Hoysala Expedition Part 43: Mallikarjuna Temple, Nadakalasi

Nadakalasi is a small village about 8 kilometers away from Sagara in Shivamogga district of Karnataka. Hidden in its densely populated flora and fauna is a temple complex from the Hoysala times. Baleyanna Vergade (Heggade), a local ruler who had accepted the mighty Hoysalas as the overseeing authority of his regions during that time, has constructed two temples next to each other in 1218 AD, during the rule of Veera Ballala II. The temples are a mix of Hoysala and Dravidian temple architectures, but the Hoysala influences are there to be seen in abundance.



The larger of the two temples is the Mallikarjuna Temple dedicated to the Mallikarjuna Shiva Linga in its only sanctum sanctorum. A highlight of this temple are the stunningly smooth looking lathe turned pillars inside. They seem to have such a fine finish despite the fact that the stones used don't appear to be the best quality soap stones that we witness at Belur or Belavadi. The main shikhara is of Kadamba Nagara style.

Here is a video:

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