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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
[[File:Kasivisvesvara temple at Lakkundi.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The Kasivisvesvara temple (11th century) at Lakkundi–Shiva shrine (left) and Surya shrine (right)]]
[[File:Shrine at Kasivisvesvara temple in Lakkundi.jpg|thumb|Shrine wall and superstructure in Kasivisvesvara temple]]
The '''Kasivisvesvara temple''' ({{Lang-kn | ಕಾಶಿವಿಶ್ವೇಶ್ವರ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ }}) (also spelt Kashivishveshvara) and sometimes called ''Kashivishvanatha'' ({{Lang-kn | ಕಾಶಿವಿಶ್ವನಾಥ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ }}) temple is located in [[Lakkundi]], in the ([[Gadag district]]) of [[Karnataka]] state, India. It is 11 km from [[Gadag]] city, 24 km from [[Dambal]] and about 50 km from Kuknur.<ref name="well">{{cite web|title=Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent|date=1996-09-20|url=http://www.indoarch.org/place.php?placelink=R=5%2BS=18%2BP=230%2BM=0|author=Kamiya, Takeo|publisher=Gerard da Cunha-Architecture Autonomous, Bardez, Goa, India|access-date=2007-10-27}}</ref>

The centre of cultural and temple-building activity of the [[Western Chalukya Empire]] lay in the [[Tungabhadra river]] region, where large medieval workshops built numerous monuments.<ref name="workshop">Hardy (1995), p 156</ref> These monuments, regional variants of pre-existing [[Dravidian architecture|dravida]] (South Indian) temples, defined the ''Karnata dravida'' tradition.<ref name="kardra">Hardy (1995), pp 6–7</ref> Lakkundi in particular was the location of the mature phase of the [[Western Chalukya architecture]],<ref name="jodi">Hardy (1995), p 158</ref> and the Kasivisvesvara temple marks a high point of these achievements. According to Henry Cousens, it is one of the most ornate temples in the [[Kannada]] spoken region of India.<ref name="ornate">Cousens (1926), p. 79</ref>

The existence of a 1087 CE inscription on a beam in the temple [[mantapa]] (hall) and the plainness of that part of the temple suggests that the original construction may have been simpler and that the profusion of decoration may have been added to the other parts of the temple at a later period, with the end of [[Chola]] invasions of Chalukyan territory.<ref name="ornate"/> Most of the inscriptions in Lakkundi date from 1170 CE onwards. It is known that [[Hoysala]] king [[Veera Ballala II]] annexed Lakkundi (also known as Lokkigundi) from the [[Seuna]]s of Devagiri and made it his capital around 1193 CE. It is possible that the temple may have received embellishment during his rule.<ref name="lintel">Cousens (1926), p. 80</ref>

==Temple plan==
[[File:Door jamb and lintel decoration at Kasivisvesvara temple in Lakkundi.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Doorjamb and lintel mouldings on southern door of Kasivisvesvara temple]]
This is a double shrined temple (''dvikuta''). The shrine facing east is dedicated to Kasivisvesvara (Hindu god [[Shiva]]) whose universal symbol, a ''[[linga]]'', stands three feet tall in the sanctum. The other shrine, which faces the main shrine is dedicated to the sun god [[Surya]] and is called ''Suryanarayana''. The Surya shrine faces west, an unusual occurrence among Surya temples, which normally face east.<ref name="surya">Cousens (1926), p. 81–82</ref> The Kasivisvesvara temple epitomises the shift in Chalukyan artistic achievements, towards sharper and crisper stone work not seen in earlier constructions, taking full advantage of the effect of light and shade. Special attention was paid to mouldings, arches and other details on the tower, and decorations on doorjambs and lintels.<ref name="lintel">Cousens (1926), p. 80</ref>
[[File:Door jamb and lintel decoration1 at Kasivisvesvara temple in Lakkundi.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Doorjamb and lintel mouldings on shrine door of Kasivisvesvara temple]]
The architects in the Karnataka region seem to have been inspired by architectural developments in northern India. This is evidenced by the fact that they incorporated decorative miniature towers (multi-[[aedicule|aedicular]] towers depicting superstructures) of the ''[[Sekhari (architecture)|Sekhari]]'' and ''[[Bhumija (architecture)|Bhumija]]'' types, supported on pilasters, almost simultaneously with these developments in the temples in northern India. The miniature towers represented shrines, which in turn represented deities. Sculptural depictions of deities were generally discreet although not uncommon. Other northern ideas they incorporated were the pillar bodies that appeared as wall projections.<ref name="bhumi">Foekema (2003), pp. 51–52</ref> Well-known constructions incorporating these features are found at the Kasivisvesvara Temple and the nearby Nannesvara Temple.<ref name="lak">Foekema (2003), p51, p53</ref>

