Organisers : Department of Indology, French Institute of Pondicherry.
Venue : Main Indology Hall, French Institute of Pondicherry, 11, Saint Louis Street, Pondicherry - 605 001.
Time : 3.00 pm
Abstract
Situated on the bank of Malaprabha, Hunagunda taluk, Bagalkot district, Karnataka, Pattadakal enjoyed the status of a royal capital during the Calukya kings of Badami who ruled over Karnataka between C. A.D. 500 to 757.
Many temples are on the site, nearly approximately twelve big temples and a number of small shrines where are housed only a lińga with a Nandin. Amongst the big temples except three all are, in Dr. Dhaky's words, in Karnataka Nagara style.
From the times of King Vijayāditya a new style of building temples starts and that style is now known as "Drāvida". The dqte of Vijayāditya is 696-734). His contemporary Rajasimha of Pallava stock builds the Kailāsanātha in his capital Kāncipuram. The peak of building temples in drāvida style is during the times of King Vikramāditya II (A.D. 734-745). King Vikramāditya fought thrice with Pallava kings and every time he was victorious.
To commemorate King's victories his two queens Lokamamahādevi and her uterine sister Trailokyamahādevi ordered to be built two temples at Pattadakal namely Lokeśvara and Trailokeśvara. Gundan, the architect of the Lokeśvara was honoured by the queen Lokamahādevi with Parserupupaţţa, a turban with three golden bands, and a title Tenkaņadiśeya sutradhāri. This last term is misinterpreted by the scholars of the past. Although diśe is a Sanskrit term in Kannada it takes the meaning of method, mode, fashion etc. In that case, the title of temkaņa diśeya sūtradhāri, conveys the meaning of "principal architect in the southern style."
Guņdan was well versed in both purāņic and Sanskrit literatures. Besides, there was an excellent dancer named Acalan who was an expert in both theory and practice in the Nāţyaśāstra of Bharata. His influence is felt on many dance sculptures on the temple walls. Inside the temple there is a spacious raņgamaņdapa with eighteen square pillars which are full of different images derived from Purāņa, Sanskrit literary and Pañcatantra stories. The lecture will be centered around the identification of images with references.
