Aihole

Aihole
ಐಹೊಳೆ
village

Aihole.jpg

Group of monuments At Aihole
Aihole
Coordinates: 16°1′08″N 75°52′55″E / 16.01889°N 75.88194°E / 16.01889; 75.88194Coordinates: 16°1′08″N 75°52′55″E / 16.01889°N 75.88194°E / 16.01889; 75.88194
Country India
State Karnataka
District Bagalkot
Languages
  Official Kannada
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Nearest city Pattadkal

Aihoḷe is a village having a historic temple complex in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India and located 510 km from Bangalore. It is known for Chalukyan architecture, with about 125 stone temples dating from 5th century CE, and is a popular tourist spot in north Karnataka. It lies to the east of Pattadakal, along the Malaprabha River, while Badami is to the west of both. With its collection of architectural structures, Aihoḷe temple complex is on the pending list of UNESCO World heritage sites.[1]

History

Aihoḷe was earlier known as Ayyavoḷe and Aryapura in its inscriptions.[2] It was established in 450 CE as first capital of Chalukya kings and has about 125 stone temples, some which were constructed as experimental structures by artisans of Chalukyan period.[3] A place known by as Morera Angadigalu near the Meguti hillocks has a large number of cysts of pre-historic period. The place was an agraharam. Aihoḷe has been described as a cradle of temple architecture. Some brick structures of pre-Chalukyan times have also been excavated in this village.

Poetry on stone at the Meguti temple (Aihole inscription) dated 634 CE, in Sanskrit language and old Kannada script
An important 8th century inscription in Old Kannada language and script at the Lad Khan temple records a grant to Brahmins

According to mythology Aihole is where Parashurama washed his axe after killing the Kshatriyas. Aihole has historical significance and is called the 'cradle of Hindu rock architecture' (cradle of Indian architecture).[4]

Pulakeshin I, one of the greatest rulers of this dynasty, moved the capital to Badami nearby. Badami was then known as Vatapi. It is from these temples that the Chalukyas gained their experience and went on to build the great temples of Pattadakal.

The first phase of temple building in Aihole dates back to the fifth–sixth century,[5][6] the second phase up to the 12th century CE.

Important temples at Aihole

  1. Durga temple complex
  2. Lad Khan Temple
  3. Ambigera Gudi complex
  4. Mallikarjuna temple complex
  5. Chikki temple
  6. Rachi temple
  7. Eniyar temples complex
  8. Hucchimalli temple complex
  9. Ravanaphadi rock-cut temple
  10. Jain temple, Meguti temple
  11. Hucchappayya Math Complex
  12. Kunti temples complex
  13. Charantimath complex
  14. Tryambakesvara group
  15. Gauri temple
  16. Jaina temples in the village
  17. Rock-cut Jain Basadi
  18. Ramlingesvara Temple Complex
  19. Galaganatha Temple Complex

Aihole inscription

Main article: Aihole inscriptions
Chalukya Territories during Pulakeshin II c. 640 C.E.

The famous Badami Chalukyas King Pulakeshin II (610–642 A.D.) was a follower of Vaishnavism. The inscription of Ravikirti, his court poet, is a eulogy of the Pulakeshin II and is at the Meguti temple. It is dated 634 CE and is written in Sanskrit language and old Kannada script. The Aihole inscription describes the achievements of Pulakeshin II and his victory against King Harshavardhana.[7] Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II mentioned as akrantatma-balonnatim Pallavanam patim: that means the Pallavas had attempted to nip in the bud the rise of the Badami Chalukyas: The conflict of the two powers before the campaign of Pulakeshin II against the Pallavas. Inscription which prepared by Pulakeshin II (634 AD) found in the Jain Temple at Aihole, that all the scholars have relied on this inscription related to Mahabharata War and Kaliyuga.[8] In the Aihole inscription referred that Mangalesha's (Paramabhagavat) victory over the Kalachuris and the conquest of Revatidvipa. According to the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II, a civil war between Mangalesha and Pulakeshin II, due to Mangalesha's attempt to secure the succession for his son, which was the end of Mangalesha's reign.[9] In inscription of Amoghavarsha I found at Aihole, mentioned about his new administration (navarajyam geyye).[10]

