KADAMBA ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE

KADAMBA ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE

Nothing much remains by way of architecture and sculpture belonging to the regime of Kadambas of Banavasi. It is said that the building of stone temples started in South India only after the advent of the cALukyas of bAdAmi. Hence any edifice built by the early Kadambas must have been wood and brick structures and none of them has survived the ravages of time. Even the Madhukeshvara temple at Banavasi is rebuilt in a different style and it is impossible to venture a guess about its original form. Mahadeva temple mentioned in the tALagunda inscription installed by kAkusthavarma, the Jaina basadi built at a place called palashikA, described in the copper plate inscription found in halashi, a village in the khAnApura talluk of Belgaum district and the praNavEshvara temple mentioned in the Kadamba inscriptions of tALagunda are the only instances where Kadamba temples are documented. However some scholars such as Krishnabhat, Arthikaje have maintained that the Hattikeshvara, Kalleshvara and Someshvara temples at Halshi and the group temples present in Kadaroli in Belgaum districts are illustrations of Kadamba architecture. If the old Jaina basadi one finds at halashi village even now is the same as the one mentioned in the inscription, then that would be the most ancient stone temple in Karnataka. This basadi is a very crude structure containing a sanctum and a sukanasi. Even “the walls are clumsily raised and the granite stones are roughly hewn.” Pranaveshavra temple present in tALagunda even now, is thoroughly rebuilt and has no resemblance to the original in any aspect. Dr. K. V. Soundara Rajan speaks of three Brahmanical caves at Arvalem in Goa as belonging to this period. They are unique because they are hewn out of laterite rock. (Courtesy: Arthikaje) The icon of Durgaa found in the temple at jambE haLLi a small village located in soraba talluk and Shivamogga district is the only surviving Kadamba sculpture found to this date. The temple is rebuilt and the original icon is retained.

Scholars like Dr G.M. Moraes have asserted that the Kadamba architecture constituted an important link between the sAtavAhana architecture and the later schools of Pallavas and Chalukyas. They have recognized some distinctly Kadamba elements in the Hoysala Architecture.

Now, we move on to the architectural achievements of other branches of the Kadamba dynasty. The Kadambas of Goa have built many temples in Goa as well as Karnataka. (10^th C. to 13^th C.) Of course, these structures are heavily influenced by the Chalukyan and Hoysala styles. However, some scholars have opined that they have also retained some distinct Kadamba elements. Sukanasi being wider than the sanctum and different kinds of lattices are two distinctive features of Kadamba style. “The most prominent feature of Kadamba architecture is their shikhara, called "Kadamba shikhara". The shikhara is pyramid-shaped and rises in steps without any decoration and has a stupika or kalasha on the top” (Kamath, 2001, p38) Again some of the temples at halashi, the famous kamalAnArAyana temple at dEgAmve in belgaum district and the Vaidic cave in arvAlem near Goa are the main examples of the architectural style of Kadambas. KamalAnArAyaNa temple built by one tippoja as per the instructions of kamalAdEvi the queen of shivacitta (1147-1192) is a trikuta temple with exquisite sculptures.

Kadmba architecture is better known for its influence on the styles that came later, than its own achievements.