Galaganatha Temple Complex

On the banks of the Malaprabha River, there is a complex of roughly 30 temples. It is famous as the Galaganatha Temple Complex. The complex contains many medium and small temples that belong to Lord Shiva. One of the places to visit in Aihole is this temple.

The city is home to nearly a hundred historic temples, including the well-known one from history. The construction of the temples is in the Chalukyan architecture style. Here are the roots of medieval India's high levels of architectural and sculptural ability. 

The Galaganatha Group of Temples and the Kontigudi Group of Temples are notable temple groupings in Aihole. There are 38 tiny shrines in the Galaganatha Group, but only the Galaganatha Temple is still standing. The rest of them are destroyed.

The Galaganatha Temple Group features a gateway with pot and foliage motif pillars. It has a lintel sculpted with foliated makaras, a water monster in Hindu mythology. The temple has a curvilinear shikhara and images of Ganga and Yamuna deities. Enshrining Shiva, it is east-facing and situated along River Tungabhadra. The temple has a large Shiva Linga in a closed hall. It also has a pyramidal basement and numerous interior niches with figural sculptures.

History of Galaganatha Temple Complex

The Galaganatha Group of Temples is a part of Aihole, a historical centre of ancient temple architecture. During the Chalukyan king Pulakesin II's reign, Aihole was a hub of architectural extravaganza. Aihole joined the local Muslim kingdoms following the overthrow of the Chalukya dynasty in AD 757. The eleventh century saw the construction of the Shiva temple at Galageshwara.

A huge etched slab dating from 1080 AD and up is located in the open hall of the Galaganatha Temple. The date sheds light on the period during which the temple was built. Inscription infers that dancing, music performances, and other performing arts were shared at this period. 

The 11th century AD saw the highest levels of development for the performing arts. There is an inscription from Galagnath, written by the Chalukyan king Vikramaditya. It mentions a certain Mokhari Brammayya as a highly-skilled musician of the time. When planning the Aihole tour package, remember to include the temple in your itinerary.