Pattadakal

Pattadakal was not only popular Chalukyan architectural activities, but also a holy place for royal coronation, 'Pattadakisuvolal'. Temples constructed here mark the blending of the Rekha Nagara Prasada and the Dravida Vimana styles of temple building.

The oldest temple at Pattadakal is Sangamesvara built by Vijayaditya Satyasraya (AD 697-733). The temple is simple, but its massive structure brings out a unique kind of elegance.

Virupaksha temple of the Chalukyan period served as a model for the Rashtrakuta ruler to carve out the great Kailasha at Ellora. The sculptural art of the early Chalukyas is characterised by grace and delicate details. The ceiling panels of the Navagrahas, Dikpalas, the dancing Nataraja, the wall niches containing Lingodbhava, Ardhanarisvara, Tripurari, Varahavishnu, Trivikrama bear ample testimony to the sculptor's skill as well as the cult worship in vogue. The narrative relief's illustrating certain episodes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and Panchatantra fitted well with these grand religious edifices.