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Which of the following temples has/have a Nagara-style shikhara?
1. Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami
2. Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole
3. Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh
4. Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal
Select the answer using the code given below:
Explanation
The correct answer is 2 and 3.
- Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami: This is an early Chalukyan rock-cut and structural temple built in the Dravida style, featuring an octagonal dome-like shikhara.
- Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole: This temple is a prominent example of early Chalukyan architecture that features a curvilinear Rekha-Nagara (Nagara-style) shikhara.
- Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh: Built during the Gupta period, it is one of the earliest known Panchayatana temples in North India and marks the early development of the Nagara style of temple architecture with a prominent shikhara.
- Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal: Built by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband Vikramaditya II's victory over the Pallavas, this temple is a classic example of the Dravida style with a stepped pyramidal vimana.
Therefore, only the Huchimalligudi and Dashavatara temples have Nagara-style shikharas.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a tough, borderline bouncer question. While Dashavatara (Deogarh) is a classic NCERT fact (Nagara), expecting aspirants to know the exact shikhara styles of specific Chalukyan temples (Malegitti, Huchimalligudi, Virupaksha) pushes into specialized architectural history. It tests your ability to map regional temple clusters to their dominant or experimental styles.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Directly identifies the Malegitti Shivalaya temple in Badami as having a Dravidian style of architecture.
- Specifically describes the shikhara as 'octagonal' and crowned by a 'heavy dome'.
- Notes that the temple features typical Dravidian characteristics such as 'hara' elements and an octagonal griva.
- Classifies the temple under 'Different Phases of Dravidian Temple Architecture'.
- Confirms the shikhara (tower) has a 'domical finial' that is 'octagonal'.
- Mentions the shikhara is supported by a series of small shrines, a hallmark of the early Dravida style.
- Identifies the temple as a 6th-century structural temple (though the snippet mentions rock-cut, it is widely known as one of the earliest structural temples in Badami).
- States the architectural style reflects a combination of North Indian Nagara and South Indian Dravida traditions, typical of the Chalukya era's experimentation.
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