Kosta [1] is the outer wall found around the garbhagriha or inner sanctum in the Hindu temples. In this kosta, deities are set up as per Agama (Hinduism) tradition.
In Shiva temples, sculptures such as Nartana Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Lingodbhava, Brahma Vishnu Durga are set up. The komugi through which abisega water which comes out from the sanctum sanctorum is also found here. During the period of kings, in granite temples so many other sculptures are found. The kosta found in the Siva temple is known as Shiva kosta [2] and Shivalaya kosta. [3]
In Sakthi temples also known as Amman temples Brahmi, Vaishnavi and other sculptures are found.
Pattadakal, also called Paṭṭadakallu or Raktapura, is a complex of 7th and 8th century CE Hindu and Jain temples in northern Karnataka (India). Located on the west bank of the Mallaprabha River in Bagalakote district, this UNESCO World Heritage site is 14 miles (23 km) from Badami and about 6 miles (9.7 km) from Aihole, both of which are historically significant centres of Chalukya monuments. The monument is a protected site under Indian law and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Harihara is the fused sattvika characterisation of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara) from Hindu theology and religion. Hari is the form of Vishnu, and Hara is the form of Shiva. is the Also known as Shankaranarayana like Brahmanarayana (Half represents Brahma and half represents Vishnu), Harihara is thus revered by both Vaishnavites and Shaivites as a form of the Supreme God.
The Rajarajeswara temple is a Shiva temple located in Taliparamba in Kannur district of Kerala, India. The temple is regarded as one of the existing 108 ancient Shiva Temples of ancient Kerala. It also has a prominent place amongst the numerous Shiva temples in South India. It had the tallest shikhara amongst the temples of its time. The Rajarajeshwara temple has a top of about 90 tonnes. If any problem is encountered in the other temples of South India, devotees seek a solution in this temple through a prasna, a traditional method of astrological decision making. The prasna is conducted on a peedha outside the temple.
The Kailasanathar temple, also referred to as the Kailasanatha temple, is a Pallava-era historic Hindu temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Dedicated to Shiva, it is one of the oldest surviving monuments in Kanchipuram. It reflects a Dravidian architecture and was built about 700 CE by a Rajasimha with additions by Mahendra III. A square-plan temple, it has a mukha-mandapa, a maha-mandapa and a primary garbha-griya (sanctum) topped with a four-storey vimana. The main sanctum is surrounded by nine shrines, seven outside and two inside flanking the entrance of the sanctum, all with forms of Shiva. The outer walls of the temple's prakara (courtyard) is also surrounded by cells.
Sree Poornathrayesa temple is a Hindu temple situated in Tripunithura, Kochi, the capital of the former Kingdom of Cochin. The temple is considered among the greatest temples in Kerala and was the first among eight royal temples of the erstwhile Kochi Kingdom. The deity was also considered the national deity of Cochin and protector guardian of Tripunithura. The deity in this temple is Lord Vishnu, who is in the form of Santhanagopala Murthy. Lord Poornathrayeesa is known for his love of elephants. Hence more than 40 elephants participate in his Vrishchikotsavam. And most of the elephants are sent for the utsavam (festival) without a money return expected by the elephant owners as Poornathrayeesa is considered to be an elephant lover.
Nataraja Temple, also referred to as the Chidambaram Nataraja temple or Thillai Nataraja temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nataraja – Shiva as the lord of dance – in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple has ancient roots and a Shiva shrine existed at the site when the town was known as Thillai. Chidambaram, the name of the city and the temple literally means "atmosphere of wisdom" or "clothed in thought", the temple architecture symbolizes the connection between the arts and spirituality, creative activity and the divine. The temple wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni, and these postures form a foundation of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance.
The Baroli Temples Complex, also known as the Badoli temples, is located in Baroli village in Rawatbhata City in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, India. The complex of eight temples is situated within a walled enclosure; an additional temple is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) away. They are built in the Gurjara Pratihara style of temple architecture dated to the tenth century A.D. All nine temples are under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India for conservation and protection. A well known art critic characterised "the creations of Badoli as the most perfect of their age that he had encountered within that part of the country and, in their own peculiar style."
Bhoramdeo Temple is a complex of Hindu temples dedicated to the Lord Shiva in Bhoramdeo, in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It comprises a group of four temples of which the earliest is a brick-temple.
