Temples of Alampur

Picture Gallery of Temples

Swarga Brahma Temple

This important shrine seems to have been constructed towards the end of the 7th century A.D. There is an inscription above the dwarapalika image, which states that the shrine was constructed by Lokaditya-Ela-Arasa, in honor of the queen of Vinayaditya, called Mahadevi.

Like all other temples except the Taraka Brahma, the Swarga Brahma is a hall temple. The shrine is at the end of the rectangular hall, which is divided into a nave and side aisles by the use of pillars connecting the passage. Like the Kumara Brahma, the Swarga Brahma also has a porch. The panels on the outer walls carry relief figures of the Krishna Lila, Animals, Garuda-nose faces and Matrumurti.

The pattern of carving is the same as on the Vishva Brahma temple.

Although there had been relief carvings in Aihole and Pattadakal, the pantheism here shows a passionate enthusiasm for exaltation of human form to divine status. There are Pauranic scenes, loving couples and flying spirits. And in the midst of these are the independent realizations of the gods, by the release into a certain innocence and freer interpretation of the icon beyond the manner of the Chalukyas in the west.

One of the new dhyana mantras is a wall sculpture entitled Lingodbhavamurti of Shiva, inset into a tall phallus, with worshipping figures in a rectangular panel from which the lingam is carved.

And a truncated figure shows the remains of a dynamic sculpture of shiva as Tripurasuramharamurti. The mobility of the carving skillfully releases energies into the universe with terrifying violence.

Another broken figure is a relief of Gangavatarana, again as a demonstration of the Alampur sculptor's genius for release of potential power of the gods. A similar sculpture of Shiva involved in the Tandava dance is a heroic image. The frenzy of the movement is caught in the ecstatic moment, by some Viswakarma, realizing himself through the expression of muscular energies into the universal image of dance incarnate.

Shiva is shown in another mood as he stands, pensively, with the gracious bend of his body, almost supplicating Parvati. The Mithuna couples show the sculptor's sensitiveness to tenderness between the male and the female, through the evocation of desire lurking below the surface of life and evoked here through the woman's shy withdrawal and the man dragging her by the arm from the natural urge of seduction.

The Swarga Brahma temple has a six pillar porch on the east, the Puranghata pillars being decorated with amalkas. There are horned dwarpals by the doorway. Ganga and Jamuna are symbolically carved on the door-frame with the GarudaNaga motif above.

The temple has a curvilinear sikhara of the northern style, with a figure of dancing Shiva carved in the Chaitya window of the Sukanasi.

Padma Brahma Temple

This temple is in the Swarga Brahma style.

Apart from the sculptures of two dwarpalikas near the square gateway, with the flying figure on the top, the sculptures on the facade of this temple have all been destroyed.

The Garuda Brahma temple

Modeled on the Padma Brahma, this temple is distinguished by elaborate carvings on the pillars inside the hall, with the cool shadows secured for the extension of consciousness into the non-sensuous realms of calm.

Bala Brahma Temple

This temple has remained in worship through the centuries. Therefore, it has often been renovated. The images are a mixture of routine sculptures like Jogulamba, Durga, Narasimha and the Rishis. In the courtyard are images of Mukhalinga, Sahasralinga and Mahishasuramardini. The most vital image is the mother goddess in the small shrine.

Arka Brahma Temple

The roof of this temple has disappeared and it is a mere ruin.

Kumara Brahma Temple

The style of construction of this temple approximates to the other Nava Brahma shrines. There is a row of seven heads, carved on the halldoor frame of this temple, of which the significance seems to be lost to us. The pillars of the porch of this shrine have detailed intricate carvings.

Vira Brahma Temple

There is nothing to distinguish this temple from the others.

Vishva Brahma Temple

Except that it has no porch, the plan of the Vishva Brahma resembles the Swarga Brahma. The sculptures on the facade are also similar, both in theme and execution, though the virtuosity has disappeared because of the vandal's axe. Thus the figure of Trivikrama might have been a magnificent carving when it was whole. Also, the Gangavatarana was once a highly energetic sculpture. The Mithunas are also damaged. The floral relief of makaras and birds with flying figures indicate the lyricism of desire flowing through them from the springtime of the Chalukyan sensibility.

Taraka Brahma Temple

The taraka Brahma temple differs from all the other Nava Brahma group of shrines, because it is built in the mergent southern style. It has a garbhagriha, an antarala and a porch. Except for the Devakoshtha in the center of each of the three walls of the garbhagriha, the large blocks of stone don't carry any relief.

There is an image of Paralambapadalakshmi on the antarala doorway. The top consisting of Sala, Kudu and Panjaran can be graduating towards the gopuram style.