Chalukya Splendours In and Around Gadag and Lakkundi | A Visual Journey of Karnataka's Temple Heritage & Architectural Marvels | Hindu & Jain Monuments
Some of the most extraordinary surviving examples of Deccan architecture are the Hindu and Jain temples built across central Karnataka during the 11th and 12th centuries, commissioned by Late Chalukya royalty, their governors, and military commanders. What makes these monuments so arresting is the sheer complexity of their design. The shrines at Gadag, Annigeri, Lakkundi, Itagi, and Lakshmeshwar, the striking star-shaped tower at Dambal, and the almost theatrical retaining walls of the Sudi stepwell (which mimic the appearance of a temple itself) all speak to a building tradition of remarkable ingenuity. Add to this the superbly preserved stone carvings found at Gadag, Sudi, Savadi, and Kuruvatti, and you have a body of art that deserves far wider recognition. Amita Kanekar's book is the first illustrated guide to bring all of this together in one accessible volume. It's a resource that works equally well for academics, architecture students, and curious tourists who simply want to understand what they're looking at when they visit. Thorough, visually rich, and genuinely informative, this is a welcome introduction to a tradition of sacred art that has long been overshadowed by more famous sites elsewhere in India.
- Author: Amita Kanekar
- Publisher: Jaico Publishing House
- Genre: Architecture
- ISBN: 978-9347027420
- Pages: 112 pages