Kamala Narayana Temple at Degaon

Degaon is 5 kms from Kittur, 10 km from Halasi and 24 km from Bailhongal.

It is famous for Kadamba style Kamala Narayana temple, place with rich archeological find. Name of the place might have originated from its temple complex Devagrama meaning a village of God.

Kamala Narayana Temple was built by the Kadamba queen, Kamaladevi in the 12th century. The sculptures are breathtakingly beautiful. Lions and floral motifs vie with dancing girls for attention.

The temple is rectangular in shape and consists of three cells with the pillared hall running from North to South in front of the shrines on the west side. Each of these shrines is divided into two parts, Garbhagriha and Sukhanasi. The frames of the doorways of the Sukhanasi are carved with creepers. The pieced stone windows which surround the doorways are 'more ornamental than in any other Kadamba temple. The Garbhagihas have, as in other Kadamba temples, the dedicatory block with the image of Gaja-Lakshmi.

The first cell contains the image of Narayana.

The second cell has the icon of Lakshmi-Narayana with Lakshmi seated on the lap of Vishnu. Garuda and Maruti are standing on either side of this image.

The third cell bears the image of Kamala with two attendants on either side.

The walls of the temple are adorned with niche having plasters surmounted by terraced pyramidal towers in the Kadamba style crowned with a Kalasha. The ceiling has pendant lotuses, all of them artistic pieces of workmanship remarkable for richness of ornamentation and elaboration of details.

Source: Wikipedia
Link: Vijay Itagi