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Lakkundi Lokkigundi | |
|---|---|
village | |
 Historic temples at Lakkundi | |
  Lakkundi Location in Karnataka, India Show map of Karnataka Lakkundi Lakkundi (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:15°23′23″N75°43′06″E / 15.38972°N 75.71833°E /15.38972; 75.71833 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Karnataka |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Kannada |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-KA |
| Vehicle registration | KA-26 |
| Nearest city | Gadag |
Lakkundi, also referred to asLokkugundi, was a major city before the 14th century, and is now a village inGadag District ofKarnataka, India. By 10th century, it was already a major economic and commerce center withmint operations forSouth India, one mentioned inKannada andSanskrit inscriptions and texts. By 12th century, manyHindu andJain temples had beenconsecrated here, along withpublic infrastructure such asstepwells andwater reservoirs. Among the major temples are theBrahma Jinalaya (oldest), Mallikarjuna, Lakshminarayana, Manikeshwara, Naganatha, Kumbheshvara, Nanneshwara, Someshwara, Narayana, Nilakanteshwara, Kasivisesvara (most sophisticated, ornate), Virabhadhara,Virupaksha, and others. As its importance and wealth grew, Lakkundi became one of the capitals of theHoysala Empire.[1][2][3]
In the 14th century the city was targeted by IslamicSultanates as they sought to plunder and establish political dominance over the South Indian Hindu kingdoms. The village of Lakkundi contains over 50 temple ruins, many of which are in poor condition and inhabited by bats. However, the major temples have been restored and are now maintained by theArchaeological Survey of India (ASI). Lakkundi is an important center for the study ofKalyana Chalukya era Hindu architecture, known as the "Lakkundi-school" of architects andcraftsmen.[4]
Britisharchaeologists of the 19th century played a significant role in rediscovering Lakkundi and its significance inIndian art history. The ruins of Lakkundi now highlight the history of Indian art in museums, with some ruins displayed in a local sculpture gallery (museum) and sheds near the temples.[5]
Aside from Hindu and Jain monuments, aMuslimdargah dedicated to Zindeshah Wali is also found in Lakkundi. The site attracts visitors from all over the world due to its rich historical andcultural heritage.[6]
Lakkundi is about 12 kilometers from the twin city of Gadag-Betageri, betweenHampi andGoa, connected by India's National Highway 67. A home to numerous ruins of historic Hindu and Jain temples, Lakkundi is geographically located in a region with many major temple groups from theKalachuris,Chalukyas,Yadavas-Seunas,Hoysalas andVijayanagara era. For example, it is close to historic temples found inDambal,Kukkanur, Gadag, Annigeri, Mulgund, Harti, Laksmesvara, Kalkeri, Savadi, Hooli, Rona, Sudi, Koppal, andItagi.[7] The nearest Railway station is in Gadag city.
Lakkundi is phonetically shortened name of the historic city ofLokkigundi, a name found in inscriptions in the village and those quite far in southern Karnataka and Maharashtra.[8] The earliest surviving inscription was discovered by British archaeologists on a stone slab near Kanner Bhanvi – a step well in Lakkundi. The inscribed stone slab was being used by localdhobis (laundry washerman) to wash clothes at the step well.[9] The inscription on it dates to 790 CE. This inscription confirms that Lakkundi was already in existence and significant enough for an inscription by the 8th-century. James Fergusson – the 19th-century Scottish historian known for his archaeological and architectural studies in India, reported over 30 more inscriptions from Lakkundi, in Kannada and Sanskrit, most of which range between the 11th and 12th century. Some of these were foundation stone inscriptions of Jain and Hindu temples, others gifts to different temples, toMaha-agrahara, to monasteries such asHiree Matha (now lost), to donate step wells for the public and pilgrims, and other purposes. Though damaged, many of them include theSaka year of the inscription. The profusion of these inscriptions attests to the importance of Lakkundi as a historic city to both Hindu and Jain traditions.[9]
Many more inscriptions on stone and copper plates mentioning Lokkugundi have been discovered far from Lakkundi. However, in this part of ancient and medieval Karnataka, Lokkugundi is among the most mentioned cities. By 1884 some 35 Hindu and Jain inscriptions dated to between the 9th and 13th-century CE had been found that mention Lokkugundi.[10] Though Lakkundi was an established town in the second half of the 1st millennium, its growth and wealth came after 973 CE when Taila II, a Chalukya of Vatapi descendant and chieftain appointed in 965 CE, organized a successful revolt against Karkka II of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. In regional texts, the reign that followed is calledCālukya (Later Chalukyas, Kalyani Chalukyas, or Chalukyas of Kalyana) to distinguish them from theCalukya (Early Chalukyas). Lakkundi flowered and grew with the Shiva-tradition Hindu monarch Satyasraya Irivabedanga – the successor and son of Taila II who came to power in 997 or 998 CE. This is attested by both Jain and Hindu inscriptions of early 11th-century, particularly of a woman named Attimabbe who gets permission from Satyasraya to build her Jaina temple, which she did and which is now the oldest surviving Brahma Jinalaya temple in Lakkundi.[11][12]
Lakkundi grew to be a major city, prosperous and one with a mint. Lakkundi and several historic towns to its north – such as Rona, Sudi, Kradugu now known as Gadag, Hooli and others – attracted a burst of religious, cultural and literary flowering from the 11th to 13th century, with ever more sophisticated temple architectures, Vidyadana (charity supported schools) and public works such as step wells. These are largely in the context of Shaivism and Jainism, though a few major temples of Vaishnavism here are also from this period.[13]
Smaller Lakkundi monuments can be traced to theKalachuris, the short rule here of theSeunas and the longer rule of theHoysalas. In 1192 CE, after many of the remarkable temples of Lakkundi were already standing, a Sanskrit inscription of Hoysala king Ballala II re-affirms the continued importance of Lakkundi and it becoming his capital.[14][15] After the 13th-century, there is an abrupt end to all evidence of new public works, temples, inscriptions and other indirect signs of economic prosperity in Lakkundi.
