We are at the courtyard in Aihole- a dozen structures, all in a dull-brown colour, lie scattered in a small area. In a broad sweep, there's nothing which meets the eye as particularly catchy. They appear like any other set of ruins which dot the landscape... But these are no ordinary monuments. They are beacons of a bygone era....dating back to a dim and distant past... a past almost 1400 years ago.
If these stones could tell a story, it would be an engaging one....for they go back to that point in Indian history...when Harshavardhana ruled the North and the Pallavas ruled the South. The Chalukyas ruled the Deccan... and these monuments at Aihole, Pattadakkal and Badami were a labour of their love. But... alas, these stones are silent...- they stand tall... grim and grave... and mock all our attempts to unravel their mystery.
But....try we must... to arrange these stones in some order and piece together the chequered history of those times.
Who were these Chalukyas? Why are these monuments important? The Chalukyas ruled with Vatapi (Badami, North Karnataka) as their capital around the 7th century AD. In a sense, they set the trend for temple architecture in South India. The shore temple at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu is amongst the earliest free-standing temples in the South. The structures at Aihole predate the shore temple. The Kailash temple at Ellora is a rock-cut temple built by the Rashtrakutas. The Rashtrakutas came after the Chalukyas. The Kailasanatha Temple and the Vaikuntha Perumal Temple are one of the oldest temples in Kanchipuram. The Aihole structures were standing for a good hundred years before these temples.
The Cholas built those grand temples around Thanjavur....almost 300-400 years later. The huge gopurams that we see all over the South were a much later addition. They came only with the advent of the Vijayanagar empire which was almost 800-900 years after the Chalukyan period.
Now...we see the relevance of these monuments! They were the trailblazers...!
How did Aihole (pronounced "eye-ho-lay") get its name? There are 2 stories-
Mythology says that Parashurama killed 21 generations of evil Kshatriyas. To obey the dictat of his father, he even hacked off his mother's head. Finally, he washed the blood off his axe in the Malaprabha river, colouring it red, when someone exclaimed "ai-hole"!
Aihole was also the place where "cultured people" ("ayyaas" or "aaryas") congregated. Hence, the name "ayyaavale" or "aaryapura" (as it is called in Sanskrit).
The museum:
To the far end of the courtyard is a little museum. A 15 minute scan took us through numerous interesting facts- how scripts of different Indian languages originated like branches of a huge tree with the "Brahmi script" serving as the root, how there is evidence of neolithic sites around these parts etc. There were also numerous sculptures of Ganapatis.
What does the Chalukyan Ganesha remind us of? We have to sift through the yellowed pages of history and go back nearly 1400 years... It was the time of Narasimha Varma, the Pallava king..... who ruled from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Pulakeshi, the Chalukya king ruled Vatapi. In a bloody battle, Narashimha Varma defeated Pulakeshi and brought back the "Vatapi Ganapati" as a trophy. It was after all this "Vatapi Ganapati" which inspired Muthuswami Dikshitar to compose his celebated Hamsadhvani raga kriti "Vatapi Ganapatim" that every Carnatic music fan loves to listen to. Dikshitar lived only 200 years ago... but the Vatapi Ganapati, its folklore and immense appeal has endured for millennia.
There is one aside point that we can recall about this battle. Pulakeshi lost his life. Narasimha Varma's commander-in-chief was "Paranjyoti". Saddened by the immense loss of life, like emperor Ashoka, Paranjyoti's life took a new turn. He became a great devotee of Lord Shiva so much so.. that he was given pride of place as one of the 63 Nayanmars (saints). He was rechristened as "Siruthondar naayanaar". In an incident later in life, Siruthondar Naayanaar went to the extent of almost sacrificing his own son to feed a Shiva devotee. Such was his bhakti to the Lord. He was called "suta drohi"...someone who could do "droha" (harm) to his own son (suta) to please the Lord.
All this is an aside story... which we got into...from the Vatapi Ganapati sculpted by the Chalukyas.
Now, back... to the original track.
The courtyard:
We engaged the services of a guide who took us around the courtyard. Without his commentary, the monuments would have made little sense and we would have missed most details.
The entire courtyard is in 3 levels. The lowest level corresponds to the earliest monuments- built in the pre-Chalukyan era, by the Kadambas. This monument's spire is in "nagari" (North Indian) style. As the silt from the Malaprabha river accumulated, the level of the land rose so that the next set of monuments are at a higher plane.
