1) Cosmopolitan sthapatis (architects) of medieval Karnataka and their versatile creations. A Brief thread about lesser known aspect of medieval Temple Architecture of Karnataka. 
Those who follow my threads must have remember my thread on temple architecture not so long ago. The thread was ended with this tweet. But there is much more to it than what meets the eye. This thread elaborates further on that interesting development.
So lets start with this Kotiswara temple at Kupputur. This temple built in late Chalukyan style seems like just another medieval temple of Karnataka with highly ornate carvings on its outer wall.
4) Inscription on one of the pillars of the same temple. One interesting Passage of the inscription talks about the Sthapati/architect who built the temple and how he decorated with elements of Nagara, Dravida, Bhumija, Kalinga etc style of temple architecture.
5)Inscription pretty much implies that architect who built them was well versed in architectural tradition prevalent not only in Karnataka but that of various regions of India. To make sense of these terms go through this threads.
6) So was it just mere boasting or was he indeed well versed in all those tradition? A closer examination of the outer temple walls in fact do reveal that it wasn't just mere boasting. They were indeed decorated with smaller shrines of Nagara and Dravida variety!
7) It wasn't the only case either. So for eg take look at shrine models on outer walls of Santeshwara temple & Tarakeshwara temple (last from right). Not only they portray Nagara temples but its particular type - Shekhari variety which was prevalent in Western India at that time!
8) Compare those previous pictures with these temples of Shekhari tradition built in western India. As one can see even the most minute details of those model shrines matches with actual temples. As if those Sthapatis from Karnataka had personally visited Western India!
9) Similarly take a look at this Bhumija shrine models from 1) Siddhesvara temple and 2) Amriteshwara temple! once again starking similarity with actual temples of Bhumija traditions built in MP and Maharashtra such as Uadayeshwara temple in MP (3rd Image)
10) In the Hoysala period temples such as Chenna Keshava temple at Belur one can even see actual mini shrine of Bhumija variety at the entrance.
11) Similarly take a look at the another shrine model (middle one) at Katteshwara temple. Not only it represents Nagara tradition but actually It accurately represents the Phamsakara variety of Kalinga style. Compare it with Bakeshwara temple at Bhubaneshwar in image two for eg.
So not only those Sthapatis of Karnataka were well versed in Nagara tradition but infact they had very accurate knowledge of even various sub varieties (including less popular ones) of various regions of north!
13)Furthermore those sthapatis of medieval Karnataka not only they knew outer designs of temple traditions of North India but they were actually capable of building them as one can see at 1)Ganapati temple (Shekhari), 2)Sadashiva temple (Bhumija) 3) Lakkhmidevi temple (Kalinga).
14)Dravida temple tradition prevalent in contemporary Tamilnadu, once again finds the same accurate representation in the shrine models on the temple walls of Karnataka! For eg compare shrine model frm Kashi vishweshwar temple, Lakkundi, Karnataka with actual temple in Tamilnadu!
15)It is worth mentioning here that Temple architecture tradition prevalent in Karnataka itself was known as Vesara. the word Vesara itself indicates hybrid nature. & temples of Karnataka indeed carries elements of both Nagara tradition of North & Dravida tradition of Tamilnadu.
16)So that was medieval Karnataka. Its talented sthapatis were well versed architectural traditions of entire India & equally comfortable in executing that knowledge in real life to the extent of mixing elements from various styles to devise their own distinguished Vesara style.
17)Interestingly Karnataka wasn't an exception. Study of Vastushastra scriptures of both North and south of Karnataka shows that they were equally well informed about contemporary architectural traditions of rest of India!
18)However it is only here at temples of Karnataka that we get the expression of that through knowledge & expertise of our Sthapatis!
19)And temples are only one aspect of that cosmopolitan culture of medieval Karnataka. Otherwise one can see same phenomenon in use of languages and scripts (which I will elaborate on some other time) of medieval Karnataka or in musical tradition for instance.
20)Will current "Namma Metro" or "Namma bengaluru" generation be able to carry forward that cosmopolitan legacy of medieval Karnataka? Only time will tell!
