Sri Shankarlingeshwara Gudi, Lakkundi

June 15, 2022

Shankarlingeshwara Gudi is one of the 20 odd surviving historic temples of Lakkundi. This temple is situated in the eyesight from Brahma Jinalaya & historical museum of Lakkundi. The temple is surrounded by farmlands. In fact, adjoining it is a small plantation of jasmine flowers. When I approached the spot, a dozen ladies were picking flowers from the shrubs. This is a restored monument, some of its components are recently sculpted. For example, the pillars & beams of the Mukhamantapa The Nandi Mantapa too is a present day product. 

A resting Nandi inside a Mantapa in front of the temple door is the original position of Nandi. However, most of the Nandi Mantapas are gone, probably the stones were carried away and used else where.

The purely functional structure. Going by the looks of the stone blocks, they seem to be shaped using a stone-shaping machine, not hand sculpted.

This is the southwest corner. The external walls are not really plain. Scale models of pillars & Shikhara adorn the walls. Also the Shikhara of this temple is complex in design. Whoever got this temple built wanted a small but grand looking structure. And, I feel its grand not just by the looks but in terms of functionality too. 

View of the Shikhara from the western side. The complex shape of the Shikhara seems like some device to pull in cosmic energy.

The northern wall. Notice the two projecting rainwater canals, similar canals have been provided on the opposite side as well.

The inside of the temple. This is the Sabhamantapa with a Ranga Mantapa in the center. This is a standard design in Chalukyan architecture. The Garbhagudi has a deity, daily pooja is done.

Right next to the temple platform are two hero-stones. I winder how many hero-stones were seen here in Lakkundi, say five hundred years ago. WHo knows how many are buried in dirt, how many taken away and used for some building construction. I believe that "superstitious beliefs" helped preserve some of our heritage and Ficus trees. Its tricky to know which of the ancient beliefs are actually useless and which ones are useful.

Done with Shankarlingeshwara Gudi, I head towards Musukina Bavi and Mukteshwara Gudi, which are situated on the other side of Lakkundi-Gadag road, close to government bus-stand.

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