Chalukyan temple architecture has a basic feature- the entry to the sanctum has either a "dwarf" or a "Gaja Lakshmi" at the top. Paraphrasing the leit-motif of "Gaja Lakshmi", we're told that the two elephants holding the water pots stand for "rain bearing clouds". When it rains, the land becomes fertile and crops spring forth. That is the real wealth (Lakshmi)... the plentiful wealth of food! The Gaja Lakshmi symbol is repeated in many structures in the complex.
Early Chalukyan architecture had "square pillars" inside the temple. The "rounded pillars" came later. This simple fact can be used to date the structures.
Durga Temple:
Presently called the "Durga Temple", it has little to do with Goddess Durga. Since this temple was close to a fort (durga), it was called "Durga Temple"! The name stuck.. and so did the related confusion. It was actually a "sun" temple, we're told. The sides of the temple have some of the most exquisite carvings of Shiva, Vishnu and Devi..all in sandstone. We're informed that this temple is carved in the "gaja-prishta-aakruti-rachana" style- that is, a temple... constructed like the "back of an elephant". The back of the temple is rounded (gaja-prishta), as if in Jaina style. The front of the temple is like a Hindu temple, while the side is like the "parliament house"... a rectangular edifice lined with several straight pillars!
The entrance to the sanctum has multiple layers- sculpted like a "lata" (creepers), with human figurines in the next layer and with floral patterns in the third. Yamuna (lady standing on a turtle) and Ganga flank the sides.
The ceiling has a coiled serpent and another panel of fishes whirling in a circle. The details are simply stunning.
Temple with 3 sanctums and 2 sanctums:
Chalukyas were essentially Vaishnavas. Their symbol is the "boar" (varaha) with the insignia of a shankha (conch), chakra (discus) and a "mirror". The mirror stands for "transparency in administration", the guide points out! We have no way of verifying some of these interpretations. We just take it at face value!
The "varaha" symbol was later borrowed by the Vijayanagar kings.
Though Vaishnavas, Chalukyas constructed temples with 3 sanctums- one each for Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva...all housed in the same temple, within the same "garbha griha".
We also see a temple with 2 sanctums- one for Vishnu and the other for Shiva, the guide points out. None of these are functional temples- there are no idols to corroborate these facts. But considering the figure of "Harihara" seen at Aihole (Durga Temple) and at Badami, both very elaborately carved, it is quite possible, that the two-sanctum temples actually housed Shiva and Vishnu, who interestingly, will be facing each other.
"Lad Khan temple":
Some of the names are funny- Apparently, during the British period, one "Lad Khan" lived in the temple premises and used a portion of the temple as his office too. Hence, the name "Lad Khan Temple" for one of the structures! As per the guide, one of the inscriptions on the temple front points to 500 traders getting together at this place- it must have been some congregation!
Though in stone, the temple gives a feel of a "wooden structure"- complete with carvings of logs of wood lining the roof. A stone ladder leads to a little opening... and from there to the first floor... an example of a multi-storey temple with the sanctum actually on the first floor and terrestrial issues being discussed by traders, on the ground floor!
The windows on the ground floor have apertures resembling "exhaust fans"- they are circular with perforated spokes and let in pencilled beams of sunlight.
A good-sized nandi is seen inside the temple. As per the guide, this temple was converted to a Shiva Temple at a later point in time. We don't ask for any proof and move on.
There is also an interesting bas-relief of an "inebriated lady"- seen both at the Lad Khan Temple and repeated in the Durga Temple. As per the guide, women in the Chalukyan age were modern and drank alcohol! These tidbits add comic relief to the commentary and keeps us focused!
Jain Temple:
Beyond the courtyard, in the distance, is a little hillock with a small structure. Those are "Jain temples", the guide points out. They were built outside the city because Jainas were digambaras (sky-clad saints) and it was usual to have their temples outside the city limits, as their dressing or the lack of it, may be a delicate point for the rest of the population, we're told.
It is the sheer variety in architecture that baffles us- pyramidal spires, rectangular bases, rounded sides, flat tops, multi-storey buildings, multiple sanctums, multiple deities...all clustered in a very small area.
It is also clear that the Chalukyas were secular and promoted worship to Shiva, Vishnu and even Mahavira. We see this at Aihole and repeated in the caves at Badami. Jainism appears to have been very popular in South India in those days. This is corroborated by these sculptures as well as by historical records. Mahendra Varma, the Pallava king before Narasimha Varma... had converted to Jainism, before reconverting to Hinduism. All these events took place exactly around the time... these structures came up.
We couldn't take any more history. It had reached a point of saturation. Outside the courtyard, a vendor sold some of the most succulent guavas. That's exactly what we needed! There were no knives to cut the guavas to pieces. Each member of the group, child and adult, got one full, over-sized, gleaming-green guava.
