Someshwara Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva built by the Great Cholas during the 11th century in the Kolar District of Karnataka, India. The temple’s presiding deity is Someshwara, also known as Lord Shiva. The Archaeological Survey of India protects the temple as a national monument.

The Temple is rich in architecture, with a magnificent structure built of brick and stucco. The temple is famous for its beautiful ornamental carved pillars of apsara and Gods. There is a separate Shrine for Navagraham, and the Temple has a well-built compound wall around all four sides. A wedding hall could also be seen.

Significance of Someshwara Temple Kolar

Someshwara Temple is located in the heart of the Kolar region and is one of the famous temples in this town. Kolar is 68 kilometres from Bangalore, along the Chennai-Bangalore National Highway. Kolar has a rich history, with fortresses and temples built during the reigns of various dynasties.

History of Someshwara Temple Kolar

The temple was built by the Cholas, who ruled the region in the 11th century before being dethroned by the Chalukyas. The Vijayanagara Empire later expanded the temple, making it a fine example of Vijayanagara architecture.

The carvings on the temple’s inner pillars have an international connection and depict the importance and value of trade to the King.

The Architecture of Someshwara Temple Kolar

The Someshwara Temple in Kolar is an architectural feast for the eyes. From the massive gopuram (the temple gates of South Indian temples) to the main sanctum sanctorum, every detail of the structure demonstrates the Dravidian rulers’ exquisite architectural tastes.

The Cholas built the temple in the 11th century, and the Chalukyas later expanded it by adding pillars inside the halls in the quintessential Vijaywadan architectural style.

The Mukha Mandapa, the heavy Prakara walls, the Kalyana Mantapa, the Vasantha Mantapa, and the Vijanagara-style inscription of the dwarapalas are notable features within the sanctum that awe devotees.

Inside the temple, there is also a stepped tank known as Kalyani, which is a symbol of Vijayawada architecture. Visitors are still drawn to the magnificent edifice because of its stunning architecture.

Important Facts About Someshwara Temple Kolar

• The Someshwara temple in Kolar, Karnataka, India, is an ornate Dravidian-style structure from the 14th-century Vijayanagara period.
• The Someshwara temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. In this temple, he is worshipped as Lord Someshwara.
• According to historians, the Cholas built the temple, which was later expanded by the Chalukya rulers.
• Given the beauty of Dravidian architecture, the temple is a dream come true for architects. The massive gopura at the entrance demonstrates the Cholas’ involvement in the temple’s construction.
• Someshwara Temple features heavy Prakara walls, a Kalyana Mantapa (wedding hall), a Mukha Mandapa with massive pillars, a Vasantha Mantapa (marriage podium), and a shrine to the goddess Parvati Devi.
• The door frame of this magnificent temple is carved in the pure Vijayanagara style, complete with dwarapalas (guards).
• The Someshwara Temple entrance features a carved granite bull. The temple also features a large stepped tank in the Vijayanagar style known as Kalyani.
• The Someshwara Temple is very sacred to Lord Shiva devotees. It is a prominent temple in Kolar district, attracting pilgrims and visitors from all over the region.

Best Time to Visit Someshwara Temple Kolar

This place is very heavenly and spiritual, and you can visit it all year. However, the best time to visit this temple is during the monsoon and winter seasons. During the monsoon season, this location receives moderate to heavy rainfall, making it appear heavenly with its greenery and bringing freshness elsewhere.

Famous Festivals In Someshwara Temple Kolar

• Shravana: For happiness and wealth, many fasts, offerings, and mantras are performed during the fifth month of the Hindu calendar, known as Shravana.
• Mahashivaratri is a fasting ritual in the last week of February – March Begining. It is reminiscent of Lord Shiva bringing Goddess Parvati with him. Priests and the temple committee arrange a Grand Celebration.

How to Reach Someshwara Temple Kolar

Someshwara Temple is a famous Hindu temple in the Kolar District of Karnataka, India.

By Air: The nearest airport to Kolar is located in Bangalore which is just 69 km from the Someshwara Temple. From the airport, travellers can hire cabs or rely on public transport to reach Kolar.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is Bandarpet which is located 15 km away from Someshwara Temple. There is a well-connected rail network from Bangalore, Mangalore, Hassan, Kolar and Hubli.

