Chandikeshwara Temple

This temple faces east and is opposite the Uddhana Virabhadra. Its name appears to be a mistake since all available evidence point to its being a Vaishnava temple. It is a typical Vijayanagara structure with an open maha Mandapa having yali and other composite pillars. Most of the reliefs on the facets of the pillars have Vaishnava themes.

The door-jambs of the Ardha-Mandapa and Antarala have Vaishnava dvara-palas. The Svami sanctum is a tri-tala vimana with a circular sikhara. A pillared cloister runs around both the shrines.

Rangamandapa doorways have guardians with Vaishnava emblems, recessed shakas, and Gajalakshmi on the lintel.

The side faces of the four central columns are further elaborated with superimposed pilasters. These show pots of foliation at the base, Kapotas and Panjaras at the top of the lower pilasters, replaced by miniature niches with makara toranas framing Krishna figures, or Kapotas and shalas, at the tops of the upper pilasters. These four supports are further distinguished by animal projections.

The rectangular walled court in which both temples stand is surrounded by a colonnade, expended into Mandapa at the north-east and south-west corners. The main temple consists of an east-facing Garbhagriha and antarala. These open directly into a Rangamandapa with four columns in the middle and eight against the walls.

The plain outer walls of the Garbhagriha, antarala and Rangamandapa are raised on a tripartite basement with angled bottom and top mouldings with corner bosses. The mahamandapa is raised on a low Adhishthana: Padma, ribbed Kumuda, and petalled Kapota with foliated kudus beneath the supports. Columns here have shallow adhishthana at the base triple blocks of carvings separated by polygonal sections with nagabandhas at the lower corners and Pushpapotika brackets.