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| 12th CE Dodda Basappa temple, Dambal, KA commons.wikimedia.org |
Dodda Basappa Temple (dedicated to Shiva) at Dambal, Karnataka has a unique 24-pointed, uninterrupted stellate (star-shaped), 7-tiered Dravida gopuram (tower). The noted features of this 12th Century CE temple are besides twenty-four pointed stellate plan of Vimana, reliefs on the walls of the temple - in projections and recesses: Kirtimukha, Pilasters and Dravida style miniature towers (aedicule)
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| Chalukya style. Dodda Basappa temple, Dambal, KA.alamy.com |
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| ornate stone pillar. Dodda Basappa temple at Dambalbl, KA .bl.uk |
Above image: The carved pillars in the south porch of the 12th century CE Dodda Basappa temple at Dambal, Photo by taken by Henry Cousins in the 1880s. It is built on a stellar plan with many angled projections. The sanctuary covered by a multi-story roof has walls decorated with pilasters and miniature temple towers in relief. The columns of the mandapa and of the sanctuary are similar to those of the Hoysala temples, polished and lathe-turned pillars. In the porch at the eastern end of the temple there is a stone Nandi which gives the temple its name..................................
Doddabasappa Temple, a 12th-century Western Chalukyan architectural splendor in Dambal, Karnataka state is a popular destination for tourists interested in temple architecture. Located at Dambal 20 km SE Gadag city in Koppal district, the temple is a good example of western chalukyan temple design with reference to its exterior ornamentation.
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| Dodda Basappa temple, Karnataka. dreamstime.com |
The presiding deity in the sanctum is God Shiva in the form of a linga. The standard temple interior configuration includes a sanctum (cella), a vestibule (antarala) and a main mantapa (also called navaranga or hall). The sanctum is connected to the mantap through the vestibule. The Chalukyan temple designs follow the tradition of Dravida style (of south India) with much emphasis on local elements. A star shaped design - stellate design obtained by rotating a square about its center is positively a departure from basic Dradiva style. The temple has two doorways each with a porch, one facing south and the other facing east and in the court yard there is a large recumbent stone image of Nandi (bull) traditionally facing the main shrine where God Shiva is enshrined.
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| Gadag district, Karnataka. mapsofindia.com |
This is the only temple in this state that has 24-pointed uninterrupted stellate (star-shaped) plan and carved out of soapstone and the inspiration came from the stellate plans of the Bhumija shrines of central India. Here the temples have 32-pointed interrupted types. The Dodda Basappa temple, is a rare exception. In the case of an 'interrupted' stellate plan, the stellate outline is interrupted by orthogonal (right-angle) projections in the cardinal directions, imparting a star like points.
The star projections are found right up the superstructure / gopuram or tower over the shrine — Shikhara), No doubt, they offer a unique and exotic look but in terms of strength and rigidity, it is not as strong as the superstructure in square plan as in conventional Dravida style. The Dravida style tiers are not noticeable here
Lacking the elegance of the Kasivisvesvara Temple in Lakkundi the pillars are made in a complicated manner .Quite interesting that there is a space over the entrance to the shrine: it is a decorative architrave with space for images (now missing) of the Trinity Hindu Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The God will occupy the central position, depending on which god would be dedicated - Vishnu or Shiva.
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| Dodda Basappa temple, Karnataka. Step-well, depositphotos.com |
As for the garbagriha - sanctum, the entrance carries elaborate decorations on both sides with floral designs containing small images of dancers, musicians and even a Mithuna couple (Gemini).
In the main mantapa (hall) there are fine decorations and one can see many gods' images from the Hindu pantheon such as Surya , Brahma, etc.God Brahma has 5 heads with his vahana the goose,
Tit-Bits:
Western Chalukya architecture, a brief note:
Western Chalukya architecture, Karnataka. commons.wikimedia.org
Dodda Basappa Temple in Dambal, en.wikipedia.org/
Above image: Twenty-four pointed stellate plan of vimana of Dodda Basappa Temple in Dambal, 12th century. Western Chalukya temple architecture. ..................
.Western Chalkya pillars in the temple. dreamstime.com
Western Chalukya architecture frequently referred to as Kalyani Chalukya or Later Chalukya architecture, has a distinctive style of ornamentation that was evolved during the rule of the Western Chalukya Empire in the Tungabhadra region (covering vast areas of the Deccan Plateau) of modern central Karnataka during the 11th and 12th centuries. They also used lathe-turned stone pillars to support the roof of the halls (mantaps). The cultural and temple-building activates were at peak in the Tungabhadra region and it points out their influence and opulence. Here lies a large number of medieval numerous monuments forming regional variants of pre-existing Dravida style of temple design; this local variants are called Vesara or Karnata Dravida. Chalukyan also built several decorative step wells in their region. Temples of all sizes built in Chalukyan architecture (also called Gadag style) to day bear testimony to their ingenuity and improvisation of pre-existing architectural style.
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Western_Chalukya_architecture
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