By Road: Kolar is located 68 kilometres from Bangalore and 35 kilometres from the Kolar Gold Mines. It has excellent connections to almost all major cities and towns in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Also Read – Panchalingeshwara Temple Govindanahalli

The Kalleshwara Temple is a lord Shiva Temple located in the town of Hire Hadagali of the Hoovina Hadagalitaluk in the Bellary district of Karnataka state, India. This location is home to a stunning Chalukyan temple dedicated to Lord Kalleshwara. Every detail of the carved work is as meticulously finished as the jewellery in this temple.

Alexander Rea, an art critic, describes this temple in detail in his book “The Chalukyan Architecture”. This temple is known locally as the ‘Katte Basaveshwara’ temple. One of the inscriptions found here also mentions ‘Demeswara’. Demarasa, prime minister (or mahamatya) to Western Chalukya Empire King Someshvara I (who was known as Trailokya Malladeva or “Lord of three worlds”), who reigned from 1042-1068 CE, built the temple.

History of Kalleshwara Temple Hire Hadagali

Art historian Adam Hardy refers to the temple as Kattesvara and classifies it as “close to mainstream” Western Chalukya architecture (also known as Later or Kalyani Chalukya), with the tower over the shrine being a later reconstruction. Soapstone was the primary building material used in the original construction. According to art historian Ajay Sinha, an old Kannada inscription (c. 1057) at the temple refers to Bhimesvara-Demesvara.

The inscription describes the Chalukya dynasty’s genealogy and refers to Vikramaditya VI as a kumara (prince). Another old Kannada inscription (circa 1108) from the reign of Vikramaditya VI provides additional information about Udayaditya’s temple consecration under Demarasa’s orders. A third poetic Kannada inscription (circa 1212) on the premises dates from the reign of Hoysala King Veera Ballala II. The Archaeological Survey of India protects the temple as a national monument.

The Architecture of Kalleshwara Temple Hire Hadagali

The temple plan includes several structures that showcase a variety of architectural styles from different periods. It consists of a main shrine dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, with a sanctum (cella or garbhagriha) facing east, an antechamber (antarala), and a central closed hall (maha mandapa) with south and east entrances.

These structures are believed to have been built during the Rashtrakuta rule in the tenth century. The closed hall is preceded by a large open gathering hall (sabha mandapa) supported by fifty intricately designed lathe-turned pillars that also hold up a decorative ceiling.

In addition, there is a shrine dedicated to the Sun god Surya, complete with an east-west facing hall (Mukhya Mandap), and a small shrine dedicated to Narasimha, a form of the Hindu god Vishnu, located to the north of the gathering hall. These structures are associated with the Western Chalukyan rule.

There are eight small shrines built around the main shrine. Twenty-four of the fifty pillars are positioned above the platform (jagati), which includes a balcony seating area (kakshasana).

The doorways are intricately decorated, particularly the eastern doorway facing the Nandi (the bull, a companion of the Lord Shiva) and the southern doorway that leads to the closed hall. There are several independent sculptures from the late Chalukyan period in the closed hall.

These sculptures depict Shiva, Umamahesvara (Shiva and his consort Parvati), Ganesha, Kartikeya, Surya, Anantasayana (Vishnu seated on a snake), Sarasvati, and Mahishamardini.

Important Facts About Kalleshwara Temple Hire Hadagali

• The Kalleshwara temple is located in the town of Hire Hadagali, Hoovina Hadagalitaluk, Bellary district, Karnataka, India.
• The temple is thought to have been built in the 10th century by the Kalyana Chalukyas.
• The temple was built by Demarasa, prime minister (or mahamatya) to Western Chalukya Empire King Someshvara I.
• The temple is divided into two shrines (dvikuta, though only one has a superstructure or shikhara), each with a sanctum (garbhagriha) and a vestibule (antarala) that connects to a common four-pillared closed hall (navaranga or sabha mandapa, lit “gathering hall”).
• The decorative outer walls of the main shrine, as well as its closed hall, exemplify Chalukyan art.
• Outside the main temple complex, an open hall with a Nandi sculpture has been converted into a shrine.
• The vestibule’s doorway features artistic carvings of dvarapalas, Rati, the goddess of love, and Manmatha, the God of Love.
• The door lintel (lalata) features an image of Gajalakshmi. The eaves above the door feature fine images of Brahma, Keshava, and Shiva.

