Kevin Standage

Nadyar Gudi (Nadar Temple) within the Durga Temple Complex at Aihole Situated towards the southern part of Aihole’s Durga Temple Complex, close to Suryanarayana Temple and immediately north of Lad Khan Temple, Nadyar Gudi is one of the lesser-known monume…

Suryanarayana Gudiwithin the Durga Temple Complex at Aihole Standing just northeast of Lad Khan Temple, within Aihole’s celebrated Durga Temple Complex, Suryanarayana Gudi is one of a few relatively modest structures that are perhaps overshadowed by more…

Badiger Gudi within the Durga Temple Complex at Aihole Situated towards the southwestern corner of Aihole’s Durga Temple Complex, Badiger Gudi (also known as Badigera Gudi or Badigargudi) is a relatively small and architecturally modest temple that is eas…

Chakra Gudi, located within the Durga Temple Complex, at Aihole Situated towards the southern end of Aihole’s Durga Temple Complex, close to Gaudara Gudi and an impressive stone-lined stepped well, Chakra Gudi is a relatively small monument that can easily

Gaudara Gudi within the Durga Temple Complex at Aihole Standing a short distance southeast of the better-known Lad Khan Temple, within Aihole’s Durga Temple Complex, Gaudara Gudi (also Gaudargudi or Gaudar Gudi) is one of the most architecturally signific…

Sidlaphadi – The Prehistoric Rock Shelter of Badami Hidden among the rugged sandstone hills to the northeast of Badami is one of the region’s most remarkable prehistoric sites.

Trikuteshwara Temple – Gadag Situated in the historic Hosur quarter of Gadag, the Trikuteshwara Temple is one of the largest and most architecturally significant surviving monuments of the Western Chalukyan period in northern Karnataka.

Rameshwara Temple – Gadag Standing almost directly opposite the considerably more elaborate Someshwara Temple, in the Hosur locality of Gadag, is the small and rather neglected Rameshwara Temple (also known as Rameshvara or Ramesvara).

Lakkundi, a small village approximately 12km southeast of Gadag in northern Karnataka, possesses an extraordinary concentration of medieval temples, stepwells, inscriptions and architectural remains.

Manikesvara Temple and Musukina Bavi – Lakkundi Amongst the numerous surviving monuments of Lakkundi, the Manikesvara Temple and adjoining Musukina Bavi form one of the village’s most remarkable architectural ensembles.

Virabhadresvara (Veerabhadreshwara) Temple – Lakkundi Hidden amongst the modern buildings of Lakkundi, the Virabhadresvara Temple (also known as Veerabhadreshwara or Veerabhadra Gudi) is another of the village’s lesser-known architectural treasures.

Kumbhesvara Temple – Lakkundi Hidden among the tightly packed houses and narrow lanes of eastern Lakkundi, Kumbhesvara Temple, also known as Kumbareshwara, Kumbhar Gudi or Kumbhara-Isvara Gudi, is one of the village’s less accessible medieval monuments.

Brahma Jinalaya Temple – Lakkundi Situated towards the western side of Lakkundi, approximately 12km southeast of Gadag, Brahma Jinalaya is one of the oldest and most historically significant temples in the village.

Chandramouleshwara Temple – Lakkundi Chandramouleshwara Temple is another of the more easily overlooked medieval monuments at Lakkundi, situated amongst residential buildings and partially concealed by palm trees.

The heavily reconstructed Nilakanteswara Temple – Lakkundi Nilakanteswara Temple is one of the lesser-known monuments at Lakkundi, a Shiva temple that has undergone extensive restoration and reconstruction on multiple occasions, leaving a stark contrast b…

Shankaralinga Temple – Lakkundi Shankaralinga Temple is one of the lesser-known medieval monuments at Lakkundi, a relatively modest Shiva temple that nevertheless preserves some impressive examples of Western Chalukya craftsmanship.

Someshwara Temple – Gadag Hidden among the closely packed houses and narrow streets of old Gadag is one of the town’s lesser-known architectural treasures.

Japada Bavi – Dambal Hidden away on the outskirts of Dambal, approximately 20 km south-east of Gadag, is one of the most intriguing and architecturally unusual stepped wells in northern Karnataka.

Mahadeva Temple – Itagi Situated in the relatively unassuming village of Itagi (also spelt Ittagi), in the Koppal district of northern Karnataka, is one of the finest surviving achievements of Western Chalukya architecture.

Someshwara Temple – Dambal Standing almost directly opposite the remarkable Dodda Basappa Temple in Dambal, some 20 km south-east of Gadag, is another monument of the Western Chalukyan period.

Siddharamesvara Temple – Lakkundi Located in the heart of Lakkundi, Siddharamesvara is one of the smallest and architecturally simplest temples in the village.

