![]() Although the temple was actually built to worship Lord Vishnu, at a later stage the temple was under the Jains and still later went to the Shaivites. The sculptures of Siddheshvara Temple bear testimony to this fact. This ancient building has an image of the Sun god. This stone image is to be found below the 'kirtimukhas' on the eastern wall of the temple. Besides this a figure of Lord Shiva has also carved out of a separate stone slab and has been placed in front of the shikhara. Siddheshvara Temple is undoubtedly a Chalukya temple which is evident from its architectural features of 11th and 12th centuries. ![]() Other sculptures of Siddheshvara Temple comprise of the images of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu; Ganapati and Kartikeya on either side of Brahma and Vishnu are to be found on the epistyle above the antechamber entrance. Certain ceiling panels of the garbhagriha bear the stone images of saptamatrika or seven mothers. A square column, on the other hand, has an image of ashtadikpalas or eight guardians and the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwar and a figure of Surya. Even the step well outside the temple has been decorated with stone carvings. Here one would come across the saptamatrika sculptures. The same motif also appears on the friezes with female deities who have children on their lap and have the vahana of their male counterpart. Brahmi, Brahma's consort is beside Shiva accompanied by a goose. Next come Maheshvari, the consort of Shiva with Nandi; Vaishnavi, Lord Vishnu's consort with Garuda; Kaumari, the consort of Kartikeya with a peacock; Varahi, Varaha's consort with a buffalo, etc. Other sculptures that fill up the nooks are images of Surya shrouded by a seven hooded snake and Mahishamardini. |