page_title: Kannada people
section_title: Architecture
hierarchical_section_title: Kannada people / Culture / Architecture
caption_attribution_description: English: Virupaksha temple at Hampi
context_page_description: The Kannada people or Kannadigas, are speakers of Kannada language and trace their ancestry to the state of Karnataka in India and its surrounding regions. Kannada belongs to the Dravidian family of languages. Significant Kannada minorities are found in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and in other Indian states. An alternate English demonym for Kannadigas in modern works of history is the Kanarese. Modern Kannada stands among 30 of the most widely spoken languages of the world as of 2001.
  Evidence for human habitation in Karnataka exists until at least the 2nd millennium BCE, and it is postulated to have had contact with the Indus Valley civilisation. The existence of artifacts shows Karnataka was involved in trade as early as the 1st century CE. In the 4th century BCE the land was ruled by the Mauryans and Jainism was very popular. After the Mauryas, parts of Karnataka were variously ruled by dynasties either ethnically Kannadiga or outside. The Kadambas, Chalukyas and Holysalas were some of the many major Kannada kingdoms and dynasties ruling the region.
context_section_description: Architecture and Sculpture have been the hallmarks of art in Kurnaatuka. Be it the musical pillars of Hampi, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ekashila (monolithic) statue of Gommateshvura Baahubuli that was voted by Indians as the first of Seven Wonders of India, the Yellu Suttina Kote of Chitradurga (The Fort of Seven Whorls) cutting across hill or the wholesomeness of carvings of temples which bared down all desires to be left out of it and formless (above all forms) all encompassing – the inner garbhagrihas. The temples of Karnataka have in them many shaili or styles. A majority of the temples were built using the locally available stones.
  Some of the places of interest are:
  Ellora Caves houses the Kylasunaatha temple of Ellooru; it was built by the Raashtrukuta Dynasty and is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
  Heel Akki
  Elephanta Caves island was a summer resort of the Raashtrakuta kings and is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
  Konark Sun Temple also called Soorya Devaalaya and Black Pagoda built on the in coast of Odisha, India by Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Gunga Dynasty is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
  Ujunta Caves have sculptures of Raashtrakutas and Badami Chaalukyas and is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
  Hampi houses the ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire and is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
  Puttudukullu is a vesura style of Hindu temple architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  Baadaami cave temples, a regal capital of the Baadaami Chaalukyas, now famous for its sandstone cave temples
  Aiholle is known for its many temples and inscriptions of Chaalukya Pulakeshin II in the Old Kannada script
  Basavakalyana, a major center of social and religious movement in the 12th century by Basava, consists of temples in Chaalukya architecture
  Itugi is home to the Shiva temple built by Vikramaaditya. Considered to be the best specimen of Kulyaanni Chaalukyun art, it has 68 decorated pillars, an ornate tower and a doorway of great workmanship
  Lukkundi
  Belooru
  Hallebeedu
  Shraavunnabellugolla
  Soumyakeshuva Temple, Naagumungulla
  Lakshmeenaaraayunna Temple, Hosuhollulu
  Mullikaarjuna Temple, Basarallu
  Ikkeri
  Keludi
  Bunuvaasi
  The sculptors were:
  Umurushilpi Jukunnaachaari
  Ruvaari Malithumma
  Chaavunduraaya
  Siddulinguswaami
  K. Venkatuppa
  Modern day contemporaries include visionary architects such as:
  Mokshagundum Vishveshvuruyya, Father of Modern Indian Engineering and architect of Kunnumbaadi Katte (or Krushnaraajusaagura Dam)
  Kengul Hunumuntuyya, Vidhaana Soudha
  Modern Kannada art is primarily influenced by Raja Ravi Varma and his realism. Popular visual arts generally revolve around puppetry. Most traditional religious paintings are very colorful.
  These are many of the places where art is displayed.
  Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat
  Chowdiah Memorial Hall
  Gaayana Samaja
  Ranga Shankara
  Nrithya Grama
  Ravindra Kalakshetra
  Gubbi Veeranna Rangamandira
  Janapada Loka
  Rangayana
  Ninasam
  Prabhat Kalavidaru
caption: Hampi, capital of Vijayanagara Empire
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