A virasaiva devotee worshipping the linga in his hand. South wall of the rangamandapa

East West section looking South, Vimana

Eastern door, right doorjamb, east façade, First band jewel chain, Second band creeper 1a, Fourth band creeper 6

Linga and Nandin, temple of Somesvara at Haralhalli

Linga called Sparsa-linga, temple of Galagesvara at Galagnath

Main Monument

Monolithic Mast, Kirtistamba, bearing Inscription VII

Nandin, temple of Somesvara at Haralahalli

North façade, adhisthana, creeper 3 & rearing lion profile and face

North façade, motif of lion head, makara and arch over a Panjara

North Façade, north east angle of the vimana wall

North façade, north-east angle of the Vimana

North façade, upapitha upper part, creeper 2, flower chain & lion face

North façade, upapitha, first and second plinths, Decorative motifs Hamsa and creeper 1

North wall of rangamandapa, north-west angle, sitting Siva.

North wall of rangamandapa, sitting Siva

Northern façade, Sikhara

Pillars of the Rangamandapa

Rangamandapa, east façade, to the north of the porch, Surya

Rangamandapa, north façade, central niche, Doorjamb motif, sixth band, rearing lion

Rangamandapa, Saptamatrka

Rangamandapa, Surya

Shrine 7, Virabhadra, icon under worship

Siva in-the form of Lukutisa, at Galagnath

South door, doorjambs, South façade, seventh band, flower petals

South façade, Central niche

South Porch, ceiling

South wall of Rangamandapa

Southern porch, east façade

Stella bearing inscription I, kalamukha worshipper

Stella bearing inscription III

Stella bearing inscription III, Sivadeva

Temple of Kedaresvara at Balligave

Temple of Muktesvara (North Elevation) The temple of Muktesvara is a jewel of architecture and sculpture and its high artistic quality, its well-balanced elegance bring it among the best achievements of Calukyan artists. Its inscriptions are masterpieces of medieval Kannada poetry.

Temple of Muktesvara, cella, Muktesvara Linga

Temple of Muktesvara, elevation of the northern façade

Temple of Nagaresvara at Balligave

Temple seen from, South east angle after Sivadevavijayam, photo showing inscriptions

Temple's tower seen from north-east

The ceiling inside the south porch. It is made of one stone slab on which is represented a beautiful carpentry work. That is an assemblage of nine beams, crossing at right angles and delimiting nine squares. The beam is ornamented with the motif of creeper 1 and petal leaf. In each square they support a ceiling in the form of a shallow dome.

The Linga which goes by the name of Muktesvara is in the sanctum sanctorum and is an udbhavamurti. It is a very small cylindrical stone with its panipitha. almost at the ground level. By and large Lingas of udbhavamurti type are placed on low sockets like Muktesvara Linga.

The main monument is a structure comprising one cella (garbhagrha), one antechamber (sukanasi) and a closed hypostyle hall (rangamandapa), all placed on the same east-west axis. All of them are open to the east. The rangamandapa has a second opening to the south, and a porch for each opening.

The monolithic mast has a double base. From bottom to top its section is successively square, octogonal, sixteen edged. It is topped by a large square abacus. The mast bears a Sanskrit inscription (No. VII) recording its foundation and where it is called kirtistambha -pillar of fame.

The Temple of Muktesvara

The temple of muktesvara at Caudadanapura, west façade

The temple site is on the left bank of Tungabhadra, which flows from east to west at this particular point. The religious site covers the highest ground, looking down towards the river and the flat cultivated plain on the opposite bank. The modern village is at a distance of about 500 metres from the temple site.

The terminal shallow dome (sikhara) of the monument is 2.20 M in its axis at the base, 1.10 at the top. Its height is 95 CMS. The topmost motif (stupi) is made of three beautiful lotiform mouldings diminishing in size and a lotus bud with its base. The dome is hollow and is closed by the slabs of the stupi.

Third band creeper 5

Tungabhadra River at Haralahalli near Caudadanapura

Vimana South façade, to the east of the central niche yaksa.

Vimana tower seen from north east, north façade

Vimana wall, west façade Krsna

Vimana, north wall

Vimana, west façade, Virabhadra or Srikantha

West façade, decorative motif to the south of the central niche, creeper 4