Badami Chalukya architecture

During450,the Chalukya style originated in Aihole and was perfected in Badami and Pattadakal. The Chalukya artists experimented with different styles, blended the Indo-Aryan Nagara and Dravidian styles, and evolved Chalukya style.The equals of the grand temples of South India do not find in North and Central India.The successive rulers contributed to the work of their predecessors.

Their style includes two types of monuments.

1)The rock cut halls (caves).

2)Structural temples.

Badami cave temples have rock cut halls with three basic features: pillared veranda, columned hall and a sanctum cut out deep into rock.

Early experiments in rock cut halls were attempted in Aihole where they built three cave temples, one each in Vedic, Buddhist and Jaina styles. Later they refined their style and cut out four marvellous cave temples at Badami.

One noteworthy feature of these cave temples is the running frieze of Ganas in various amusing postures caved in relief on each plinth.The outside verandas of the cave temples are rather plain, but the inner hall contains rich and prolific sculptural symbolism

Most of the temples built by the Chalukyas are concentrated in Badami, Ihole, Pattadakallu and Nagaralu. However, some classic examples are found also in Alampurapalli, Satyavolu and Mahanandi in Andhrapradesh. In all, there about 150 temples belonging to this period. About one hundred of them are found in Ihole alone. All of them are religious structures with the exception of the fort at Ihole.

These temples are usually built with light red and light yellow sand stones found abundantly in Bijapur district. Stone masonry which replaced brick made or wooden structures is the hall mark of this period. Naturally there was a huge scope for experimentation, of the trial and error variety. It is not for nothing that Aihole is called the cradle of Chalukyan architecture and sculpture.

 A majority of these temples are dedicated to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. There some Jaina and Bauddha caves and temples scattered around the kingdom.

The finest structural temples are located in Pattadakal.Of the ten temples in Pattadakal, six are in Dravidian style and four inRekhanagara style. The Virupaksha temple in many ways holds resemblance to the Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram which came into existence a few years earlier.

This is a fully inclusive temple,it has a central structure, nandi pavilion in front and has a walled enclosure that is entered by a gateway.The main sanctum has a Pradakshinapatha and mantapa. The mantapa is pillared and has perforated windows. The external wall surface is divided by pilasters into well-spaced ornamental niches filled with either sculptures or perforated windows. Art critic Percy Brown says about the sculptures that they flow into the architecture in a continuous stream. It is said that the Virupaskha temple is one of those monuments where the spirit of the men who built it, still lives.

Many centuries later,the serene art of the Badami Chalukya reappeared in the pillared architecture of the Vijayanagar Empire.Their caves include finely engraved sculptures of Harihara,Trivikrama,Mahisa Mardhini, Tandavamurthi,Paravasudeva,Nataraja,Varaha,Gomateshvara and others.Plenty of animal and foliage motifs are also included.

Some important sculptors of their time were Gundan Anivaritachari, Revadi Ovajja and Narasobba.

Gundan Anivaritachari: Gundan Anivaritachari was the chief architect of the Virupaksha temple, the most famous and center piece at world heritage temple complex at Pattadakal.According to inscriptions he held such titles as "Anikapuravastu Pitamaha" and "Tenkanadesiya Sutradhari"

The temple was built at the orders of Lokamahadevi, the senior queen of Vikramaditya II to commemorate his victory over the Pallavas. It has many features similar to the Kailasanatha temple of Kanchi.