Lakkundi has about 50 temples and temple ruins of different sizes and sophistication, all dated to pre-14th century. They are of Shaivism, Jainism and Vaishnavism, though most temples include diverse iconography such as Surya and of Vedic deities such as Brahma. For example, the oldest Jaina temple – Brahma Jinalaya – includes Hindu statues and artworks such as that of 4-headed Brahma, Saraswati and Lakshmi, along with Mahavira, Parsvanatha and other Tirthankaras. The major surviving temples in Lakkundi include:[9]
| Temple | Year/Century | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahma Jinalaya | 1007 CE[16] |  | the largest Jain temple in Lakkundi, the oldest of the large temples (1007 CE) |
| Naganatha Temple, Lakkundi | early 11th century[17] |  | another Jain temple, to Parsvanatha and Naga (serpent deity) |
| Kasivisvesvara Temple, Lakkundi | 1030 CE[18] |  | also known as Kavatalesvara temple in historic texts, it is a Hindu twin temple – one for Shiva and the other for Surya, highly ornate and most sophisticated among the Lakkundi temples; according to Burgess, it has "one of the finest surviving illustration of Hindu decorative artwork in India". One of the best illustrations of Kalyana-Chalukya style of Hindu architecture.[18] |
| Malikarjuna Temple, Lakkundi | 11th century[17] | a Hindu temple | |
| Halagund Basavanna Temple, Lakkundi | a Shaiva Lingayat temple | ||
| Virupaksha Temple, Lakkundi | 1010 CE[19] |  | active and most attended village temple, has Rashtrakuta-style Hindu architecture |
| Lakshminarayana Temple, Lakkundi | 11th century[17] | a Vishnu temple | |
| Manikesvar Temple, Lakkundi | 1160 CE[20] |  | a trikuta temple with one of many historic step wells in Lakkundi |
| Virabhadra Temple, Lakkundi | 11th century[17] | a Hindu temple | |
| Nanesvara Temple, Lakkundi | 1020–30 CE[21] |  | a Hindu temple with innovations in mandapa and pillar architecture, one of the earliest examples of fully-developed Kalyana Chalukya style |
| Somesvara Temple, Lakkundi | 11th-century[22] | a Shiva temple closer to the historic fort walls, parts of the temple have influences from the Sudi–Aihole school of Hindu architecture | |
| Nilakanthesvara Temple, Lakkundi | 11th century[17] | a Shiva temple with notable artwork on the outer walls | |
| Kumbheshvara Temple, Lakkundi | Late 11th or early 12th century[23] |  | another trikuta Hindu temple with one section better preserved, now surrounded by private homes, the symmetric gudhamandapa is brilliantly structured and constructed |
| Other Hindu and Jaina temple ruins | 8th to 13th-century | Siddharamesvara temple, for example, is a small Karnata-Chalukya style temple from the early 11th-century.[24] |
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Lakkundi has a number of step wells, some functioning as water tanks for the temples. These are artistically built with small canopied niches enshrininglingas. The Chateer Bavi, Kanne Bavi and Musukina Bavi are architecturally significant and popular for their artwork and carvings.
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Over two dozen Kannada and Sanskrit inscriptions from different Hindu dynasties have been found at Lakkundi. These describe gifts and donations, donor names and which social classes these donors came from, the ritual and cultural aspects of their times and the socio-political contexts of medieval era Karnataka. Some of these are important to help establish the Jain heritage in Karnataka during these Hindu dynasties.[25] Some of these include:
Lakkundi is known forChalukya style temples, stepped wells and historic inscriptions. Lakkundi is often a gem missed by a majority of tourists.[26] If you take the trouble to visit Lakkundi, you will be rewarded with one of the finest architectural feasts of the Kalyana Chalukya period (c. 10th century CE).
_Brahma_image_in_the_mantapa_in_the_Jain_temple_at_Lakkundi.jpg)
11. LAKKUNDIY BRAMAJINALAY : VASTU-SHILP-SHASAN (2014), Dr. Appanna N. Hanje, Vidyashre Prakashan, ALAGAWADI-59131712. LAKKUNDIY BASADIGALU (2015), Dr. Appanna N. Hanje, Vidyashre Prakashan, ALAGAWADI-59131713. SAMAVASARAN (Research Articles-2015), Dr. Appanna N. Hanje, Vidyashre Prakashan, ALAGAWADI-591317
 Historical Places inNorth Karnataka | |
|---|---|
| Badami Chalukyas | |
| Western Chalukya | |
| Rashtrakuta | |
| Kadamba dynasty | |
| Vijayanagara Empire | |
| Bijapur Sultanate | |
| Bidar Sultanate | |
| Bahamani Sultanate | |
| Princely states | |
