9 Oldest Temples in South India - Part 2

Karpaga Vinayagar Temple, Pillayarpatti

Built in 7th century by Pandiya Kingshad

Karpaga Vinayagar is carved out in a cave of Pillaiyarpatti Hillocks

This temple is built by cutting naturally occurring granite boulder

Lad Khan Temple, Aihole

This temple is build in the wooden style architecture implemented in the stone.

Built in the 5th century by Chalukyas

The special feature of this temple is that it starts with a rectangular structure and ends with a square structure

It is constructed in Panchayatana style of architecture

Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal

Build by Queen Lokamahadevi in 740 AD to commemorate her husband's victory over the kings from the South.

The height of this temple is 17.5 metres (57 ft)

Pattadakal' literally means 'Coronation stone'. The material where sourced from the soil, or sandstone from the hills that surround the region

Badami Cave Temples

Built in late 6th or early 7th century

This Temple is carved out of cave by Chalukya king, Mangalesha

It consist of 4 temples, out of the four, three are Brahmanical, while the fourth is Jain

Nearly 2000 steps have to be climbed to reach the cave

Material used was reddish golden Sandstone found locally

Chennakeshava temple, Belur

The material used is chloritic schist, more commonly known as soapstone

Built by Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana to commemorate his victory over the Cholas in 1116 AD

The material is soft which allows artist to carve more easily. It harden with time

Durga Temple, Aihole

Built in the late 7th or early 8th century by Chalukyas

Durga temple present the combination of Dravidian and Nagara architecture style.

Subrahmanya Temple, Saluvankuppam

After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, archaeologists discovered the rock formation

Archaeologists discovered 2 layers of construction 

First one was a brick construction made around 3rd century, around Sangam Period

The second layer was granite layer was constructed during Pallava reign around 8th century CE.

Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Trichy

Built by Pallavas in early 7th century CE, and renovated, expanded by Nayaks of Madurai during Vijayanagara times 14the century

This temple is cut through the rock hill, which is said to be 3.8 billion years old, older than Himalayas

Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Nattapettai

Built in 1053, during the reign of the Chola Kings

The Shrine was built in 1191 by Ilavalagan Kalingarayan of Nettur