The Siddhivinayak Temple of Siddhatek is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom. The temple is one of the Ashtavinayaka, the eight revered shrines of Ganesha in the Indian state of Maharashtra and the only Ashtavinayaka shrine in Ahmednagar district.
The Lakshmana Temple is a 10th-century Hindu temple built by Yashovarman located in Khajuraho, India. It is dedicated to Vaikuntha Vishnu - an aspect of Vishnu.
The Nageshvara-Chennakeshava temple complex, sometimes referred to as the Nagesvara and Chennakesava temples of Mosale, are a pair of nearly identical Hindu temples in the village of Mosale near Hassan city, Karnataka, India. One for Shiva, other for Vishnu, this pair is a set of highly ornamented stone temples, illustrating the Hoysala architecture. These temples also include panels of artwork related to the goddess tradition of Hinduism (Shaktism) and Vedic deities. Another notable feature of these temples is the artwork in their ceilings, how the shilpins (artisans) integrated the historic pre-Hoysala architectural innovations from the Chalukya era. Further, the temples include north Indian Bhumija and south Indian Vesara aedicules on the outer walls above the panels. It is unclear when this temple pair was built, but given the style and architectural innovations embedded therein, it was likely complete before 1250 CE.
The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram is a collection of 7th- and 8th-century CE religious monuments in the coastal resort town of Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) south of Chennai.
The Shore Temple is a complex of temples and shrines that overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal. It is located in Mahabalipuram, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) south of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India.
The Varahanatha Temple, also known as Yajna Varaha Temple, is a Hindu temple complex, located on the left bank of the Vaitarani River on an island formed by the river, in Jajpur, Odisha, India. The main shrine is dedicated to Varaha, the boar avatar of the god Vishnu. Built in 15-16th century, the temple is constructed in Kalinga architectural style. Besides the central Varaha shrine, there are numerous subordinate shrines to deities like Shiva, Vishnu, Vimala and others.
Bhumara Temple, sometimes called Bhumra, Bhubhara or Bharkuleswar, is a 5th or 6th-century Gupta era Hindu stone temple site dedicated to Shiva near Satna, in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh. The temple has a square plan with a sanctum and Mandapa. While much of it is in ruins, enough of the temple structure and works of art have survived for scholarly studies. The temple is notable as one of the early examples of an architecture that included an enclosed concentric pradakshina-patha. Like other early Gupta era Hindu temples, it includes a decorated entrance to the sanctum flanked by Ganga and Yamuna goddesses, and intricately carved sculptures.
Arthanāreeswarā temple is an ancient Hindu temple, located in Tiruchengode, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple is dedicated to Arthanāreeswarā, the unique half-male half-female of Lord Shiva. It is perhaps the only temple in Asia along with one situated in a small village of Madhya Pradesh named Mohgaon Haveli in the district of Chhindwara. where this rare form of the Divine is enshrined as the principal deity. The deity here is also known as Mādhorubāgan and Ammaiyappan (mother-father). The famous Chenkottu Velavar Temple, dedicated to Lord Murugan, is also situated on the same hill.
Vijayalaya Choleeswaram in Narthamalai, a panchayat town in Pudukottai district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Dravida style and rock cut architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the 9th century by Muttaraiyar kings, the cardinals of Pallavas, with later expansion from the Cholas. The rock-cut architecture is an early example of Cholan Art, continuing the tradition of the Pallavas. The other portions of Narthamalai houses the 8th century Jaina Abode, the Aluruttimalai Jain Caves. There are also two rock-cut caves, one of which houses twelve life size sculptures of Vishnu. The temple is considered one of the oldest stone temples in South India.
The Kaleshwari Group of Monuments, also known as Kaleshwari-Ni Nal, is located near Lavana village, Khanpur Taluka of Mahisagar district, Gujarat, India. It is near the district headquarters Lunavada and near a stream in Hidimba Van, the forest of Hidimba. The group includes intricately-carved temple ruins, two stepwells, a reservoir, structures with panels of erotic sculptures and idols scattered all over the site. The ruins are located at the foothills and on the hillock. They were built between the 10th and 16th century; some monuments were reconstructed after the 18th century. These are State Protected Monuments.
Mallikarjunar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at Dharmapuri in Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu, India.
Paranjothi Easwarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at Thanjakkoor in Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu, India.