Kalleshwar Temple

About Kalleshwar Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple located in the town of Bagali in the Davangere district of Karnataka.
• It is one of the oldest temples in the region and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. 
• The construction of the temple spans the rule of two Kannada dynasties: the Rashtrakuta Dynasty during the mid-10th century, and the Western Chalukya Empire, during the reign of founding King Tailapa II around 987 AD.
• Architecture:
  • The temple is a single shrine construction with an adjoining hall (mantapa). 
  • The temple, which faces east, comprises a sanctum, an antechamber (or vestibule or antarala, whose tower is called the sukhanasi), that connects the sanctum to a gathering hall (sabhamantapa), which is preceded by a main hall (mukhamantapa).
  • The Shikara of the temple is a perfect example of early Cholan architecture. 
  • The temple houses a large Shivalinga, which is believed to be more than a thousand years old.
• This temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.