The 900 year old Chandramouleshwara Temple in Hubli - An exquisite architecture

After a long long time, got an opportunity to visit the 900 year old Chandramouleshwara temple in Hubli, my hometown. Though I have visited the temple quite a lot times during my younger days, but only now did I happen to observe and appreciate its exquisite architecture.

The navigation to the temple might be a bit challenging for the outsider. Surrounded by the houses, it is located in the interiors of the locality and has to be accessed through a narrow lane. It is at a stone's throwaway distance from Unkal and is approximately 8-9km from the Hubli Airport.

The temple was built in the 12th Century during the regime of the Chalukya Dynasty. Sculptor Jakanacharya, who was known for his marvelous piece of architecture was assigned to build this temple overnight. The artisans engaged for the same couldn't build the temple overnight and hence part of the temple structure remained incomplete. 

The beauty of the temple is that, in the sanctum, it has two lingas, one of which is called a chaturmukha linga, which translates to four faced linga. The temple on the outside walls has gopurams, carvings of the deities and incarnations of lord Vishnu. No gopuram resembles the same, each has been distinctively carved. It surely catches the eye of the visitors.

It was a time well spent. Looking forward to explore more such ancient monuments.