The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c14.s2.5

c14.s2.5

The central niches, on the outer walls of the shrine, are, in this, more prominent features than in earlier temples; they are considerably enlarged, and the miniature *śikharas* above them break through the principal cornice, the foliated arch above becoming an ornamental feature of the tower. This combination of *śikhara* and arch has been repeated up the tower upon each of the storeys, which have become so masked by multitudinous mouldings and other detail that it is not easy, at first sight, to separate them, but they are there nevertheless. These little *śikharas*, which are a very prominent feature on the face of the building, are purely northern in type. It is a pity that the capping member and the *kalaśa* or finial has gone, for, judging from the graceful cut of the mouldings of the tower, they were, probably, unusually fine.