The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c16.s1.6

c16.s1.6

In one of the corner ceiling panels of the hall is what, at first sight, looks like an aṣṭadikpāla ceiling. But, instead of the regents surrounding Śiva, who occupies the central panel as Bhairava, are found the saptamātṛ or ‘Seven Mothers’ in the other eight panels, one of them, Brahmī, being repeated twice. In one of the small temples at the Gokak Falls is a similar ceiling, but in that case the centre figure is Mahākālī instead of Śiva; and, Gaṇapati occupies one of the surrounding panels, thus obviating the necessity of repeating one of the goddesses.