As we drove off from Aihole, we nibbled at the guava...and dreamily ruminated over kings and kingdoms, Pallavas and Chalukyas. Even History seemed full of life suddenly- exhilaratingly juicy and tasty!!
If these stones could tell a story, it would be an engaging one....for they go back to that point in Indian history...when Harshavardhana ruled the North and the Pallavas ruled the South. The Chalukyas ruled the Deccan... and these monuments at Aihole, Pattadakkal and Badami were a labour of their love. But... alas, these stones are silent...- they stand tall... grim and grave... and mock all our attempts to unravel their mystery.
But....try we must... to arrange these stones in some order and piece together the chequered history of those times.
Who were these Chalukyas? Why are these monuments important? The Chalukyas ruled with Vatapi (Badami, North Karnataka) as their capital around the 7th century AD. In a sense, they set the trend for temple architecture in South India. The shore temple at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu is amongst the earliest free-standing temples in the South. The structures at Aihole predate the shore temple. The Kailash temple at Ellora is a rock-cut temple built by the Rashtrakutas. The Rashtrakutas came after the Chalukyas. The Kailasanatha Temple and the Vaikuntha Perumal Temple are one of the oldest temples in Kanchipuram. The Aihole structures were standing for a good hundred years before these temples.
The Cholas built those grand temples around Thanjavur....almost 300-400 years later. The huge gopurams that we see all over the South were a much later addition. They came only with the advent of the Vijayanagar empire which was almost 800-900 years after the Chalukyan period.
Now...we see the relevance of these monuments! They were the trailblazers...!
How did Aihole (pronounced "eye-ho-lay") get its name? There are 2 stories-
Mythology says that Parashurama killed 21 generations of evil Kshatriyas. To obey the dictat of his father, he even hacked off his mother's head. Finally, he washed the blood off his axe in the Malaprabha river, colouring it red, when someone exclaimed "ai-hole"!
Aihole was also the place where "cultured people" ("ayyaas" or "aaryas") congregated. Hence, the name "ayyaavale" or "aaryapura" (as it is called in Sanskrit).
The museum:
To the far end of the courtyard is a little museum. A 15 minute scan took us through numerous interesting facts- how scripts of different Indian languages originated like branches of a huge tree with the "Brahmi script" serving as the root, how there is evidence of neolithic sites around these parts etc. There were also numerous sculptures of Ganapatis.
What does the Chalukyan Ganesha remind us of? We have to sift through the yellowed pages of history and go back nearly 1400 years... It was the time of Narasimha Varma, the Pallava king..... who ruled from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Pulakeshi, the Chalukya king ruled Vatapi. In a bloody battle, Narashimha Varma defeated Pulakeshi and brought back the "Vatapi Ganapati" as a trophy. It was after all this "Vatapi Ganapati" which inspired Muthuswami Dikshitar to compose his celebated Hamsadhvani raga kriti "Vatapi Ganapatim" that every Carnatic music fan loves to listen to. Dikshitar lived only 200 years ago... but the Vatapi Ganapati, its folklore and immense appeal has endured for millennia.
There is one aside point that we can recall about this battle. Pulakeshi lost his life. Narasimha Varma's commander-in-chief was "Paranjyoti". Saddened by the immense loss of life, like emperor Ashoka, Paranjyoti's life took a new turn. He became a great devotee of Lord Shiva so much so.. that he was given pride of place as one of the 63 Nayanmars (saints). He was rechristened as "Siruthondar naayanaar". In an incident later in life, Siruthondar Naayanaar went to the extent of almost sacrificing his own son to feed a Shiva devotee. Such was his bhakti to the Lord. He was called "suta drohi"...someone who could do "droha" (harm) to his own son (suta) to please the Lord.
All this is an aside story... which we got into...from the Vatapi Ganapati sculpted by the Chalukyas.
Now, back... to the original track.
The courtyard:
We engaged the services of a guide who took us around the courtyard. Without his commentary, the monuments would have made little sense and we would have missed most details.
The entire courtyard is in 3 levels. The lowest level corresponds to the earliest monuments- built in the pre-Chalukyan era, by the Kadambas. This monument's spire is in "nagari" (North Indian) style. As the silt from the Malaprabha river accumulated, the level of the land rose so that the next set of monuments are at a higher plane.
Chalukyan temple architecture has a basic feature- the entry to the sanctum has either a "dwarf" or a "Gaja Lakshmi" at the top. Paraphrasing the leit-motif of "Gaja Lakshmi", we're told that the two elephants holding the water pots stand for "rain bearing clouds". When it rains, the land becomes fertile and crops spring forth. That is the real wealth (Lakshmi)... the plentiful wealth of food! The Gaja Lakshmi symbol is repeated in many structures in the complex.
