Aihole Badiger Gudi Surya Temple, Karnataka

Address

Aihole Badiger Gudi surya Temple, Aihole, Karnataka 587124

Diety

Surya

Introduction

Aihole is situated on the bank of Malaprabha River in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. It is about 33 km from Badami, the nearest town. Pattadakal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is 11 km before Aihole on Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole Road. Behind the stepwell and to the southwest of Ladkhan temple is the Badiger Gudi Temple with the pyramidal tower that has an idol of God Surya on the top. Originaly this temple was dedicated to Lord surya as pyramidal tower indicates it. Temple is constructed in 9th century during Chalukya Dynasty rule. There is an image of Dakshbrahma in the temple.

Puranic Significance

This Early Chalukyan temple faces east and belongs to circa 7th century CE. It originally consisted of a hall supported by four central pillars and twelve pilasters and a mukhamandapa. The garbhagriha was placed in central and back bays of the hall. The temple was substantially modified in the 11th -12th century with the addition of a pidha type of shikhara and subsidiary shrines on the south – west corner in line with the original one. This is a Badami Chalukyan temple erected in the 9th century. Also famous as the carpenter’s temple, because of the carpenter family that used to live here before the site was taken over by the Archaeological department. The temple is in ruined state and nothing interesting is noticeable except the pyramidal tower that rises over the temple sanctuary. The temple is plain in design except the porch, the columns of which have circular designs incised onto their shafts. The temple was originally a Surya temple, as indicated by the Surya image on the projection of curvilinear tower on the garbhagriha (sanctum).