The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c20.s1.2

c20.s1.2

The temple is almost complete, and is one of the largest in the Dhārwār district. The original crowning member of the tower has been replaced by an ugly modern whitewashed erection. It is in a good state of preservation, and this is due, no doubt, to it having been in uninterrupted use all down through the centuries of its existence. It will be noticed how the facets, down the centre of each face of the tower, overlap each other and form a continuous band after the fashion of the northern type of tower. The little *śikharas* on the shrine walls are of the Chālukyan type while those round the low wall of the open hall are of the northern. Over the central niches of the shrine walls there is, in fact, a model of a complete little Chālukyan temple (Plate XCI). Upon the projection on the front of the tower is the Hoysaḷa group of sculpture which is described further on in connection with the temples at Baḷagāmve.