Standing on a huge rock on the north side of the village this temple,locally know as the MalegittiShivalay (Shiva temple of the female garland maker), is assignable to the 8th century CE. Built out of hewn stones in Dravidian style, it has pillared porch, a hall and a shrine. The porch is supported on four heavy pillars, square in section. The entrance doorway to the hall is plain. The interior of the hall is divided by pillars, similar to the ones in the porch, into a central nave and side aisles. On the ceiling of the nave, in a lotus medallion is Vishnu seated upon Garuda with an attendant on either side of him. Two perforated windows on either side of the hall admit light into the interior. The shrine doorway has Garuda on the lintel and Vishnu on the ceiling shows that the temple was originally Vaishnava. The shrine houses a linga on an altar. Upon the north face of the temple, outside, between two windows, standing in a panel, is an image of Vishnu, while, in the corresponding position on the south side is a standing image of Shiva. Above the parapet, rises the superstructure of the octogan-to-dome form, comparable to that of the nearby ruinedShivalaya temple. An inscription on a pillar of the porch states that KristappaNayaka constructed a bastion during the time of the Vijayanagar king Sadashivaraya. Another inscription assignable to the 8th century CE on the left side of the entrance into the hall records that the temple was constructed by Aryaminchiupadhayaya.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

Dharwad Circle

Temple on the knoll under the bastion of the north fort

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Temple on the knoll under the bastion of the north fort

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