Navalinga Temple

TheNavalinga templeis a cluster ofHindutemples built in the 9th century, during the reign of KingAmoghavarsha Ior his sonKrishna IIof theRashtrakuta Dynasty.The temple is located in the town ofKukkanur(also called Kuknur), 4 miles (6 km) north of Itagi inKoppal districtand 25 miles (40 km) east ofGadaginKarnatakastate, India. Built in theSouth Indiandravidastyle,each of the nine temples in the cluster has alinga,the universal symbol ofHinduGodShiva,and hence the nameNavalinga(literally, 'ninelingas').

Dravidian style architecture. Top view of Navalinga Temples at Kuknur,Karnataka

Decorative architrave above shrine entrance

General plan

A clusters of temples, theNavalingagroup appears to have been placed asymmetrically, without any particular order. Despite being constructed from inferior qualitysandstone,the decorative finish is rich, though much of it is lost due to degradation of the shrine walls.Each of the shrines has a South Indian styleshikhara(superstructure). The ensemble has fourmantapas(hall) in all, three of which are in a line going east-west and open to the shrines. Each of the shrines has a Shivalingain the sanctum, though the lintel above the entrance has an image ofGajalakshmi,the consort of GodVishnu.

Sculpture

old-Kannada inscription at Navalinga temple

old-Kannada inscription at Navalinga temple

The pillars in the halls are of better quality than seen atPattadakal,indicating an advancement of this art from the previous centuries.Architraveswere popular and a very good example has survived and has twomakaras(mythical beasts) with circular scales and florid tails.The temple complex has two well preserved old-Kannadainscriptions.Fifteen inscriptions are found in the town in all which mostly date from 1005 CE to 1186 CE, though a few from theVijayanagaraperiod also exist. The inscriptions mention grants to temples of various Hindu goddesses such as Chamundi, Ganga,Sarasvati,Kalikadevi and Mahamayi as well as God Mallikarjuna. It is proposed that theNavalingatemples may have originally been consecrated in honor of these goddesses.

References

• Kamiya, Takeyo."Architecture of Indian subcontinent".Indian Architecture.Gerard da Cunha.Retrieved31 December2006.
• Cousens, Henry (1996) [1926].The Chalukyan Architecture of Kanarese Districts.New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India.OCLC37526233.