Calukya Architecture: Medieval Temples of Nothern Karnataka Built During the Rule of the Calukya of Kalyana and Thereafter, Ad 1000-1300 Book

This three-volume book gives a complete survey of the surviving Hindu and Jaina temples in the northern half of Karnataka from the period AD 1000-1300. These temples form a homogenous body of monuments that is one of the most interesting in India. From an architectural point of view it is the most interesting of all, because an important characteristic of Indian temples - their decoration with architecture - is taken to its limits. Nowhere else in India, or for that matter in the entire world, the decoration of architecture with architecture is so abundant and so detailed. The ambition to be complete required a lot of fieldwork, because about 50 of the 220 monuments included have not been published before. But not only 'new' temples were visited; without exception all temples presented in this book were seen at least once. During each visit many photographs were made. All of the approximately 1400 photographs published in the second and third volumes were made by the author. In addition to their scholarly value, the present volumes are very valuable for any layman with interests in architecture. This is because the monuments of the period are so extremely interesting for their sophisticated play with architectural elements, and because the photographs are so carefully taken and so instructive. With regard to photographs this book easily surpasses all others on old Indian temples.Read More