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The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c10: Bādāmi

The Chālukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c10

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English

Contents

Bādāmi

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BĀDĀMI, in the south-east corner of the Bijāpūr district, possesses some of the most interesting remains within the confines of the old Chālukyan territories, and it also possesses some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the Dakhan. Its archæological interest lies in its possession of a series of old cave temples of the sixth century, A.D., both Hindu and Jaina,¹ some very old structural temples, and its old fortifications.

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¹ Already fully described in *The Cave Temples of India*, the First Report of the Archæological Survey of Western India, and *The Indian Antiquary*, VI, 354.

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Bādāmi was an early capital of the Chālukya dynasty, when it was known under the name of Vātāpi; indeed, it is safe to assume that it was an important stronghold under the Pallavas before the advent of the Chālukyas. There is an inscription on one of the rocks on the north bank of the tank, in very early characters, which mentions Bādāmi under its ancient name of Vātāpi, and speaks of “the Pallava, the foremost of kings.” It is probable that the town was temporarily recovered by the Pallavas from the Western Chālukyas at the close of the reign of Pulikēśin II. This inscription is, possibly, of an earlier date than that of Maṅgalēśa in Cave III (A.D. 578).²

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² *Indian Antiquary*, IX, 99.

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The town, with its lake behind it, is held in the embrace of the rugged sandstone hills, whose beetling cliffs circle around them and throw out fortified horns to the north and the south. The crags and boulders, covered with wild cactus and jungle—its evergreen tints contrasting with, and enhancing the ruddy hues of the rocks—leave but a few rough boulder-strewn passages up through gorges and rents between the detached masses to the ruined forts above. That on the north is known as the Bīvan-baṇḍe-kōṭi or ‘Fort of the Fifty-two Large Rocks,’ while that on the southern horn is the Raṇamaṇḍala-kōṭi, or ‘Fort of the Field of Battle.’ The old town walls, with their ditches, join up the northern with the southern forts, bowing out westward, and so enclosing the village between them and the tank. A souvenir of its later warlike days is an old iron cannon which still lies upon the top of the western bastion of the southern fort. It is an old English piece dated 8-2-25 and is 6′ 10½″ long. Plate XXVIII gives a view of the village and southern fort.

The Temple of Mālegitti-Śivālaya

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Beneath the northern fort, most picturesquely perched upon an overhanging crag is, perhaps, the oldest and, certainly, the most complete temple in the place, the Mālegitti-Śivālaya, or the ‘Śaiva shrine of the female Garland Maker.’ It is not a large building, being but fifty-six feet in length. It is of the same style as Mēguṭi and the older temples at Aihole, and of the same class of work as those at Māmallāpuram, only that its outline and general design have a much older appearance than in the latter. As in the old temples at Aihole, the porch is supported upon four full pillars. It is a complete Dravidian temple, the *kalaśa* or finial, alone, being missing. All its parts are heavy and massive and well proportioned to one another. The photograph (Plate XXIX) shows what the exterior is like, so it is unnecessary to describe it in detail.¹

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¹ A view of the other side of this temple is given in *The History of Indian and Eastern Architecture*, Vol. I, Plate VIII.

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The entrance doorway is very plainly moulded in lines of rectangular mouldings, without a vestige of ornament, and there is no dedicatory image on the door lintel. The ceiling of the porch is perfectly plain.

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Like the Aihole temples, the interior is divided by its pillars and entablature into a central and two side aisles. The pillars, here and in the porch, have heavy square shafts and simple bracket-capitals but no bases. The ceiling of the nave is divided into three bays by cross-beams. In a lotus medallion in the centre bay is Viṣṇu seated upon Garuḍa, with an attendant on either side of him. Four perforated stone windows, two on either side of the hall, admit a few struggling rays of light into the interior. The pattern of these is that of a plain square-barred grille such as is found in the temple of Saṅgamēśvara at Paṭṭadakal.

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The shrine doorway is fairly well moulded but is not decorated, and has Garuḍa on the lintel. This, with Viṣṇu in the ceiling, shows, unmistakably, that the temple was originally Vaiṣṇava. Within the shrine is a low stand or altar for an image, but into the mortise in the top has been inserted a stone to serve as a *liṅga*. That this was not intended as a *śaluṅkā* or *yoni* for a *liṅga* is evident from the fact that the present *liṅga* does not occupy the centre of it (see section, Plate XXXII).

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Before the shrine door is a very shallow antechamber, and, in the recess between the corner of the doorway and the outer pilaster of the same, on the south side, is a curious sculptured group of two figures. The larger is that of a man holding a club in his right hand and, apparently, the hair of the figure below in his left. This is a human being from the waist upwards, but with a horse's posterior and hind legs. The larger figure has his left leg raised and planted upon the horse's rump. This sculpture probably represents Viṣṇu, as Keśava, slaying the demon Keśin who took the shape of a horse.

