Set
amidst a quaint landscape along the banks of the Malaprabha River, the
picturesque village of Pattadakal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for
its ancient temple complex. The second capital of the Chalukya dynasty
after Aihole, Pattadakal's magnificent 8th-century temples epitomize the
zenith of Chalukyan architecture. While the neighbouring towns of Badami and Aihole were important settlements, Pattadakal, with only a small resident population, was used as a ceremonial centre for royal festivities and coronation ceremonies. The sacred temple complex of Pattadakal consists of 10 major temples, each resplendent with beautifully textured carvings and pillars.
The impressive temple structures of Pattadakal are a confluence of the North Indian and South Indian temple architecture styles. These magnificent temples imbibe elements of both the Dravidian or the Southern and the Nagara or the Northern (Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture. At the entrance of the site, you can see the 8th century temples of Jambulinga, Kadasiddeshvara, and Galaganatha with their curvilinear shikaras or spires. Pattadakal tourism has grown around these ancient temples.
