Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli

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Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli

Panchakuta Basadi (or Panchakoota Basadi) is located in the Kambadahalli village of the Mandya district, Karnataka state, in southwestern India.

Location: Kambadahalli

It is one of the finest examples of South Indian Dravidian architecture of the Western Ganga variety, related to the Jain faith and iconography. 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 historian I. K. Sarma however assigns an earlier date of 8th century, based on traces of early Pallava-Pandya and Chalukya-Pallava influences. Kambadahalli (whose name in the Kannada language literally translates to "village with pillar") which is located 18 km from the famous Jain heritage town of Shravanabelagola, on the Mandya-Shravanabelagola highway, gets its name from the Brahmadeva pillar (Manasthambha) erected in front of the temple complex. From inscriptions, it is known that the temple complex has been renovated during later centuries, including during the rule of the Hoysala Empire. 

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) called Brahmachhanda girva-shikhara. The west and east facing shrines have superstructures called the Rudrachhanda griva-shikhara and Vishnuchhanda griva-shikhara respectively. Each of the three shrines have individual vestibules (or half hall or ardhamantapa) which open to a large common open hall called the mahamantapa or navaranga, 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).
The entire complex is oriented towards the impressive Brahmadeva pillar and faces north. The main central shrine houses the image of Adhinatha, the first Jain tirthankara (Teaching God). The west (right) and east (left) facing shrines have the images of later day tirthankaras, Shantinatha and Neminatha respectively. The images appear to be of well-polished steatite material and could be later day replacements.















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