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Upon the north face of the temple, outside, between two windows, in a panel, is a standing image of Viṣṇu (see Plate XXXIII), while, in the corresponding position on the south side is a standing image of Śiva. A very curious thing about these is that they have been represented nude, which is quite unusual. On the front of the temple are two images, one on either side of the porch. That on the south side is a two-armed warrior holding a sword in his right hand and a little disc or shield in the other. That on the other side is also a two-armed figure, but the hands are broken. It is possible these are portrait statues of some royal persons. The panels around the shrine walls have never been carved. The temple faces the east.

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There are two inscriptions upon the temple, one short one of no particular interest on the wall on the right of the entrance and a longer one on the front face of one of the pillars in the porch. The latter is of the time of the Vijayanagar king Sadāśivarāya, dated in A.D. 1543, and records the construction of a bastion, which is probably the one just above the temple. Another inscription of the same date, engraved in Cave III, records the construction of a bastion on the southern fort, above the cave.

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Upon the hill top, above this temple, are the remains of another of the same early character, but now in a deplorable condition. The *maṇḍapa* or hall has almost entirely disappeared, only a portion of its south wall, and the wall around the *pradakshiṇa*, now stand, together with the shrine and tower. There is no dedicatory image upon the lintel of the doorway of the shrine (Plate XXX).

The Bhūtanātha Group of Temples

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Upon the western margin of the lake is an extremely picturesque group of old sandstone temples clustered around the principal shrine which is now dedicated to Bhūtanātha. As viewed across the southern end of the lake, when bathed in the mellow glow of the setting sun, the weatherworn buildings, with their reflections in the still water, broken by the reeds and their reflections, and backed up by the rugged cliffs of red sandstone, present a lovely harmony of rich colouring (Plates XXXI and XXXIV).

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The main temple is composed of work of different periods. The closed hall and shrine are of the earliest work, while the outer open hall is of a much later time. In the inner hall the deep heavy architrave above the columns divides the hall, as in all these old temples, into a lofty central nave and two lower side aisles, although the central raised floor, as shown in the plan, would make it appear as if the interior was arranged as in later temples. The pillars are of the same massive style as those in the temple of Mālegitti-Śivālaya (Plate XXXIII). The ceiling of the nave is divided into three bays by shallow cross-beams each being decorated with a lotus rosette. Four perforated geometric-patterned windows, which have pretty surface tracery over the outside, admit a dim religious light into the hall.

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The shrine doorway is rather plain. Just above the lintel is a band of geese with outstretched necks towards the centre. There is no dedicatory block or image above the doors to indicate the deity for whom the temple was built. At the foot of the shrine doorway, on either side, is a female figure, that on the right being Gaṅgā upon her *makara* and the other Yamunā upon her tortoise. Upon the pilaster on either side have been *dvārapālas* or other life-sized figures, but they have been carefully chipped away to the surface of the pilaster, only the outline being left.

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The antechamber here is in an unusual position, being placed within the shrine door, and between it and the shrine. Within the shrine is an altar for an image, with mortises cut in the top to receive it; but in place of the image which has, no doubt, been removed, has been placed a very squat *liṅga* with its *śaluṅkā*.

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Before the entrance doorway of the temple is a porch, with two heavy square pillars like those inside, but this has been enveloped within a large open pillared hall which has been added at a subsequent time. Two of the four central pillars of this addition are crowded up against the two pillars of the porch. The latter are a little more ornamental than those of Mālegitti-Śivālaya, being square at the base, octagonal above, with a heavy square mass in the middle, carved with arabesque ornament. At the bottom of the outer door, on the south side, is a little fat Kuvera-like figure similar to those on the Jaina temple at Paṭṭadakal; that on the other side is left in block. There is a *dhandraśila*, or half moon-shaped doorstep in front of the hall door, but this is very likely an addition placed there when the outer hall was built.

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The temple has been left unfinished, the ornament on the *śikhara* being mostly only blocked out. In the base of the *śikhara*, leading off the roof by a doorway, is a small empty shrine, rather a characteristic of Jaina temples in these districts than of Hindu. There are image niches on the outside of the hall and shrine, but they are now empty. The top corners of the hall niches were decorated with long-tailed *makaras*. The temple faces west.

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There is an old inscription of three lines on the face of the north-east pillar of the hall but it is, apparently, of no special interest. There is another on the north wall of the temple outside, in characters of about the 9th or 10th century A.D., which records a grant of land to the venerable Śridharabhūteśvara of the lineage of Śri-Paiṅga.¹

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¹ *Indian Antiquary*, X, 60. ² Progress Report of the Archæological Survey of India, Western Circle, 1907-8, p. 41.

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Against the north side of the hall, has been constructed a little shrine to enclose an image of Viṣṇu which probably occupied the central niche on this side. It is possible that the temple, having been originally Vaiṣṇava, passed into the hands of the Jains, who removed the images, and was subsequently taken possession of by the Liṅgāyats, who added the outer hall and *Nandi* and installed the *liṅga*.

