Mahadeva Temple Itagi is Western Chalukya architecture and Western Chalukya temples. The Temple Itagi was designed based on the overall set up of the Amruteshwara Temple at Annigeri The Mahadeva Temple Itagi has the same architectural components; there’s a difference in their articulation.
Mahadeva Temple Itagi History:
The Mahadeva Temple at Itagi was designed circa 1112 ce by Mahadeva, a commander (dandanayaka) in the army of the Western Chalukya King Vikramaditya VI. Itagi is concerning 22 miles (35 km) east of Gadag and 40 miles (64 km) west of Hampi. The Temple Itagi is devoted to Hindu God Shiva. The well-executed sculptures, finely crafted carvings on walls, pillars and also the tower build it a good example of complete Western Chalukyan art that speaks volumes concerning the style of the Chalukyan artisans.
An inscription dated 1112 Ce in the Temple calls it “Emperor among Temples” (Devalaya Chakravarti). Historian Henry Cousens called this monument the “finest in Kannada country after Halebidu”. These Western Chalukya monuments, regional variants of existing dravida (South Indian) temples, defined the Karnata dravida tradition. The Mahadeva temple is formally protected as a monument by the archaeologic Survey of India.
Mahadeva Temple Itagi Architecture :
The temple plan consists of a shrine (cella) that is connected to a closed mantapa (hall) by a vestibule (antechamber). The closedmantapa leads to an open pillared mantapa, with the temple as an entire facing the east. Some elements of the temple, like the cornice and parapet over the outer edge of the roof of the openmantapa are missing. The most temple, the sanctum of that has a linga (symbol of Shiva), is encircled by 13 minor shrines, every with its own linga. The temple has 2 different shrines, dedicated to Murthinarayana and Chandraleshwari, oldsters of Mahadeva, the Chalukya commander who consecrated the temple.
The closed mantapa has a door on both sides, with the eastern door resulting in the open mantapa and the western door to the sanctum. The door panels are well shaped and the ceilings of the porches have a ribbed style in them. The decoration of the outer walls follows the same pattern as that of the shrine. The great open mantapa has 64 pillars, 24 of that are full pillars that begin from the ground and support the most ceiling.
The remaining are 0.5 pillars (or “dwarf pillars”) that begin from the bench (parapet wall) that surrounds themantapa and support the sloping eaves. The pillars in this hall bear similarities to the structure 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 sq. ceiling of the open mantapa that are 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) that be due the mouth of a Kirtimukha (gargoyle or demon face). This sort of stonework is considered as high a high quality as any.
In stark distinction, the inside of the closed mantapa and the sanctum are plain and simple. it’s believed that bracket figures that once adorned the outside pillars are now missing. These forward leaning bracket figures (Salabhanjika), that commonly represent female forms in varied poses (such as diversion or adorning themselves), would have rested on little blocks on the shaft of the pillars (capital), finding support from the bottom of the overhanging cornice via a slot in their higher end.
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