When you enter Pattadakal temple complex the first temple one gets to see is KaadaSiddeshwara Devastana, and the second is Jambulingeshwara Devastana. The most noticeable feature of Jambulingeshwara is the idol of Nataraja on its Nagara style Shikhara. Imagine the Shikhara without Nataraja's piece; it would look a lady without a bindi.
Taking a closer look at the sculpture which is an assembly of two pieces. I guess the assembly is approximately 7 to 8 feet high. Shiva is in company of Nandi and Parvati i.e. within the circle. Just outside the circle are two inflight characters, could be Gandharvas or Kinnaras. At the base of the sculpture are two Naga creatures. If you take a even closer look at the Shikhara tiers, there are miniature images of the assembly. However the characters in the miniatures can't be recognized since layers of those sandstone sculptures have been eroded over time. Remember, temples of this complex were built in the IX Century CE by the Chalukyan kings.
These two pictures were shot on Aug 29th 2023 during my trip with my friend Srinu from Hyderabad. We were on a two-day trip of the Chalukyan realm Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole. During this trip, I was hoping for detailed photography of interior sculptures of Mallikarjuna and Virupaksha temples but my camera battery gave up after shooting two pictures of Jambulingeshwara. That assignment is still pending.
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