The Temple of Lakulīśa

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Off the north-west corner of the last is a smaller temple which has a curious and unusual image, seated upon the altar in the shrine, as the principal object of worship. It is an image of the god Lakulīśa, an incarnation of Śiva, which, as is usual with this deity, is represented nude. His image appears upon the walls of Virūpākṣa and Malikārjuna at Paṭṭadakal, in both cases in a standing position. Upon a good number of temples in Central India and Rājputānā this image is found occupying the dedicatory block above the doorways of Śaiva temples, and at Karvan, in the Baroda district, is a temple dedicated to his particular worship.²

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There is no reason to doubt but that this is the original object of worship, though it is not a very highly finished piece of work (Plate XXXIII). There is no indication of any clothing; what appears like a cloth over the head is perhaps long hair. In his right hand he holds something which looks like the end of a staff, but which, instead of rising straight from the hand, bends over backwards and runs a little way along the arm. Perhaps the sculptor, who appears to have been a clumsy worker at best, was afraid of the staff breaking off, and so trailed it along the arm for support. The left arm is broken off, but it can be seen that it rested upon the left knee and probably held the citron or cocoanut. On the inside of the outer wall of the *pradakṣiṇā* are carved the images Mahishāsura-mardanī and Gaṇapati.

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The hall, with its four pillars, and surrounding wall, which envelopes the shrine, may possibly be a later addition to the shrine.

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Close behind the Bhūtanātha group, to the south-west, is a huge rock, upon the north-east face of which are, carved in relief, a number of Brahmanical images among which are Brahmā, Śiva and Viṣṇu in a centre long panel, and Varāha, Gaṇapati, Mahishāsuramardani and Narasimha in four side panels, two on either side. At the extreme right end is carved a little shrine holding a *linga*. Beneath these is a row of very small figures, while above is a row of mortise holes in the rock as if intended for a wooden shed of some sort. The small figures, curiously enough, are little Jinas, each canopied by a five-hooded snake. Most of the images have inscribed labels above or below them.

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Upon the south side of this same rock is a sculpture of Nārāyaṇa reclining upon Śesha, with the ten *avatāras* in a row above him, some on one side and some on the other side of Brahmā. This image is still worshipped, and a small shrine has been built out in front of the rock enclosing the image. Over against this, and under the overhanging cliffs to the south-east of the lake, is a great fallen mass of rock leaning against the cliff side. It has so fallen as to form a natural cavern beneath it, entrance to which is obtained by crawling under the rock through a low tunnel-like opening. Upon the cliff, inside, is carved a large image in a seated Buddha-like attitude, but it is neither a representation of Buddha nor a Jina. It is, without doubt, a portrait statue (Fig. 17). The image is bejewelled with necklace, bracelets and anklets, and wears the sacred thread. The hair, so far as can be seen, where not encrusted with lime and oil, is in knobbly curls, but there is the Buddha-like lump on the top of the head. The legs are in the usual cross-legged position. The right hand, which is raised from the elbow before the breast, holds a *mālā* or rosary, the beads of which are being passed through the fingers. The left hand rests, Jina-like in the lap, palm upwards. The person is seated upon a lion throne, the front of which is divided into three compartments, with a lion in each. On either side of him is a *chauri* bearer, while behind him is the usual throne back, as seen behind Jina images. The whole has been fouled with constant oiling, and the top of the head and forehead are a dirty shiny white. It seems to be still worshipped. The story in connection with it is that, once upon a time, there was a *rāja* or *rāyā* who was afflicted with white leprosy, who, on coming to Bādāmi, was cured of it, and this is his image. It is called Koshatrāyā, *i.e.*, the *rāyā* who had *kusta* or white leprosy. Beside it on the rock, a little way to the right of the image, is a very small image of a little fat man, which might be an image of the person who had the big one carved, or perhaps the *rāja*’s prime minister.

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Fig. 17.—Image of Koshatrāyā, Bādāmi.

Group of Temples on the North Side of the Tank

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On the north side of the tank is a group of temples of much later date than those that have been described, but they are not of any great interest. They face the south, a very unusual direction for Brahmanical temples. Save a perplexing little figure on the front of the tower of the principal temple, there are no others that might give a clue to the original dedication of these shrines. This solitary little image may be intended for Vishnu. Very similar images may be seen at the old Vaishnava temples near Jhālrapaṭṭan in Rājputānā.¹ In the shrines of two of the temples a *liṅga*, with its *śāluṅkā*, has been placed upon an older image pedestal, which is towards the back of the shrine and not in the centre as *liṅgas* are usually placed.

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¹ Progress Report of the Archaeological Survey of India, Western Circle, for 1904-5, p. 32.

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In addition to the temples described there are, in the village of Bādāmi, the old one of Virūpāksha in the middle of the village, built around with houses and in use, and that of Yellamā in ruins on the bank of the tank.

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