The development of temple architecture in stone can be best seen in the early Chalukyan temples at Badami,Aihole and Pattadakal (Karnataka) of the 5th to the 7th centuries,which form the cradle of temple art. Literally this area is an open air school for a student of temple history.The growth of the temple from a single room structure and development of the vimaana,mandapa,antarala and circumambulatory passage can be studied here.
At Aihole are 70 temples of which the Lad Khan (450 A.D.)is believed to be the oldest. At Badami,are temples of the earlier cave or rock cut variety,and at Pattadakal are the 7th century shrines both of the northern Nagara and the southern Dravida styles.The 12th and the 13th centuries saw a fresh spurt of temple building in this region under the Hoysala dynasty,best seen at Belur, Halebid and Somnathpur. Sculpture has the dominant role here and architecture a secondary one.The soap stone used made carvings easy resulting in the artisans literally carving every inch of the space.Airy and lacy, voluptuous yet delicate, divine and human forms, birds, beasts,flowers and plants combined to form a riotous whole.
The temple base is star shaped, thereby providing more wall space for carving.The Belur temple has 2 and 3 ton stone pillars which have been turned by lathe,a great engineering feat of time. Chalukya temple ruins (12th century) are also seen at Hanamkonda (Andhra Pradesh).
