Description11th century Amritesvara temple, Annigeri, Karnataka India - 1.jpg
English: This Amritesvara temple, also referred to as the Amruteshwara Temple, is located in the small town of Annigeri, Dharwad district of Karnataka. It is between Hampi and Goa, reachable by National Highway 67.
Annigeri was prior to the 14th-century a major city and capital of Belvala state in northwestern Karnataka. The earliest inscriptions that mention the city are from the 8th-century CE. The city is much referred to in early literature as the birthplace of Pampa – a famous poet of the Kannada language. The site became a center for schools, monasteries and temples. In some inscriptions and historic literature, Annigeri is called Dakshina Kashi (Southern Varanasi).
The Amritesvara temple belongs to the Chalukya style, but one expanded by the Hoysalas.
Annigeri town and this temple has slabs and sections with many inscriptions. These suggest that the temple was in good condition till about the 14th-century, all relating to gifts and donations. After the 14th-century, new inscriptions are not found.
The outer walls are simple with niches for statues, but these statues are missing and niches show signs of intentional damage. Reliefs on the stone walls, as well major free standing statues were beheaded, defaced or otherwise mutilated, likely in the wars of 14th and later centuries.
The temple is notable for its unique spire superstructure with 16-point star stellate form and four stories (talas) over the south porch. Similarly its large mandapa has seven projections. Both deploy the square and circle principles of Hindu architecture in innovative ways.
The Ammritesvara temple, states Adam Hardy, reflects further 11th-century innovations in Hindu temple design with its main Vimana, which is "multi-aedicular in all four talas, all with modified double staggered sala-aedicules with double nasis". It design innovations and aesthetic success became the inspiration for further innovations in Hindu architecture at the Mahadeva temple of Ittagi, the latter called the "emperor of temples" by 12th-century silpins (architect and artisans).
This is one of India's national monument, protected and managed by ASI (N-KA-D226).
Photographs created by P. Madhusudan, Telangaana, India uploaded by User:Ms Sarah Welch are released as CC-0.
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