Lakshmi Narayana Temple – Lakkundi Among the surviving monuments of Lakkundi, the Lakshmi Narayana Temple is something of an outlier.

Mallikarjuna Temple – Lakkundi Among the many medieval temples scattered through Lakkundi, Mallikarjuna is another example of a monument that is easy to overlook in the village.

Virupaksha Temple – Lakkundi Among the surviving medieval monuments of Lakkundi, the Virupaksha Temple (also known as the Virupakshesvara or Virupaksheshwara Temple) is one of the more difficult to date and interpret with confidence.

Naganatha Temple – Lakkundi Among the surviving monuments of Lakkundi, the Naganatha Temple is perhaps one of the easiest to misunderstand.

Nannesvara Temple – Lakkundi Standing immediately to the west of the far more elaborate Kasivisvesvara Temple, the Nannesvara (or Nanneshvara) Temple is smaller, quieter and considerably more restrained than its celebrated neighbour.

Kasivisvesvara Temple – Lakkundi Among the many medieval monuments at Lakkundi, the Kasivisvesvara Temple—also referred to as the Kavatalesvara, Kashivishveshvara or Kashi Vishvanatha Temple—stands out as one of the most accomplished and architecturally s…

Nagakund – Sudi Sudi is best known for its remarkable collection of Western Chalukyan temples, but hidden amongst the houses of the modern village is a monument of an altogether different kind.

Jodu Kalasa Gudi – Sudi Sudi is one of those places where the surviving monuments seem strangely out of proportion to the settlement that surrounds them today.

Mallikarjuna Temple – Sudi Sudi today is a relatively quiet settlement in the Gadag district of Karnataka, but a thousand years ago it was a place of considerably greater importance.

Ranganatha Gudda – Prehistoric Rock Art at Badami Badami is so overwhelmingly associated with the Early Chalukyas that it is very easy to forget that human activity among these extraordinary red sandstone hills began thousands of years before Vatapi became

Hucchappayya Matha – Aihole Among the many Early Chalukyan monuments scattered throughout Aihole, Hucchappayya Matha stands away from the principal concentration of monuments around the Durga Temple complex.

Hucchappayya Gudi – Aihole Among the many temples scattered across Aihole, Hucchappayya Gudi is one of the easiest to confuse before you have even reached it.

Aralibasappa (Basavanna) Temple – Aihole Aihole is so closely associated with the Early Chalukyas that it is easy to forget that the settlement continued to be an important religious centre long after their power had faded.

The Hero Stones of Mallarayana Katte – Gadag-Betageri Gadag and its neighbouring town of Betageri are best known to visitors for the extraordinary temples created under the Western Chalukyas.

Badami is a place where history is quite literally written into the landscape.

Macca Masjid – Bijapur Hidden away within the old fortified heart of Bijapur (Vijayapura), the Makka Masjid (or Mecca Masjid) is a remarkably intimate building, enclosed within high walls and standing in a quiet courtyard.

Bijapur is a city where almost every large dome seems to have a story attached to it, but few are quite as intriguing as the Jod Gumbaz.

Almost completely hidden among the tightly packed houses of old Badami, the Virupaksha Temple is one of those monuments that would be remarkably easy to miss unless you were deliberately looking for it.

Jambulinga Temple – Badami Almost hidden among the narrow lanes and tightly packed houses of old Badami, the Jambulinga Temple is very easy to overlook.

Tomb of Ali Adil Shah I (also known as Ali I Rauza) – Bijapur (Vijayapura) Among the great monuments of Bijapur, the tomb of Ali Adil Shah I (Ali I Rauza) is remarkably easy to overlook.

Tucked beneath the sandstone cliffs of Badami, the ASI Archaeological Museum offers a compact but rewarding introduction to the art and religious traditions of the Early Chalukyan Deccan.

Kishwar Khan’s Tomb – Bijapur (Vijayapura) Hidden among the tightly packed streets of modern Vijayapura, Kishwar Khan’s Tomb is one of Bijapur’s more neglected Adil Shahi monuments.

Afzal Khan’s Cenotaph and Mosque – Bijapur (Vijayapura) Bijapur is a city filled with mausoleums, but few have a story quite like the cenotaph of Afzal Khan.

Kumatgi Water Pavilion, 15km east of Bijapur (Vijayapura) About 15 km east of Bijapur, modern Vijayapura, lies one of the most unusual survivals from the Adil Shahi Sultanate.

Among the many monuments scattered across Aihole, the Charanthi Matha Jain group, also known as Murphadryavar Gudi, is perhaps one of the least appreciated.

Meguti Jain Temple – Aihole Perched high on a rocky hill overlooking the ancient settlement of Aihole, the Meguti Jain Temple occupies a unique place in the history of Indian architecture.