Best Time to Visit Kalleshwara Temple Hire Hadagali

This place is very heavenly and spiritual, and you can visit it all year. However, the best time to visit this temple is during the monsoon and winter seasons. During the monsoon season, this location receives moderate to heavy rainfall, making it appear heavenly with its greenery and bringing freshness elsewhere.

Famous Festivals In Kalleshwara Temple Hire Hadagali

• Shravana: For happiness and wealth, many fasts, offerings, and mantras are performed during the fifth month of the Hindu calendar, known as Shravana.
• Mahashivaratri is a fasting ritual in the last week of February – March Begining. It is reminiscent of Lord Shiva bringing Goddess Parvati with him. Priests and the temple committee arrange a Grand Celebration.

How to Reach Kalleshwara Temple Hire Hadagali

Kalleshwara Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Hire Hadagali of the Hoovina Hadagalitaluk in the Bellary district of Karnataka state, India.

By Air: The Nearest International airport is Bangalore which is 334 Km from the Temple. Hubli Airport is the nearest Domestic airport which is 139 Km Away From the Kalleshwara Temple.

By Rail: Harappanahalli is the nearest railway station which is 31 km away from the Kalleshwara Temple. 

By Road:  Kalleshwara Temple is well-connected to major cities and towns via road. Buses and cabs are available from major cities and towns to Hire Hadagali, from which you can take a cab or bus to reach the temple. Hire Hadagali is 334 km from Bengaluru.

Also Read – Simhanath Temple Gopinathpur

Kamleshwar Temple also known as Kalleshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located in Jalasangvi village of Bidar district in Karnataka, India. The temple is constructed near the village’s tank about 10 km northwest of Humnabad Taluk of Bidar district. Kamalishwara Temple is well-known for its outstanding Salabhanjika and Madanika sculptures. The temple was built in the Besara style, which is a unique blend of North Indian Nagara and South Indian Chalukya with a Shiv Ling in Garbha Griha.

According to the inscriptions, the temple was built during the reign of the Kalyana Chalukya dynasty’s celebrated emperor Vikramaditya VI. The temple’s interior and exterior surfaces are decorated with beautiful sculptured figures. The figures on the temple’s exterior are of the Salabhanjika or Mandakini style of sculpture. The sculptures of the Jalasangvi temple served as inspiration for later Hoysala Era Temples such as Chennakeshava Temple Belur, Chennakeshava Temple Somanathapura, Kedareshwara Temple Halebidu.

Significance of Kamleshwar Temple Jalasangvi

Jalasangvi or Jalasangi, a small village in Karnataka’s Bidar District, is a significant centre of Kalyan Chalukya art and architecture. The main attraction of this temple is the Madanika Sculpture, which depicts an epigraph praising King Vikramaditya VI of the Chalukya dynasty written in Kannada language.

The Later Chaluklyas, who ruled from Kalyan (now Basavakalyan) from the 10th to the 13th centuries CE, built this Kamleshwar Temple. The temple’s outer walls are decorated with remarkable Apsara sculptures. Their features, postures, and carvings are fascinating in terms of the evolution of sculptural art. Almost all of the region’s temples feature Apsara sculptures.

History of Kamleshwar Temple Jalasangvi

The Jalasangvi Ishwara temple was constructed during the reign of Vikramaditya VI (1076-1226 CE) in 1110 CE. He was an excellent patron of art and culture. Temples were built in abundance during his time. The Kalyan Chalukya period saw a rapid development of temple architecture.

The kings continued their predecessors’ traditions and contributed to the development of rich architecture and sculpture. The Kalyan Chalukya regime built temples in Karnataka’s Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, and Yadgiri districts (the entire state of North Karnataka).

The Archaeological Survey of India’s 1996 report “Indian Archaeology 1991-1992 – A Review” describes the temple’s restoration work. “The dilapidated veneering stones of the wall were removed and replaced. Missing slates and roof beams were replaced with new ones. According to the report, the leaking terrace was treated with a “weatherproof course.”

In 2003, the government again carried out restoration work, this time pasting large stone slabs and damaging the sculptures. It was claimed that combining the temple’s originality with modern technology ruined its authenticity.

The Architecture of Kamleshwar Temple Jalasangvi

The Kamleshwar Temple is designed in the Kalyani Chalukya style of architecture. The temple’s interior and exterior surfaces are decorated with beautiful sculptured figures. The figures on the temple’s exterior are of the Salabhanjika or Mandakini style of sculpture.

