Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
Religion
Affiliation	Jainism
Deity	Adinatha
Festivals	Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
Location
Location	Kambadahalli,Mandya
State	Karnataka
Country	India
Interactive map of Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
Coordinates	12°52′03.6″N76°38′00.8″E / 12.867667°N 76.633556°E /12.867667; 76.633556
Architecture
Established	8th-10th century AD

Panchakuta Basadi (orPanchakootaBasadi) is aJain temple complex located in the Kambadahalli village of theMandya district in theKarnataka state ofSouthern India.

Panchakuta Basadi is often described as one of the finest examples of theWestern Ganga variety ofDravidian architecture, related to theJain faith and iconography.^[1][2]

According to the historian K.R. Srinivasan, the temple complex, which was built by the kings of the Western Ganga Dynasty is assignable to the period 900–1000 CE. The historianI. K. Sarma however assigns an earlier date of 8th century, based on traces of earlyPallava-Pandya andChalukya-Pallava influences.^[3] Kambadahalli (whose name in theKannada language literally translates to "village with pillar") which is located 18 km from the famousJain heritage town ofShravanabelagola, on the Mandya-Shravanabelagola highway, gets its name from theBrahmadeva pillar (Manasthambha) erected in front of the temple complex.^[4] From inscriptions, it is known that the temple complex has been renovated during later centuries, including the during the rule of theHoysala Empire.^[5] The monument is protected by theArchaeological Survey of India as a "national monument". Srinivasan describes it as a "landmark in South India architecture".^[2][3][6]

The temple was built in two phases. In the first phase, three shrines were constructed (trikutachala, three shrines each with a superstructure). The central shrine faces north, one shrine faces west and the other face east. The central shrine has a square superstructure (Shikhara) calledBrahmachhanda girva-shikhara. The west and east facing shrines have superstructures called theRudrachhanda griva-shikhara andVishnuchhanda griva-shikhara respectively.^[1] The design of the superstructures speaks of the artistic taste of the builders. They are three-dimensional, with the first tier (tala) measuring a third of the total height of the tower, and the second tier measuring one half the height of the first.^[3] Each of the three shrines have individualvestibules (or half hall orardhamantapa) which open to a large common open hall called themahamantapa ornavaranga, whose ceiling is supported by four ornate central pillars. At the entrance to the shrines (bilpitha) are the guardians to the "eight directions"(ashtadikpalaka;ashta - "eight",dik - "directions",palaka - "keeper") with their consorts and vehicles (vahana)^[2][5]

The entire complex is oriented towards the impressiveBrahmadeva pillar and faces north. The main central shrine houses the image ofAdhinatha, the first Jaintirthankara (Teaching God). The west (right) and east (left) facing shrines have the images of later daytirthankaras, Shantinatha and Neminatha respectively. The images appear to be of well-polished steatite material and could be later day replacements.^[1] According to Robert J Del Bonto who conducted research at the site, the two shrines that form the later day additions are a twin construction, are lateral (face each other), have individual vestibule and a closedmantapa (hall) and open into a common open pillared porch (openmantapa). The art critic M.H. Dhaky calls them as "Shantinatha Basadi" and regards them a good example of the "terminal" stage in Western Ganga art.^[7] The temple exhibits fine sculptures of JainYakshas (male benevolent spirits) andYakshis (their female counterparts) of the Western Ganga and Hoysala periods.^[2][5]

According to the art critic and historianS. Settar, generally,Brahmadeva pillars found in front of ancient Jain temples do not house sculptures of theBrahma Yaksha or the godBrahma, rather they find their origins in theManasthambha (sthambhalit, "pillar") and have images of theSarvanubhuti Yaksha. The base of this pillar is square and exhibits looped garland decorations, and at the top supports a two handed seated image of east facing Siddhayika.^[4][8] The overall composition of the temple, according to Sarma, is one of "clarity in structure and function" without any emphasis on over decoration.^[3]

• 
  Mantapa (hall), Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
• 
  A typical Dravidian style shrine at Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
• 
  Excavated Jain sculptures from the 9th-10th century at Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
• 
  Bas-relief depicting horse men at Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
• 
  Ceiling sculpture, Panchakuta
• 
  Tirthankar sculpture on the ceiling, Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
• 
  A sanctum in the Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli with image of the tirthankar Adinatha

Wikimedia Commons has media related toPanchakuta Basadi.

• Jainism in Karnataka
• Jainism in north Karnataka
• Jainism in Tulu Nadu
• Shravanabelagola

• Sarma, I.K. (1992) [1992].Temples of the Gangas of Karnataka. New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India.ISBN 0-19-560686-8.
• Shah, Umakant P (1987) [1987].Jaina-Rupa-Mandana (Jaina Iconography), Volume 1. new Delhi: Abhinav.ISBN 81-7017-218-7.
• Khajane, Muralidhara (3 February 2006)."An ancient site connected with Jainism".The Hindu. Archived fromthe original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved26 December 2012.
• Archaeological Survey."Panchakuta Basadi".ASI Bangalore circle. Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved26 December 2012.
• "Alphabetical List of Monuments - Karnataka -Bangalore, Bangalore Circle, Karnataka".Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India. Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts. Retrieved15 July 2012.

• Jain temples in Karnataka
• Western Ganga dynasty
• 8th-century Jain temples

• Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from December 2019
• Use Indian English from December 2019
• All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English
• Coordinates on Wikidata
• Commons category link from Wikidata
• Pages using the Kartographer extension