Prof. S. SRIPATHI NAIDU
Kadiri is the headquarters of a taluk
of that name in the Anantapur District (Andhra
Pradesh). The town is 56 miles from Anantapur and can
be reached by bus.
The
If a shrine is erected in a place where a
tree is regarded as the abode of the deity, it is called “Sthala
Vriksha.”
From the inscriptions it is clear that Kadiri was controlled by the Nayaks,
the local chieftains of the Rayas
of Vijayanagar. One inscription dated in 1352 A. D.
states that in the reign of the Vijaynagar King, Bukkanna Vodayalu, the
The temple faces East.
There are four entrances, one in each cardinal direction, surrounded by Gopuras. The
The main shrine is situated in the centre of
the courtyard. It faces east. It consists of the Garbhagriha
and Antarala, surrounded by a Pradakshina,
Mukhamantapa, connecting Mantapa
and Mahamantapa. Garuda is
housed in a small shrine in Mahamantapa facing the
main god. The Dwajasthambha and the Balipitha are found behind the Garuda
shrine. The main shrine measures 155 feet. The Adhishthana
of the Garbhagriha measures four feet in height and
contains Upana, Padma,
broad Patta Tripatta, gala
and Alinga Pattika. The
outside of the wall is decorated with pilasters having cola capitals and Sala Koshtas. The Ekatala Vimana rising above the Garbhagriha contains the series–Kuta,
Panjara, Sala, Panjara and Kuta. The Phalaka above this Tala contains
a seated lion, in each of the four corners. Above this is another Phalaka containing the figure of Garuda
in Anjali in each of the four corners.
The four-sided Sikhara belongs to the Nagara order.
The Pradakshina
round the Garbhagriha and the Antarala
contains a row of four pillars each in the south, west and north with cola
capitals on either side of the Antarala are found two
Dwarapalakas. Inside the Garbhagriha
is found the figure of seated Narasimha and Prahlada
standing before him. Narasimha here is
found as Prahlada-Anugrahamurthi. Standing, in Dvibhanga, the God has two hands. The right hand is kept on
the head of Prahlada, who is standing to bottom
right. The left hand is kept at Kati. The God has the face of a Lion and has no
Kirita. He
wears Graiveyakas, Channavira, girdle and Purnorukha.
The Garuda shrine,
situated in front of the Mahamantapa, is a square
structure, with plain walls and Nagara Sikhara. The Mahamantapa is a
square structure, measuring forty feet by forty feet. It contains 28 pillars of
the following types: pillar with Yali bracket, pillar
with one projecting pillaret, pillar with two pillarets projecting, and pillar with three pillarets projecting. The pillars have Vijayanagar
capitals. The ceiling of the Mahamantapa contains
some paintings. The Mukhamantapa and the Mahamantapa are connected by another Mantapa.
Four pillars with cola capitals are supporting this Mantapa.
The Mukhamantapa has three entrances in the east,
south and north. On the southern side is found a porch. The Devi
shrine is connected with this Mantapa. Metal figures
of Vishnu, Kaliyadamana and Lakshminarayana
are kept in a small room. Four pillars with cola capitals support the Mukhamantapa.
The Kalyanamantapa
is situated in the south-west of the main shrine and faces east. The Mantapa has been divided into two parts, the front part in
lower level and the back part at a higher level. The front portion contains a
row of six pillars with cola capitals. The elevated part is guarded by
elephants and contains two rows of six pillars each. At the extreme left
is a pavilion, with a Vimana order. To the south-west
of the temple is the Unjal Mantapa
a swing pavilion with four tall pillars with Vijayanagar
pillars.
There are a number of sub-shrines within the
temple compound wall, which is surrounded on three sides by pillared Mantapas. In the north-east corner of the courtyard is a
small shrine. It has a Garbhagriha, Antarala and a verandah. The Vimana
above the Garbhagriha has one Tala
with a row of the series–Kuta, Panjara,
Sala, Panjara and Kuta. On the four corners is found a Lion. The Sikhara is round and belongs to the
Vesara order. To the north of the Garbhagriha
of the main shrine is a Mantapa supported by four
pillars with a Vimana above. Two pillars have pillarets projecting. The other two have the figure of a
woman on a block projecting from the shaft. The Vimana
has one Tala with the series Kuta.
Panjara, Sala, Panjara and Kuta and a Nagara Sikhara.
The Devi shrine is situated to the north of the main shrine facing east. It has a Garbhagriha, Antarala, Mukhamantapa and Mahamantapa. The Adhishthana contains – Upana, broad Patta, Tripatta, gala cut into compartments and Alingapattika. The outer side of the wall is decorated with two pilasters, Sala Kosta and two pilasters. The pilasters contain cola capitals. The Ekatala Vimana above the Garbhagriha contains a row of the series – Kuta, Panjara, Sala, Panjara and Kuta. There is a Palaka above the Tala with a Lion in each of the four corners. The Nagara Sikhara is four-sided. The Devi is standing in Samabhanga. She has four hands. The upper right hand holds Cllakra and the upper left Sankha, while the lower right is in Abhaya and the lower left in Varada. She wears Kiritamakuta, Chakrakundalas, Graiveyaka, Kucabandha, girdle and Purnorukha.