==Decorative features==
[[File:Inner mantapa with lathe turned pillars in the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Lathe-turned polished pillars in inner [[mantapa]]]]
[[File:Old Kannada inscription (1087 A.D.) at the Kasi Visveshvara temple in Lakkundi.JPG|thumb|left|upright|Old Kannada inscription of Vikramaditya VI dated 1087 A.D on temple beam]]
According to Cousens, the doorpost [[Molding (decorative)|moulding]]s on the southern and eastern doorway are worthy of mention. On both sides of the southern doorway are four inner bands of scrolls which run up the sides and around the lower part of the [[entablature]] above. Next to these bands, on either side, in the centre, are tall columns or [[pilaster]]s supporting the lower [[cornice]] above. Beyond these columns, on either side, are four more bands of decorative mouldings.<ref name="lintel">Cousens (1926), p. 80</ref> On the lintel of the doorway is a dedicatory block containing an image of [[Gaja]]-[[Lakshmi]] with an elephant on either side. In fact, in the Kannada spoken regions, it is common to find the image of Lakshmi in the dedicatory block on the lintel irrespective of the temple's original dedication; whether the principal deity was Shiva, [[Vishnu]] or [[Jain]]a.<ref name="dedicate">Cousens (1926), p. 22</ref> Above the lower cornice, the entablature consists of small figures, now numbering only three (must have been eleven originally) standing under cusped arches. Above these figures is a valance of beads hanging in [[festoons]].<ref name="dedicate"/> According to art historian Cousens, the decoration on the eastern doorway, though not a fine as on the southern doorway, is worthy of praise for its [[filigree]] work. The doorway to the shrine (sanctum) rivals the exterior ones in finish. The dedicatory block on the lintel has an image of Gaja-Lakshmi and her elephants. Above the cornice is a procession of men and animals. These images, which are barely six inches tall, include horsemen and musicians. Above these images are the [[trinity]] of Hindu gods: [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]] and [[Shiva]].<ref name="lathe">Cousens (1926), p. 81</ref>
[[File:Kirthimukha at Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi.JPG|right|thumb|upright|''[[Kirtimukha]]'' (demon face) with miniature tower–decorative arch combination going up the shrine superstructure]]
The ornamentation on the outer wall of the shrine consists of prominent central niches above which is a miniature tower ([[shikhara]] or [[aedicule]]) which is purely ''nagara'' (north Indian) in style and cuts through the principal cornice. The decorative arch above the miniature tower is a conspicuous ornamental feature of the superstructure. The miniature tower–arch combination is repeated up the superstructure of the shrine.<ref name="dedicate"/> The [[finial]] (''[[kalasha]]'') and the capping structure of the tower is missing. In the temple hall, the pillars, their capital, and [[Bracket (architecture)|bracket]]s figures above the capital (which include little lions, ''[[kirtimukha]]s'' and scrolls) are evidence of expert workmanship, the kind found on ivory or silver. The artisans fully availed the workable properties of finely grained stone ([[soapstone]]) to produce polished pillars whose shafts have a rounded appearance obtained by using a [[lathe]].<ref name="lathe">Cousens (1926), p. 81</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|33em}}

==References==
{{commons category}}
*{{cite book|author=Cousens, Henry|title= The Chalukyan Architecture of Kanarese Districts|orig-year= 1926|year= 1996|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |location= New Delhi|oclc = 37526233}}
*{{cite book |last=Hardy|first=Adam |title=Indian Temple Architecture: Form and Transformation-The Karnata Dravida Tradition 7th to 13th Centuries|orig-year=1995|year=1995|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn= 81-7017-312-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Foekema|first=Gerard |title= Architecture decorated with architecture: Later medieval temples of Karnataka, 1000–1300 AD|orig-year=2003|year=2003|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd|location= New Delhi|isbn= 81-215-1089-9}}
*{{cite web|author=Kamiya, Takeyo|title=Architecture of Indian subcontinent|url=http://www.indoarch.org/place.php?placelink=R%3D5%2BS%3D18%2BP%3D0%2BM%3D0|publisher=Gerard da Cunha|work=Indian Architecture|access-date=2008-08-16}}

{{coord|15|23|22|N|75|42|51|E|display=title}}
{{Hindu temples in Karnataka}}

[[Category:11th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Gadag district]]
[[Category:Chalukya dynasty]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Karnataka]]

Kasivisvesvara Temple, Lakkundi - Revision history

Itssuvam: brief cleanup information and improved wording

imported>Ms Sarah Welch: expand, add sources

>Monkbot: Task 18 (cosmetic): eval 5 templates: del empty params (2×); hyphenate params (5×);