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| Kumbhareshwara temple,Lakkundi,KA commons. wikimedia.org |
Belonging to the famed Lakkundi school of architecture, the temple showcases a distinctive trikutachala design—comprising three sanctums (garbhagrihas) connected by a shared closed mandapa and an open ranga mandapa. This layout was popular during the later Chalukyan period, reflecting an evolution in spatial planning and ritual design, breaking off from the traditional architectural style.
The temple features entrances from the four cardinal directions, a symbolic layout emphasizing cosmological harmony and accessibility. Though the original builder remains unknown due to the absence of inscriptions or surviving records, the structure’s stylistic features clearly associate it with the Chalukyan architectural legacy.
The temple’s exterior walls are decorated with a blend of North Indian (Nagara) and South Indian (Dravida) motifs, a hallmark of the syncretic style prevalent in Lakkundi.It shows transition to Vesara style of architecture. Doorframes are elaborately carved with auspicious Hindu symbols, divine figures, floral scrolls, and geometric patterns. Inside one of the sanctums, a Shiva Linga—representing Lord Kumbareshwara—is still enshrined. The central lintel over one doorway appears to depict Lord Krishna, though damage to the sculptures makes conclusive identification of the other two deities difficult.
Today, the temple lies in a state of partial ruin, with many carvings mutilated or weather-worn. There is no active worship, and the site is infrequently visited, partly due to safety concerns as snakes have taken shelter in its shaded crevices. The structure remains a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), though it is in urgent need of careful restoration and conservation. Despite its neglected state, the Kumbareshwara Temple continues to be an important architectural and historical landmark within the sacred landscape of Lakkundi.
It isimperative on the part of the ASI to save the temple from further damages and restore it to old glory. Positively, tourists who visit Lakundi, will visit this humble looking temple with amazing architectural features.
https://sahasa.in/2022/12/14/kumbareshwara-temple-lakkundi-village-gadag-district-karnataka/
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