About
This Sri Pataleswara Shiva temple is one of the Shiva temples of Panchalinga Temples in and around of Talakadu. Sri Pataleshwara Temple, Maraleshwara Temple and Vaidyanatheshwara Temples are near to each other and Arkeshwara temple and Mallikarjuna temples are out side Talakadu. We had visited the three Shiva temples out of 5 Shiva Temples in Talakadu. These three temples are once under sand dunes. Excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI) during 1970s and protective walls are also constructed around the temple. This may be due change of direction of Kaveri River or due to flood. But there is a legend behind this phenomena, which we are not dealing now.
Moolavar : Sri Vasukishwara or Sri Pataleshwara
Some of the important details are...
The temple is facing east and about 20 feet below the ground level surrounded by sand mount. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and arthamandapam. The Mandapa pillars are squatrish pillars of Ganga order. The specialty of this temple is moolavar changes his colour from morning to evening from red to black and white during night.
Believed to be constructed during 8th century by Rastrakuttas and some claims that the original temple was built by Gangas during 10th century. The sanctum constructed with jagati, trittakumuda, gala, ryalamala. Mouldings of this type of plinth is called as pratikrama type. The vimana was built during recent years. The temple inside has the Ganga’s style sculptures of Dhakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Durga and Bairavar. One of the sanctum stone contains the Chozha period inscriptions. Inscribed after the Victory of Talakadu over the Gangas.
