The Temples of Marathawada (An Old and Rare Book)

Preface These monograph endeavourers to fill up the gap in the study of Indian temple architecture, by exploring a region which has been described by Fergusson as "Terra Incognita". He had very correctly remarked that the Nizam's territory is still almost unknown to us in so far as architecture is concerned.

Marathawada, once a part of Nizam's territory has been treated here as a geographical unit. The study is limited to the exploration of the ancient and mediaeval structural temple monuments.

Inscriptions discovered so far have also been used here and the temples referred to therein are also catalogued.

The work was originally submitted to Marathawada University for the award of Ph. D. in 1972. The monograph is dedicated to Late Dr. R. S. Gupte, the founder head of the History Deptt. of Marathawada University, my teacher, who introduced me to this unexplored treasure-trove?

I am really indebted to my student colleagues Dr. Nagrale and Dr. Deshmukh, who really dragged me to the desk and inspired me to prepare a press copy. There are no words to thank Shri Sharanji whose perseverance has brought this work to the light.

Introduction Marathawada region of Maharashtra state remained much neglected in the field of art, architectural research and explorations, as it remained a part of the Nizam's State of Hyderabad till 1948. State Department of Archaeology confined its efforts mainly to the preservation of world famous, rock cut temples of Ajanta, Ellora, Pitalkhora and A uranga bad. Most of the mediaeval temples and other monuments were left unexplored.

Henry Cousins surveyed the mediaeval temples of the Deccan in 1878. Ue· noticed just a couple of temples. His famous treatise, Chalukyan Architecture has also not referred any of the Chalukyan temples of Marathawada region of the then Nizam's State of Hyderabad. Dr. A. V. Naik worked on Architecture of the Deccan and submitted his thesis to Bombay University in 1947. But his study did not include architectural monuments of the region, although it formed a part of the Deccan. The reason, quite obviously was, that the area was under the Nizam and politically very much disturbed then.

Dr. Fergusson was very much conscious of this gap in the study of the architecture of the Deccan. He stressed the necessity of an extended survey of the Nizam's State. While writing in his famous book. "History of Indian and Eastern Architecture", he wrote, the Nizam's territory is still almost a "Terra Incognita" to us in so far as architecture is concerned. No extended survey has yet been made of such remains as may exist there by anyone having the knowledge of art or of the interest attaching to the forms and age of the buildings.

Things have changed since Independence and various subsequent events like police action and the merger of Hyderabad state into the Indian Union. With the linguistic reorganization of Indian States, Hyderabad State disappeared lending regions to Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Marathi speaking region commonly known as Marathawada was merged with Maharashtra.

With the establishment of Marathawada University and specially its History Deptt., the art and architectural studies, explorations and research have greatly been strengthened. The present investigator has endeavored to fill up the gap seriously felt by Dr. Fergusson, by undertaking an exhaustive survey and intensive study of the structural temple monuments. Marathawada region has been taken up here as a geographical unit and a part of the region described by Fergusson as 'Terra-Incognita'. The region is thus being explored fully for the first time.

This work concentrates on the study of the structural temple monuments around world famous cave temples of Ajanta and Ellora. It has explored for the first time the ancient and mediaeval structure monuments of this unknown & unexplored region. It brings out some altogether unknown temple sites of the Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, and the Yadavs. Inscriptions discovered in the region till this day, have also been analyzed and the temples referred to are enlisted here with reference to its location, temple remains and the chronology.

This monograph is an attempt of studying later chalukyan and yadav Temple remains of the region and to project their importance in chalukya Art tradition. A Rashtrakutas temple town is being brought to light through this monograph. Kandhar shows Rashtrakuta remains are debris. Hotter is a later Chalukya n Temple town of the region.

The present study reveals that the temples of the region although commonly known as Hemad panti do not belong to the Hemad panti temple style that evolved in the 14th century ad. They go back to the centuries earlier and represent excellent art traditions. An exhaustive list of the temples studies is given in the appendix. The temples referred to us the Epigraphs have also been documented here. The work is fully documented with illustrations Plans etc.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages