Mention the distinctive features of Vesara style and discuss how it developed under the Chalukyas and the Hoysalas describing the architecture of one temple of each dynasty.

The Chalukyan or the Vesara style cannot be said to have an independent origin of its own but it represents an outgrowth of earlier Dravidian style. The genesis of the development may be traced back to the days of early Chalukyan kings in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D.
Certain features to be noted with respect to the Vesara style include-

• Emerged during the medieval period.
• They are a hybrid style of temple which includes both- Dravida and Nagara style of temple architecture.
• The temple height was reduced.
• The Vesara style also called the Chalukyan type possessed the Dravidian vimana and the Nagara- type faceted walls.

The temple at Aihole known as Lad Khan was built by the Chalukyan dynasty. It is a low flat-roofed building. It possesses a garbagriha and mandapa.
The Durga temple perhaps of the 6th century shows better architectural experiment; it seeks to adopt the Buddhist Chaitya to a Brahamanical temple. There are ten temples at Pattadakal. Of these four are in the northern style (Nagara) and six in the southern (Dravida). Among the temples of Nagara style the temple of Papanatha (c. 660 A.D.) shows the first attempt to combine northern and southern features in one temple but was not quite successful.
In the 12th century A.D. the style reaches its maturity and supreme expression. One of the most significant temples that illustrates the style at its best is that of Kasivisvesvara at Lakkundi.It is a double shrine temple, the second shrine facing the principal complex axially on the east.

Topics: GS-I: Indian Architecture