Bandalike Somesvara Temple, Karnataka

Address

Bandalike Somesvara Temple, Shankrikoppa, Karnataka 577428

Diety

Somesvara

Introduction

Bandalike or Bandanike of the inscriptions, was an important town of Nagarakhanda-70 of the Kadamba kings. It was a wellknown centre of Kalamukha sect. Also known as Anekal Somayya and Boppesvara temple named after one Boppa Setti who caused it in 1274 AD, this is an austere temple with a garbhagriha, a vestibule, a pillared mandapa with an insignificant porch, all arranged in east-west orientation. The entrance doorway to the temple is ornate with as many as four sakhas which at the base sculptural depictions of dvarapalas and female figures. The dvarasakhas are of floral and stambhavariety. The lalatabimba of the lintel has Gajalakshmi. On either side of the door are highly ornate, sculptured, screens which have perforations alternating with narrative friezes depicting select episodes from epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The sanctum is bereft of any images. The high plinth with conventional mouldings such as upana, high pada, an adho-kumuda, knife edged tripatta kumuda and an urdhva kumuda, accommodate an austere bhitti or wall with a plain madyabhanda. Inside mahamandapa are six niches, two flanking the antarala and three each in the northern and southern walls, the central one being larger of the two at the sides.