Western Chalukya architecture

Discovering the Splendor of Western Chalukya Architecture

Western Chalukya architecture is a unique and captivating style that has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of modern Karnataka, India. Imagine stepping into a time capsule where ancient traditions blend with innovative designs, creating structures that are both awe-inspiring and deeply rooted in history. This architectural marvel evolved during the rule of the Western Chalukya Empire from the 11th to the 12th centuries, primarily in the Tungabhadra region.

The Evolution of a Style

Western Chalukya architecture is characterized by its intricate ornamentation and regional variations. It’s like a puzzle where each piece fits seamlessly into the larger picture, creating a masterpiece that stands the test of time. The style can still be found throughout modern Karnataka, with notable exceptions in the Kalyani region, which exhibits a more northern Indian influence.

Artistic Innovations and Influences

The art evolved in two distinct phases: the first lasting approximately 25 years, followed by an extended period from the beginning of the 11th century until the end of Western Chalukya rule in 1186 CE. The mature phase reached its peak at Lakkundi, a principal seat of the imperial court.

Notable monuments include the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi and the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi. These temples are regional variants of pre-existing dravida temples and form a climax to the wider regional temple architecture tradition called Vesara or Karnata dravida. The influence of this style extended beyond the Kalyani region, reaching as far as the Bellary region in the east and the Mysore region in the south.

Distinctive Features

A typical Western Chalukya temple is defined by its basic floor plan, architectural articulation, and figure sculptures. The basic floor plan includes the size of the shrine, sanctum, building mass distribution, and pradakshina path. Architectural articulation refers to ornamental components that give shape to the outer wall of the shrine, including projections, recesses, and representations forming stepped, stellate, or square patterns.

Chalukyan temples fall into two categories: dvikuta (two shrines with a common mantapa) and ekakuta (one shrine with a single mantapa). Both types have multiple entrances and a design influenced by northern Indian styles. The Chalukyan architects retained features from both southern and northern styles, favoring the northern style in the overall arrangement of the main temple and subsidiary shrines.

Materials and Techniques

The use of soapstone, a dark greenish-black stone, replaced sandstone in some temples in the 11th century, particularly in the Dharwad district. The use of soapstone allowed for finer architectural components and opulent shapes. Stepped wells became a feature in some temples, while later constructions incorporated more rigid modelling and decoration.

Western Chalukya decorative inventiveness focused on pillars, door panels, lintels, domical roofs in bays, outer wall decorations like Kirtimukha, and miniature towers on pilasters. The Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi embodies a more mature development of Chalukyan architecture with a fully expressed ascending line of niches.

Notable Temples

The Mahadeva Temple at Itagi, the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi, and the Mallikarjuna Temple at Kuruvatti are just a few examples of the architectural wonders that showcase the Western Chalukya style. Each temple tells a story through its intricate carvings, bands of scroll work, figural bas-reliefs, and panel sculptures.

The sanctum receives diffused light through pierced window screens flanking the doorway, while the outer wall decorations include pilasters, half pilasters, miniature decorative towers in different types (dravida tiered, nagara style). The walls of the vimana are decorated with simple pilasters in low relief and bold sculptures. The mantapa features domical ceilings and square ceilings, constructed from ring upon ring of stones held in place by weight.

Legacy and Influence

The Western Chalukya dynasty’s architectural legacy was inherited by the Hoysala empire, which built structures that reflected a variant of Western Chalukya architecture. The Chennakesava Temple at Belur exemplifies this style, featuring uncarved spaces and exhibitionistic doorjambs.

Western Chalukyan decorative features such as Salabhanjika pillar bracket figures, lathe-turned pillars, and makara torana lintels are still admired today. The influence of Western Chalukya architecture can be discerned in the geographically distant schools of architecture of the Hoysala Empire in southern Karnataka and the Kakatiya dynasty in present-day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Notable monuments include the Kaitabheshvara Temple in Kubatur, Kedareshvara Temple in Balligavi, Siddhesvara Temple at Haveri, Amrtesvara Temple at Annigeri, Sarasvati Temple in Gadag, and Dodda Basappa Temple at Dambal. A major development of this period was the appearance of stellate (star-shaped) shrines in temples built of traditional sandstone, such as the Trimurti Temple at Savadi, the Paramesvara Temple at Konnur, and the Gauramma Temple at Hire Singgangutti.

Western Chalukya decorative inventiveness focused on pillars, door panels, lintels, domical roofs in bays, outer wall decorations like Kirtimukha, and miniature towers on pilasters. The architecture features an exuberance of carvings, bands of scroll work, figural bas-reliefs, and panel sculptures.

The Western Chalukyan period architecture was characterized by the use of soapstone shafts with intricate carvings, polished pillars, and decorative door panels featuring fretwork, moulded colonettes, and scrolls. Sculpture during this period featured stiff forms of gods and goddesses, repeated poses, and a focus on ornamentation.

Figures of holy men and dancing girls were often depicted in deep niches and recesses, while animal sculptures, such as elephants, were more common than horses. Erotic sculptures were rare, except in the Tripurantakesvara Temple at Balligavi. The style was distinct from earlier temples, with a focus on well-rendered deity sculptures, exemplified by the image of Hindu goddess Sarasvati.

Miniature towers were used from the 11th century in southern dravida and northern bhumija styles, often supported by pilasters or wall pillars. These miniatures evolved from 12th-century dravida miniature towers with many tiny tiers, featuring finer and more elegant details. Decorations changed from bulky to thin, with a shift from moulded forms to chiseled ones.

Temple deities were mostly Shaivas (Shiva worshippers) but some temples were dedicated to Vishnu or Jain faiths. The original deity’s presence can be identified by salient clues. The sanctum contained the main deity’s image, such as Shiva linga in Shaiva temples or Gaja Lakshmi and Vishnu images in Vaishnava temples.

Western Chalukya architecture is a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of its builders. It continues to inspire architects and art enthusiasts alike, offering a glimpse into a bygone era where beauty and functionality intertwined seamlessly. As we explore these ancient structures, we are reminded of the enduring legacy of Western Chalukya architecture.