one style with characteristics of the other. The dravida style temples here have a tiered tower over the shrine which is capped with a dome like structure. The nagara style temples use a curvilinear tower over a shrine which has a square plan, and is capped by a ribbed stone.[4] The development of this hybrid style, achieved by combining the typological features of the two basic architectural styles, is considered a peculiarity of the Karnataka region and defines the beginnings of the Vesara style of architecture.[6]
A natural mountain spring flows within the temple complex and feeds fresh water into a large tank called the Vishnu Pushkarni ("
linga (universal symbol of god Shiva) called Panchamukha linga ("five faced linga"), one face for each direction and one on top.[1]
Inscriptions
The Mahakuta complex has provided historians two important 7th century inscriptions. The
Bijapur archaeological museum.[3] The other inscription, ascribed to Vinapoti, king Vijayaditya's concubine, is inscribed in the porch of the Mahakuteshvara temple. It describes a grant of rubies and a silver umbrella to the deity Mahakuteshvara in addition to a piece of land.[3]
Gallery
Vishnu temple with nagara superstructure (left) and a shrine with
Kadamba
superstructure (right) at Mahakuta
Mahakuteshvara temple (painted white) in the dravida style (rear) and Sangameshvara temple in nagara style (front)
Sangameshvara temple with nagara superstructure at Mahakuta
7th century Kannada inscription of Vinapoti, concubine of Badami Chalukya King Vijayaditya
Sculpture of Ardhanareeshvara (form of the Hindu god Shiva) at the Mahakuta temples
Vishnu temple with nagara superstructure (left) and a shrine withKadambasuperstructure (right) at Mahakuta
Mahakuteshvara temple (painted white) in the dravida style (rear) and Sangameshvara temple in nagara style (front)
Sangameshvara temple with nagara superstructure at Mahakuta
7th century Kannada inscription of Vinapoti, concubine of Badami Chalukya King Vijayaditya
Sculpture of Ardhanareeshvara (form of the Hindu god Shiva) at the Mahakuta temples
Mahakuta temple tank
