Kadasiddheshwara Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka, India

This modest temple probably built in the middle of the seventh century CE, shows an experimental stage in the development of temple architecture, particularly in the axial expansion of the plan and superstructure.

Facing the east, this temple has on plan a square sanctum (garbhagriha) housing a linga on the pitha, an astylar, rectangular mandapa and probably a mukha-mandapa as suggested by the plinth and the brackets above the dwarapalas flanking the mandapa doorway decorated with five bands (sakhas) which are now wornout.

The temple is built on a raised plinth with the usual five mouldings. The wall surfaces are plain but for a frieze of ganas carrying garlands at the top.

The superstructure is the Rekha-Nagar (northern) type having rudimentary sukanasa projection on the east. The sukanasa depicts dancing Siva and Parvati in a shallow trefoil chaitya – arch. The niches on the outer walls of the sanctum (garbhagriha) house the images of Ardhanarisvara (north), Harihara (west) and Siva (south).

The doorway of the sanctum has pilasters set among decorated bands (sakhas) with Siva and Parvati seated at the centre of the lintel and Brahma and Vishnu on either side. River goddesses and attendants are carved at either side below the bands.

Kadasiddheshwara temple

«This small east-facing early 8th-century Shiva temple in Nagara (north Indian) style comprises of a square sanctuary with linga and a hall without pillars. The doorframe of the sanctuary is adorned with an image of Shiva-Parvati flanked by Brahma and Vishnu. Of the two lattice windows in the hall the one with svastika pattern is the original. The temple's outer walls are raised on a basement which has an octagonal course, rounded beneath the wall niches on the three sides of the sanctuary. In the sanctuary's wall niches are images of Lakulisa (south), Harihara (west) and Ardhanari (north). They have nagara pediments. The faces of curvilinear tower have courses of cornices raised diminutively, each layer carved with a central gavaksha (horseshoe-shaped blind window) flanked by split gavakshas. At the corners of the tower are square cushion-shaped amalakas at regular intervals, three at each corner. The upper components of the tower are missing.»

South side of the temple
Note the lattice window in the hall (right) and the wall niche with image of Lakulisa (left).

Tower (Shikhara or Vimana) above the sanctum

The faces of the curvilinear tower have courses of cornices raised diminutively, each layer carved with a central gavaksha (horseshoe-shaped blind window) flanked by split gavakshas.
At the corners of the tower are square cushion-shaped amalakas at regular intervals, three at each corner.
The upper components of the tower are missing.