Early Chalukya style of architecture

Aihole
A pillar relief at the Durga temple in Aihoḷe
Mantapa (hall) in the famous Ravana Phadi cave temple at Aihoḷe. The cave temple is usually dated to the 6th century

Aihole was the cradle of ancient Hindu temple architecture.[11] It has more than 70 temples. Experimentation with styles was undertaken by the artisans. The artisans worked on the rocks to create the earliest rock-cut shrines.[12] The artisans graduated to the full-fledged Chalukya style of architecture.

The early Chalukyas inherited architectural styles largely from their neighbors to the north and south of their kingdom.[13] Usage of curved towers decorated with blind arches came from northern India. Plastered walls with panel inserts are a southern Indian style. The usage of Deccan style is in their balcony seating, angled eaves and sloping roofs, and elaborately carved columns and ceilings (George Michell,1997). In short, they artistically brought together the prevailing styles in their neighbourhood to create the Chalukya style.

Typical features unique to Badami Chalukyas architecture include mortarless assembly, an emphasis on length rather than width or height, flat roofs, richly carved ceilings, and, sculpturally, an emphasis on relatively few major figures, which tend to be isolated from each other rather than arranged in crowded groups. The aesthetic sensibility of sculpture from this period also seems to retain a certain classical quality whose impulse does not carry over into later periods of Indian art (Susan Huntington, 1985).

The Temples

Durga temple, Aihole
Durga temple Front View, Aihole
Durga temple, Aihole
Lad Khan Temple, Aihole
Ravana Phadi cave, Aihole
Konti Gudi (lit "Konti temple"), Aihole
Inside the Ravana Phadi cave temple, Aihole
Mallikarjuna temple complex, Aihole
Two-story Buddhist Chaitya (lit "Buddhist hall")
Hucchimalli Gudi (lit "Mad Malli's temple"), Aihole
Galaganatha group of monuments
Basavanna temple at Aihole

The prominent temple groups at Aihole are the Kontigudi group and the Galaganatha group of temples, although historians have divided all the temples into 22 groups.

Three temples are referred to as the 'Kontigudi group of temples'. One of these is the Lad Khan temple (the oldest at Aihole is the Lad khan temple dating back to the fifth century[11]), named after a mendicant that lived in this temple in the 19th century, another the Huchiappayyagudi temple and the Huchiappayya math.

Main article: Durga temple, Aihole
Main article: Lad Khan Temple

Gallery

See also

References

  1. "Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami- Pattadakal". UNESCO. 2004. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  2. Encyclopaedia of the Hindu world, Volume 1 By Gaṅgā Rām Garg page 251
  3. Raghavan, Vikram K (13 May 2010). "Surviving the test of time". Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  4. "Aihole's stories in stone". Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  5. Sigfried J. de Laet and Joachim Herrmann, History of Humanity: From the seventh century B.C. to the seventh century A.D.. UNESCO, 1996.
  6. Reshma Rai, An Introduction of Naga, in Rajagriha
  7. "Message with Long Life: Indian Inscriptions". Dr. Jyotsna Kamat. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  8. "The Scientific Dating of the Mahabharat War, Aihole Inscription". Dr.P.V.Vartak. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  9. "EARLY CHALUKYAS". Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  10. "Bombay-Karnataka Inscriptions, Volume I – Part I, Introduction". Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  11. 1 2 "Echoes from Chalukya caves". Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  12. "ARCHITECTURE, The Chalukyan magnificence". Archived from the original on 10 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  13. Monuments of India, Part II, Early Chalukya, Aihole
  14. "Aihole, Lad Khan Temple". Retrieved 2009-04-01.

13.Karnataka State Gazetteer 1983.

External links

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