imported>BrownHairedGirl: remove {{Karnataka topics}}, which doesn't link here

2021-04-29T18:26:42Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mahakuta
| native_name = ಮಹಾಕೂಟ
| native_name_lang = kn
| other_name = Mahakoota
| settlement_type = village
| image_skyline = Mahakuta group of temples1 at Mahakuta.jpg
| image_alt = Mallikarjuna temple (at rear), a ''dravida'' style temple at Mahakuta
| image_caption = Mallikarjuna temple (at rear), a ''dravida'' style temple at Mahakuta
| nickname =
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Karnataka
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|15|55|58|N|75|43|18|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Bagalkot District|Bagalkot]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Kannada]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = 587201
| registration_plate =
| blank1_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Badami]]
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Mahakuta group of temples''' is located in Mahakuta, a village in the [[Bagalkot district]] of [[Karnataka]] state, India. It is an important place of worship for [[Hinduism|Hindus]] and the location of a well-known [[Shaiva]] monastery. The temples are dated to the 6th or 7th century CE and were constructed by the early kings of the [[Chalukya dynasty]] of [[Badami]]. The dating of the temples is based on the style of architecture which is similar to that of the temples in nearby [[Aihole]]<ref name="aihole">Cousens (1926), p. 51</ref> and the information in two notable inscriptions in the complex: the [[Mahakuta Pillar]] inscription dated between 595–602 CE (written in the [[Sanskrit language]] and [[Kannada script]]);<ref name="stambha"/> and an inscription of Vinapoti, a [[concubine]] of king [[Vijayaditya]], dated between 696–733 CE and written in the [[Kannada language]] and script.<ref name="cousens">Cousens (1926), p. 52</ref>

==Basic plan==
The Karnataka artisans of the 7th century achieved a certain eclectism in their architecture by building south Indian ''dravida'' style temples adjacent to north Indian ''nagara'' style temples.<ref name="nagara">Sinha (2000), p. 34</ref> Further, their ''dravida'' and ''nagara'' styles were local, indigenous variants and unrelated to the architectural styles that prevailed in modern [[Tamil Nadu]] to the south, and [[Central India]] ("Madhyadesha") to the north.<ref name="north-south">Sinha (2000), p. 35</ref> They achieved this by combining the basic plan of one style with characteristics of the other. The ''dravida'' style temples here have a tiered tower over the shrine which is capped with a dome like structure. The ''nagara'' style temples use a curvilinear tower over a shrine which has a square plan, and is capped by a ribbed stone.<ref name="nagara"/> The development of this hybrid style, achieved by combining the typological features of the two basic architectural styles, is considered a peculiarity of the Karnataka region and defines the beginnings of the [[Vesara]] style of architecture.<ref name="vesara">Sinha (2000), p. 38</ref>

A natural mountain spring flows within the temple complex and feeds fresh water into a large tank called the ''Vishnu Pushkarni'' ("[[Lotus (plant)|Lotus]] pool of god [[Vishnu]]") and an ablution tank called ''Papavinasha Tirtha'' ("Tank of Ablution"). Among the several shrines in the complex, the Mahakuteshvara temple, built in the ''dravida'' style, and the Mallikarjuna temple are the largest. There is a small shrine in the centre of the ''Vishnu Pushkarni'' tank and in it is a [[Shiva]] ''[[linga]]'' (universal symbol of god Shiva) called ''Panchamukha linga'' ("five faced linga"), one face for each direction and one on top.<ref name="aihole"/>

==Inscriptions==
The Mahakuta complex has provided historians two important 7th century inscriptions. The [[Mahakuta Pillar]] inscription,<ref>{{cite journal
|jstor=3249519
|title=The Mahakuta Pillar and Its Temples
| volume=41
|pages=253–268}}</ref> dated variously between 595–602 CE records a grant made by Durlabhadevi, a queen of [[Pulakeshin I]] (the father of king [[Mangalesha]]). The queen supplemented an earlier grant with an endowment of ten villages, including [[Pattadakal]] and Aihole to god Mahkuteshvara Natha. In addition, the inscription provides important information about the Chalukyan lineage, their military expeditions, their conquests and early monuments.<ref name="stambha">''The Mahakuta Pillar and Its Temples'', p. 253, Carol Radcliffe Bolon</ref> The pillar goes by the name ''Dharma-jayastambha'' ("Pillar of victory of religion") and is on exhibition at a [[Adil Shahi|Bijapur]] archaeological museum.<ref name="cousens">Cousens (1926), p. 52</ref> The other inscription, ascribed to Vinapoti, king Vijayaditya's concubine, is inscribed in the porch of the Mahakuteshvara temple. It describes a grant of [[ruby|rubies]] and a silver umbrella to the deity ''Mahakuteshvara'' in addition to a piece of land.<ref name="cousens"/>


==Gallery==
<gallery>
Mahakuta group of temples2 at Mahakuta.jpg|Vishnu temple with ''nagara'' superstructure (left) and a shrine with [[Kadamba Dynasty|Kadamba]] superstructure (right) at Mahakuta
Mahakuta group of temples at Mahakuta.jpg|Mahakuteshvara temple (painted white) in the ''dravida'' style (rear) and Sangameshvara temple in ''nagara'' style (front)
Mahakuta group of temples3 at Mahakuta.jpg|Sangameshvara temple with ''nagara'' superstructure at Mahakuta
7th century Kannada inscription at Mahakutesvara temple in Mahakuta.jpg|7th century Kannada inscription of Vinapoti, concubine of Badami Chalukya King Vijayaditya
Wall relief sculpture at the Mahakuta group of temples at Mahakuta.jpg|Sculpture of ''Ardhanareeshvara'' (form of the Hindu god Shiva) at the Mahakuta temples
File:Mahakuta 3.jpg|Mahakuta temple tank
</gallery>
{{wide image|Mahakuta Temple tank.JPG|896px|Temple tank in Mahakoota||left}}{{clear all}}

== See also ==
*[[Aihole]]
*[[Badami Cave Temples]]
*[[Badami Chalukya Architecture]]
*[[Banashankari Amma Temple|Banashankari Amma Temple at Cholachagudd]]
*[[Pattadakal]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://maps.google.co.in/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mahakuta&aq=&sll=15.42764,75.432644&sspn=0.009391,0.013754&ie=UTF8&hq=Mahakuta&hnear=&ll=15.932334,75.721419&spn=0.001171,0.001719&t=h&z=19 Mahakuta on Google Maps]
* [http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130617/news-current-affairs/article/relive-6th-century-mahakuta Relive 6th century at Mahakuta]

==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|author=Sinha, Ajay|title= Imagining Architects: Creativity in the Religious Monuments of India|orig-year= 2000|year= 2000|publisher=University of Delaware Press|location= Delaware|isbn = 978-0-87413-684-5}}
*{{cite journal |jstor=3249519 |title=The Mahakuta Pillar and Its Temples, Carol Radcliffe Bolon}}
*''[[Karnataka State Gazetteer]]'' 1983.

{{Historical Places in Karnataka}}
{{Hindu temples in Karnataka}}
{{Historical Places in North Karnataka}}
{{Historical places of Chalukyas}}
{{Tourism in India}}
{{Bagalkot district}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahakuta Group Of Temples}}
[[Category:7th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Bagalkot district]]
[[Category:Chalukya dynasty]]

Mahakuta group of temples - Revision history

imported>BrownHairedGirl: remove {{Karnataka topics}}, which doesn't link here