The temple consists of three chambers. Garbhagriha, a dance chamber with eight pillars, and the Nandi chamber, which has beautiful carvings. There is a Shiv linga in the Garbhagriha. The garbhagriha’s entrance features Dvarapala and Yali designs. The upper portion of the door features a Ganapathi statue.

The temple’s shikhara is missing, possibly because it was destroyed or dilapidated over time. The sculptures on the temple’s outer wall are the main attraction here. The outer wall (bhitti) contains three niches for divinities.

The wall’s indents contain sculptural depictions. A large number of damsels decorate the wall. All of the figures on the outer wall are in dance positions. Their physical stance and sensual treatment make them visually appealing. Their hairstyles, jewellery, and clothing have been given adequate attention. Each Apsara has a distinct posture and is engaged in some activity.

One of the temple’s main attractions is a sculpture of a lady, Shasana Sundari (Shilabalika), an imaginary woman depicted inscribing a Sanskrit epigraph in Kannada characters. The figure in the dancing pose is seen inscribing the epigraph. The Shasanas extol Vikramaditya VI of the Chalukya dynasty.

Important Facts About Kamleshwar Temple Jalasangvi

• Kamleshwar Temple, also known as Kaleshwara Temple, is located in the historical village of Jalasangvi, 45 kilometres away from Bidar and 38 kilometres from Basavakalyan.
• Kamleshwar Temple was built around 1110 AD by the Chalukya dynasty king Vikramaditya VI. During the Chalukyas’ rule in Kalyani, the Jalasangvi village was a thriving hub of activity.
• The temple, built on a star-shaped platform, was designed in the Besara style, which is a unique blend of North Indian Nagara and South Indian Chalukya.
• The temple is small and has a rectangular structure yet very beautiful Temple. Inside the temple, there is a Shiva Linga. The temple’s exterior walls have preserved some outstanding sculptures.
• The temple is famous for its magnificent Salabhanjika or Madanika sculptures. They are lavishly decorated with ornaments and attires.
• The most prominent sculpture here is of a woman writing an epigraph in Kannada.
• The sculptures of the Jalasangvi shrine are said to have inspired the Hoysalas to build bracket figures at Somanathapura, Halebidu, and Belur temples.
• Behind the Kaleshwara temple, a sculpture of Shasana Sundari (Shilabalika), an imaginary woman, can be seen writing Shasana.
• This figure is seen dancing while writing Shasanas praising Vikramaditya of the Chalukya Dynasty.
• The State Archaeology Department maintains control of this ancient temple.

Best Time to Visit Kamleshwar Temple Jalasangvi

This place is very heavenly and spiritual, and you can visit it all year. However, the best time to visit this temple is during the monsoon and winter seasons. During the monsoon season, this location receives moderate to heavy rainfall, making it appear heavenly with its greenery and bringing freshness elsewhere.

Famous Festivals In Kamleshwar Temple Jalasangvi

• Shravana: For happiness and wealth, many fasts, offerings, and mantras are performed during the fifth month of the Hindu calendar, known as Shravana.
• Mahashivaratri is a fasting ritual in the last week of February – March Begining. It is reminiscent of Lord Shiva bringing Goddess Parvati with him. Priests and the temple committee arrange a Grand Celebration.

How to Reach Kamleshwar Temple Jalasangvi

Kamleshwar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the Jalasangvi village of Bidar district in Karnataka, India.

By Air: The nearest airport is Bidar Airport which is 42 km away from the Kamleshwar Temple. There are flights between Delhi and Bidar. You can also fly to Hyderabad and then travel by road to Bidar. From Hyderabad Airport, the Kamleshwar Temple is only 145 Km away.

By Rail: Humnabad is the nearest railway station which is 12 km away from the Kamleshwar Temple.  Another option is Hyderabad Railway Station, which is a major railway station approximately 140 kilometres away from the temple.

By Road:  Kamleshwar Temple is well-connected to major cities and towns via road. Buses and cabs are available from major cities and towns to Bidar, from which you can take a cab or bus to reach the temple. Jalasangvi is 700 km from Bengaluru and 45 km from district capital Bidar. Buses are available to reach Jalasąngvi from Bidar and Humnabad.

Also Read – Simhanath Temple Gopinathpur