'Sri
Dattatreya Temple' of Chattarki is one among the few Vaishnava temples built by
the Kalyani Chalukyas. Chattarki is a small nondescript village in the
Vijayapura/Bijapur district of Karnataka. Vijayapura is a treasure trove of
many lesser known temples built during the Kalyani Chalukya period, of which
most are dedicated to Shaiva. Only 2 of the many temples built by the Kalyani
Chalukyas in Vijayapura are dedicated to Vaishnava, the Sri Dattatreya Temple
at Chattarki.
The
Dattatreya temple was built in the 12th century as per one of the
inscriptions found here, which also refers this place to be an agrahara and a
center for sculptural art and temple.
Reaching
Chattarki is not easy due to the limited availability of public transport. We
had to hire an auto from Devara Hippargi to reach Chattarki. It is sad that the
roads were devoid of any signage directing us to this temple and the final
stretch of road too is in a pretty bad condition. However on reaching, it felt
good to see an enclosure in the form of a compound wall for protecting the
temple.
I wondered about
how such a beautiful gem could lay hidden from the outside world. The temple is
protected under the ASI, who have done a fair job in the temple's restoration
and maintenance works.
This temple
consists of a garbhagriha, an antarala, and a sabhamantapa with mukhamantapa on
three directions. The garbhagriha houses a murti of Lord Dattatreya on a high
peetha, while the original statue of Lord Vishnu seems missing. The antarala is
open, with two decorated circular pilasters. The sabhamantapa stands on four
central pillars and twelve corresponding pilasters set against the walls. The
central ceiling here has a beautiful carving of an inverted lotus bud with
miniature sculptures.
This temple has some fine carvings of sculptural beauty on its outer walls. Majority of these carvings depict Madanikas in different moods and action which are comparable to the Hoysala style.