Sri Nanneshwara Gudi, Lakkundi

June 15, 2022

When you approach Lakkundi from the southern side, the first temple one gets to see is Halugonda Basaveshwara Gudi which is adjacent to the water pond. A little further into the village, two monuments come into view- Kashivishveshwara Gudi on the right, and Nanneshwara Gudi on the left -the road going into the village passes between these two temples.

Nanneshwara Gudi is a Ekakuta (a temple with one sanctum), its east-facing, has an open Sabha Mantapa, the rest of the temple is walled which includes a Nritya Mantapa, Antharala and Garbhagudi. The Mritya Mantapa has two entrances- eastern and southern. The Shikhara is a three tiered Vimana. This temple is said to be built in the XI Century CE using soapstone.

As you see, the temple is built on a Jagati, a high platform. The open pillared hall is a classic example of grandeur. The twenty pillars can be divided into 4 types based on the design. Each of the four types are complex, only a talented and experienced sculptor could produce them. Note that the pillars arrangement is asymmetric.

At the end of the hall is the entrance to the Nritya Mantapa. The doorframe is five tiered, each of the tiers has a unique theme. The crest of the frame has Gajalakshmi housed in a cuboidal niche. One of the tiers stands apart as it is hollowed out. The first time I saw this hollowed out tier was at another Chalukyan monument, the Mahadeva Devastana at Itagi, about 41 kms in the easterly direction. Also, the open Sabha Mantapa is a feature seen at Itagi.

A diagonal view i.e. from the southeastern corner. The side entrance is visible from here. The steps are balustraded, adorned by a Yali, a fierce looking lion like creature (see inset).

A closer look at the Yali balustrade. A lion featuring alert eyes, powerful jaws, a prominent mane, legs ready to propel and a looped tail. Indeed a fierce looking creature.

The side entrance also has an five tiered doorframe complete with Gajalakshmi. The entrance has a high canopy. The canopy seems more like an ornamental item because the projection is way too short for it to prevent sunlight or raindrops from reaching the door. Going around the rear portion of the temple, the exterior walls are richly decorated right from the base to the top of the walls.

This is a part of the base, a stepped creation. The tier featuring the etched arcs is a classy touch. I don't recall seeing this type pattern any other place. This elegant pattern can be seen at Kashivishveshwara Gudi here at Lakkundi.

Side walls and Shikhara. This design is complex. Wonder how the builders imagined it, designed it and made their imagination a reality. There could be multiple people involved in conception and execution. As mentioned earlier, this Shikhara is Vimana type, it has three tiers. At the Shikhara's pinnacle is the Kalasa, the sphere & cone object... it looks like a peeled coconut.

The rear part of the Shikhara. Just below the Shikhara base, on the rear wall is a sloping canopy in tile finish. This pattern is unique. It could've been a plain canopy but the architect gave a special touch to it. The middle part of the Shikhara is eye-catching i.e. the curvy arches shielding miniature Shikharas. 

Now lets see the base of the wall. The third tier from the bottom is made of elephants in different postures. Some portions of the tier are damaged, they seem to be broken intentionally. The other aspect of this tier is the variations in the stones used. In this picture we have two different colored stones- grey and white. I think its the same type of stone in different colors. The dark grey streaks in both variants are same. The white-grey stone has a special look.

This is the northern wall of the Garbhagudi. The projecting object is the drainage channel to let out Abhisheka fluids. Originally there would be a collection pit or a stone tank into which the fluids collect. Now things are different but if we go back in time, the mixture of water, milk, honey, banana, etc. was taken as Prasada by devotees. At the end of the ritual, the collection tank would be cleaned and kept ready for the next day's morning ritual. However, in the present most temples' pits/tanks are left untouched, left to rot and stink. The worst pit I remember seeing was at Virupaksha Devastana, Hampi. I wish the temple authorities get the pit cleaned daily thereby maintaining the sanctity of the place.

Another view of the Garbhagudi drain channel.

A miniature Rekhanagari Shikhara on the temple's northern wall. Check out the decorative touch to the canopy edge. The sculptors had patience to give such delicate finishing touches in a complex structure as this.

This is the view from the northwestern corner. Take a look at the base of the temple. The parallel lines along the base creates an illusion that the temple is afloat. This could be my imagination. 

Done with the exterior, lets take a quick look at the interior. This is the open pillared meeting hall, Sabhmantapa. As mentioned earlier, there are four types of columns here, however every pillar is unique when you compare the details.

A lotus fixed into the ceiling, which marks the center of the hall.

This is the inner hall, an enclosed space called as Nritya Mantapa. The Nritya Mantapa is a stage bound by four very ornate pillars. Nritya Mantapa can also be semi-enclosed. For example Tarakeshwara Devastana at Hangal has a half wall with seating platform around the hall. This is a standard design, can be seen in most Chalukyan temples. In the background is the grand doorframe of the Garbhagudi. The deity of this temple is a Shivalinga seated in a pedestal. 

Nritya Mantapa as seem from the Antharala. These four pillars are the most complex and ornate in this temple. In fact these four pillars are the best in any of the temples. This would be the next most important part after the Garbhagudi.

Sabhamantapa as seen from the inner hall. 

Back in the Sabha Mantapa, lets take a close look at one of the lathe turned and polished pillar. This hall has 8 to 10 such pillars.

The beauty of these pillars is the mirror polished section also has four embossed floral pattern. Each of the floral pattern is unique, which means there are 40 such designs. Even if I wanted to draw one of these on paper, it wouldn't be even close to this creation in stone.

Done with Nanneshwara Gudi, I head towards the museum and Brahma Jinalaya. To see Lakkundi, its better to have a light tummy, so that moving around is comfortable. During this trip I could visit only 7 temples and the museum. I still need to check out the remaining temples situated in the narrow lanes of the village. Hoping to make another visit here.

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