Dravidian architecture has been widely spread in southern India, and most of them originate from the chola dynasty. Most of the Dravidian architecture has its significant qualities and features in terms of planning, construction technique, carvings, and sculptures. The present study highlights some of these elements in Dravidian temples of India along with more insights towards the Ramalingeshwara temple, Avani, Kolar. Many famous temples in southern India of Dravidian architecture have been documented to preserve the cultural and spiritual legacy, but still there are many temples that, despite their significant features, and associated famous mythological stories are still undocumented. Ramalingeshwara Temple in Avani, Kolar district of Bengaluru, is one such temple, which is also called the Gaya of the South and is famous due to the place known for Valmiki Ashram. Also, it is said that to pacify the rites that originated due to Luv Kush unknowingly capturing the horse, Ram, Bharat, and Shatrughan worshipped Bhagwan Shankar by making various lingas. The temple thus carries some of the well-known stories of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The aim of the paper is to showcase the significant features of this temple that originate the need for its preservation.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Hardy A. Indian temple architecture, forms and transformations, Indira Gandhi national centre for the arts. Abhinav Publications; 1995.
2. Kapadia A. Analysis of architectural form and elements of a Dravidian style temple in Chola dynasty during medieval period of southern India. Int J Interdiscip Res Innov. 2018 Oct-Dec;6(4):434–439. ISSN 2348-1226 (online).
3. Baby DK. Art and architecture under Imperial Cholas: A study. Migration Letters. 2024;21(S7): 7–21. https://doi.org/10.59670/ml.v21iS7.8563.
4. Sivaramamurthi C. The Chola Temples, Thanjavur, Gangaikoṇḍachoḷapuram & Darasuram. 6th ed., Publisher, Director General, Archaeological Survey of India; 2004.
5. Dehejia V. Art of the Imperial Cholas. New York: Columbia University Press; 1990.
6. Dokras U, Dr. Complexities and Intricacies of the South Indian Temples, Indo Nordic Authors’ Collective; 2022.
7. Jouveau-Dubreuil G. Archeologie du sud 1’Inde, pt.i. 1914. pp. 71–145 as per https://www.indianculture.gov.in/flipbook/28238.
8. The temple architecture of India. Chichester; Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2007.
9. Thaker J. Brihadeeswarar Temple: An Architectural Marvel of the Chola Dynasty; 2024. https://indiantempless.in/2024/12/13/brihadeeswarar-temple-an-architectural-marvel-of-the-chola-dynasty.
10. Deva K. Temples of India. 2015. ISBN-13:978–81–7305–054–1.
11. Stein B. Peasant State and Society in Medieval South India, Delhi: Oxford University Press; 1980.

Dravidian architecture has been widely spread in southern India, and most of them originate from the chola dynasty. Most of the Dravidian architecture has its significant qualities and features in terms of planning, construction technique, carvings, and sculptures. The present study highlights some of these elements in Dravidian temples of India along with more insights towards the Ramalingeshwara temple, Avani, Kolar. Many famous temples in southern India of Dravidian architecture have been documented to preserve the cultural and spiritual legacy, but still there are many temples that, despite their significant features, and associated famous mythological stories are still undocumented. Ramalingeshwara Temple in Avani, Kolar district of Bengaluru, is one such temple, which is also called the Gaya of the South and is famous due to the place known for Valmiki Ashram. Also, it is said that to pacify the rites that originated due to Luv Kush unknowingly capturing the horse, Ram, Bharat, and Shatrughan worshipped Bhagwan Shankar by making various lingas. The temple thus carries some of the well-known stories of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The aim of the paper is to showcase the significant features of this temple that originate the need for its preservation.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Hardy A. Indian temple architecture, forms and transformations, Indira Gandhi national centre for the arts. Abhinav Publications; 1995.
2. Kapadia A. Analysis of architectural form and elements of a Dravidian style temple in Chola dynasty during medieval period of southern India. Int J Interdiscip Res Innov. 2018 Oct-Dec;6(4):434–439. ISSN 2348-1226 (online).
3. Baby DK. Art and architecture under Imperial Cholas: A study. Migration Letters. 2024;21(S7): 7–21. https://doi.org/10.59670/ml.v21iS7.8563.
4. Sivaramamurthi C. The Chola Temples, Thanjavur, Gangaikoṇḍachoḷapuram & Darasuram. 6th ed., Publisher, Director General, Archaeological Survey of India; 2004.
5. Dehejia V. Art of the Imperial Cholas. New York: Columbia University Press; 1990.
6. Dokras U, Dr. Complexities and Intricacies of the South Indian Temples, Indo Nordic Authors’ Collective; 2022.
7. Jouveau-Dubreuil G. Archeologie du sud 1’Inde, pt.i. 1914. pp. 71–145 as per https://www.indianculture.gov.in/flipbook/28238.
8. The temple architecture of India. Chichester; Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2007.
9. Thaker J. Brihadeeswarar Temple: An Architectural Marvel of the Chola Dynasty; 2024. https://indiantempless.in/2024/12/13/brihadeeswarar-temple-an-architectural-marvel-of-the-chola-dynasty.
10. Deva K. Temples of India. 2015. ISBN-13:978–81–7305–054–1.
11. Stein B. Peasant State and Society in Medieval South India, Delhi: Oxford University Press; 1980.