The Chalukyas were great patrons of art. They developed the vesara style within the building of structural temples. However, the vesara style reached its culmination only under the Rashtrakutas and therefore the Hoysalas.
The structural temples of the Chalukyas exist at Aihole, Badami, and Pattadakal. Cave temple architecture was also famous for the Chalukyas.
Their cave temples are found in Ajanta, Ellora, and Nasik. the simplest specimens of Chalukya paintings are often seen within the Badami cave temple and the Ajanta caves.
The reception given to a Persian embassy by Pulakesin II is depicted in a painting at Ajantha. The Chalukya temples could also be divided into two stages. The primary stage is represented by the temples at Aihole and Badami.
Among the seventy temples found at Aihole, four are important.
1. Ladh Khan temple is a low, flat-roofed structure consisting of a pillared hall.
2. Durga temple resembles a Buddha Chaitya.
3. Huchimalligudi temple.
4. The Jain temple at Meguti.
Among the temples at Badami, the Muktheeswara temple, and therefore the Melagutti Sivalaya are notable for their architectural beauty. a gaggle of 4 rock-cut temples at Badami is marked by high workmanship. The walls and pillared halls are adorned by beautiful images of gods and citizenry.
The second stage is represented by the temples at Pattadakal. There are ten temples here, four within the northern style and the remaining six within the Dravidian style.
The Papanatha temple is the most notable within the northern style. The Sangamesvara temple and the Virupaksha temple are famous for their Dravidian style.
The Virupaksha temple is built on the model of the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. it had been built by one among the queens of Vikramaditya II. Sculptors brought from Kanchi were employed in its construction.
Badami Temple Architecture
Badami Chaluka architecture was a temple building style that evolved during the 5th – 8th century AD in the Malaprabha river basin. Virupaksha temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva was created by Chalukyas of Badami initially in the 8th century. This is located in the present-day, Bagalkot district in Karnataka.
