Mahadeva Temple, Itagi

Mahadeva Temple at Itagi (or Ittagi) in the Koppal district, 1112 CE, an example of dravida articulation with a nagara superstructure

The Mahadeva Temple at Itagi in Koppal district, Karnataka state, India, was built in c. 1112 CE by Mahadeva, a commander (dandanayaka) in the army of the Western Chalukya King Vikramaditya VI. Itagi is located about 22 miles east of Gadag. The temple is dedicated to Hindu God Shiva. With its well executed sculptures, it is a good example of complete Western Chalukyan art. The intricate, finely crafted carvings on walls, pillars and tower speak volumes about the taste of the Chalukyan artisans. An inscription outside the temple calls it "Emperor among Temples" (Devalaya Chakravarti). Art critic Henry Cousens has called this monument the "finest in Kannada country after Halebidu". These Western Chalukya monuments, regional variants of pre-existing dravida (South Indian) temples, defined the Karnata dravida tradition. The Mahadeva temple is now officially protected as a national monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Temple plan

Kirthimukha on superstructure

The temple plan consists of a shrine (cella) which is connected to a closed mantapa (hall) by a vestibule (antechamber). The closed mantapa leads to a open pillared mantapa, with the temple as a whole facing the east. Some parts of the temple, such as the cornice and parapet over the outer edge of the roof of the open mantapa are missing. The main temple, the sanctum of which has a linga (symbol of Shiva), is surrounded by thirteen minor shrines, each with its own linga. The temple has two other shrines, dedicated to Murthinarayana and Chandraleshwari, parents of Mahadeva, the Chalukya commander who consecrated the temple.

The closed mantapa has a doorway on each side, with the eastern doorway leading to the open mantapa, and the western doorway to the sanctum. The door panels are well wrought and the ceiling of the porches have a ribbed design in them. The decoration of the outer walls follows the same pattern as that of the shrine. The great open mantapa originally had 64 pillars, 24 of which were full pillars which start from the floor and support the main ceiling. The remaining were half pillars (or "dwarf pillars") which start from the parapet wall and support the sloping eaves. The pillars in this hall bear similarities to the porch pillars at the Dodda Basappa Temple at Dambal and the lathe turned pillars (whose rounded sections are lathe turned) at the Kasivisvesvara Temple at Lakkundi.

The square ceiling of the open mantapa which supported by the four central pillars exhibits interesting fretted stonework. The ceiling here has been worked into a decorative arabesque foliage and makaras (mythical beasts) which flow from the mouth of a Kirtimukha (demon face). This type of stonework is considered as high a quality as any. In stark contrast, the interior of the closed mantapa and the sanctum are plain and simple.

It is believed that bracket figures that once adorned the outside pillars are now missing. These forward leaning bracket figures, which normally represent female forms in various poses (such as dancing or adorning themselves), would have rested on small blocks on the shaft of the pillars (capital), finding support from the underside of the overhanging cornice via a slot in their upper end.

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  Old Kannada inscription (1112 CE) claiming "Emperor among temples"
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  Open mantapa (hall) with full pillars at the Mahadeva Temple
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  Figure sculpture on outer surface of parapet wall at Mahadeva Temple

References

• Cousens, Henry (1996) [1926]. The Chalukyan Architecture of Kanarese Districts. New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India. OCLC 37526233.
• Rao, Kishan. "Emperor among Temples crying for attention". Southern States - Karnataka. The Hindu. Retrieved 2006-11-10.
• Hardy, Adam. "Indian Temple Architecture: Form and Transformation, the Karnata Dravida Tradition, 7th to 13th Centuries". JSTOR. Artibus Asiae. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
• Hardy, Adam (1995) [1995]. Indian Temple Architecture: Form and Transformation-The Karnata Dravida Tradition 7th to 13th Centuries. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 8170173124.
• Kamath, Suryanath U. (2001) [1980]. A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present. Bangalore: Jupiter books. OCLC 7796041. LCCN 80-9 – 0.