Diary Entry of Nolamba Stalkers - September 12, 2013

Ashtadikpals ceiling

We thought of visiting the Panchalingeshwara temple again as there are chances it might have been built by the Nolambas......some parts maybe.
The W. Gangas were ruling from Kolar and the Nolambas were their vassals, perhaps ruling over the Begur area?
The Begur stone, now at the Government museum talks  of a battle between the W. Ganga prince and Nolambas. Being victorious over the Gangas, Nolambas spread their influence move to Kolar and the Avani temple?

Pallava inspired shikhara

The wall frieze

The set of pillars different from the smaller temple

Padmanidhi on the steps

Gajalakshmi lintel and the door jamb

Note on the doorway to Nagareshwara shrine :

The above pic : the low doorway with the standard Gajalakshmi as Lalatabimba .

While the gajalakshmi lintel has a long  and hoary history , the use of other motifs on her sides vary with period , provenance and shilpakala styles .

The elements of the mahadwara leading to the navaranga of Nagareshwara shrine , Begur .

Details : 

1. Details of the base of the doorjamb showing a Nidhi and the curling vine on the vertical panels showing tiny ganas within the coils . 

    2. Closeup of two auspicious symbols , the swastika and the kumbha placed to the left of gajalakshmi. At the far end sits a lion , facing away . 

The lists of the eight auspicious symbols vary by region and sect . The swastika is more common in Jainism while the Kumbha ( a full put , cornucopia is universal ) . The others maybe The Mirror, the Parasol or Flywhisk , The Elephant , The Kanya (maiden ) and Matsya .( a detailed survey necessary )

The use of Ashtamangalas on the lintel and the two layered jamb are said to be definitive traits of Nolamba style . While more elaborate jambs are seen in succeeding eras , the ashtamangalas were rarely , if ever , carried over . 

For comparison : the lalatabimba of Bharatalingeshwara at Avani , showing ashtamangalas:

( Reference : " Descriptions of Selected Temples ",  monograph in Shodhganga. Inflibnet 

                   Kannada article in Karnataka Itihasa Akademi ) 

https://karnatakaitihasaacademy.org/unique-sculptures-of-karnataka/

The Gajalakshmi ritual a local customary practice, the Nolambas local chiefs, closer to the grass roots give sanction to it sculpturally.
Awesome supersome Vidya.....only photographs needed to do justice to the explanation...Shankar shuru kariye kamal

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Different kind of Pillar

Surya from the Begur temple

The next few stops were to look out for some more relics in course of which we stumbled upon some interesting finds

Strange figure outside Venugopala Temple

Gajalakshmi at Rudreshwara tempe

Dwarapala at Rudreshwara temple

The running creeper like pattern that was used beautifully by Vijayanagara..the entrance to the temples have it at Someshwara in Kolar, Lepakshi.

Door Jamb

Pillar at Rudreshwara temple

 https://aturquoisecloud.wordpress.com/2013/04/21/avani-on-a-clear-day-you-can-see-forever/

The Shaivite Nolambas were a regional dynasty and subordinates to the Jain Gangas who later became feudatories of the powerful Rastrakutas. Mention of the Nolambas is also found on the Begur stone inscription (890 AD) in the Parvathi Nageshwara Temple near Bangalore. Written in Hale Kannada, it mentions a significant battle that was fought in `Bengaluru’( first recorded mention of the name) where the Ganga administrator Nagattara was killed.

 We need to look at the Begur seriously. Features to look at

1. Ashtadikpalas
2. Gajalakshmi
3. DoorJambs
4. The Perforated Latticed Windows
5. The Creeper type patttern
6. Pillars
7. Veeragals

We kind of identify different influences on Nolamba style and then by elimination we may arrive at what is a typical Nolamba syle.