Ladkhan temple
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Ladkhan temple is one of the earliest Chalukya temples at Aihole in Karnataka. It is usually dated between the fifth and seventh centuries CE. It has a low, almost flat, sloping roof made of stone slabs. This makes it look like a village assembly hall or a wooden house, not a temple with a tall tower. It shows the early, experimental stage of temple building in the Deccan. Its odd name comes from a person called Lad Khan, who lived in the building much later.
Example
At Aihole, the Ladkhan temple is a square hall with pillars and a flat roof. A small shrine sits on top of the roof. It was dedicated to Shiva.
Don't confuse with
- Durga temple of Aihole: also an early Chalukya temple at Aihole, but it has a rounded, horseshoe-shaped (apsidal) plan with a walkway around it. The Ladkhan temple is square with a flat roof.
Related concepts
- Puranic Hinduism
- Vaishnavism
- Avatar
- Dashavatara
- Varaha
- Vasudeva-Krishna
- Shaivism
- Linga
- Garbhagriha
- Antarala