Early Chalukyan architecture had "square pillars" inside the temple. The "rounded pillars" came later. This simple fact can be used to date the structures.
Durga Temple:
Presently called the "Durga Temple", it has little to do with Goddess Durga. Since this temple was close to a fort (durga), it was called "Durga Temple"! The name stuck.. and so did the related confusion. It was actually a "sun" temple, we're told. The sides of the temple have some of the most exquisite carvings of Shiva, Vishnu and Devi..all in sandstone. We're informed that this temple is carved in the "gaja-prishta-aakruti-rachana" style- that is, a temple... constructed like the "back of an elephant". The back of the temple is rounded (gaja-prishta), as if in Jaina style. The front of the temple is like a Hindu temple, while the side is like the "parliament house"... a rectangular edifice lined with several straight pillars!
The entrance to the sanctum has multiple layers- sculpted like a "lata" (creepers), with human figurines in the next layer and with floral patterns in the third. Yamuna (lady standing on a turtle) and Ganga flank the sides.
The ceiling has a coiled serpent and another panel of fishes whirling in a circle. The details are simply stunning.
Temple with 3 sanctums and 2 sanctums:
Chalukyas were essentially Vaishnavas. Their symbol is the "boar" (varaha) with the insignia of a shankha (conch), chakra (discus) and a "mirror". The mirror stands for "transparency in administration", the guide points out! We have no way of verifying some of these interpretations. We just take it at face value!
The "varaha" symbol was later borrowed by the Vijayanagar kings.
Though Vaishnavas, Chalukyas constructed temples with 3 sanctums- one each for Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva...all housed in the same temple, within the same "garbha griha".
We also see a temple with 2 sanctums- one for Vishnu and the other for Shiva, the guide points out. None of these are functional temples- there are no idols to corroborate these facts. But considering the figure of "Harihara" seen at Aihole (Durga Temple) and at Badami, both very elaborately carved, it is quite possible, that the two-sanctum temples actually housed Shiva and Vishnu, who interestingly, will be facing each other.
"Lad Khan temple":
Some of the names are funny- Apparently, during the British period, one "Lad Khan" lived in the temple premises and used a portion of the temple as his office too. Hence, the name "Lad Khan Temple" for one of the structures! As per the guide, one of the inscriptions on the temple front points to 500 traders getting together at this place- it must have been some congregation!
Though in stone, the temple gives a feel of a "wooden structure"- complete with carvings of logs of wood lining the roof. A stone ladder leads to a little opening... and from there to the first floor... an example of a multi-storey temple with the sanctum actually on the first floor and terrestrial issues being discussed by traders, on the ground floor!
The windows on the ground floor have apertures resembling "exhaust fans"- they are circular with perforated spokes and let in pencilled beams of sunlight.
A good-sized nandi is seen inside the temple. As per the guide, this temple was converted to a Shiva Temple at a later point in time. We don't ask for any proof and move on.
There is also an interesting bas-relief of an "inebriated lady"- seen both at the Lad Khan Temple and repeated in the Durga Temple. As per the guide, women in the Chalukyan age were modern and drank alcohol! These tidbits add comic relief to the commentary and keeps us focused!
Jain Temple:
Beyond the courtyard, in the distance, is a little hillock with a small structure. Those are "Jain temples", the guide points out. They were built outside the city because Jainas were digambaras (sky-clad saints) and it was usual to have their temples outside the city limits, as their dressing or the lack of it, may be a delicate point for the rest of the population, we're told.
It is the sheer variety in architecture that baffles us- pyramidal spires, rectangular bases, rounded sides, flat tops, multi-storey buildings, multiple sanctums, multiple deities...all clustered in a very small area.
It is also clear that the Chalukyas were secular and promoted worship to Shiva, Vishnu and even Mahavira. We see this at Aihole and repeated in the caves at Badami. Jainism appears to have been very popular in South India in those days. This is corroborated by these sculptures as well as by historical records. Mahendra Varma, the Pallava king before Narasimha Varma... had converted to Jainism, before reconverting to Hinduism. All these events took place exactly around the time... these structures came up.
We couldn't take any more history. It had reached a point of saturation. Outside the courtyard, a vendor sold some of the most succulent guavas. That's exactly what we needed! There were no knives to cut the guavas to pieces. Each member of the group, child and adult, got one full, over-sized, gleaming-green guava.
As we drove off from Aihole, we nibbled at the guava...and dreamily ruminated over kings and kingdoms, Pallavas and Chalukyas. Even History seemed full of life suddenly- exhilaratingly juicy and tasty!!
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