Biccavolu (Bikkavolu) is a village about 30 kilometers west of Kakinada, Eastern Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. Prior to the 13th-century, it was a much larger historic town and religious center. It is called Birudanka and Birundankaprol of Vengidesa in historic Telugu and Sanskrit texts.
<ul><li>Major Hindu temples, particularly of the Shaiva and Surya tradition, were built in Biccavolu by the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. Per inscriptions found in the temples and this area, these temples were complete and consecrated between the 8th and 10th-century. These temples and iconography therein are useful illustrations of innovative interpretations of early Sanskrit texts on temple architecture and the Hindu synthesis of ideas across those found from the Cholas in the South (Tamil Nadu), the Kalingas in the east (Odisha) and the western Deccan region's explorations (upper Karnataka).</li>
<li>The Virabhadra temple (Veerabhadra Gudi) is located to the east of Biccavolu village.</li>
<li>It is a west facing temple, one originally dedicated to Surya (Sun god). It has the standard square and circle principle of floor plan and design as found in historic Sanskrit texts.</li>
<li>The outer walls of the temple feature the bhadra images of Vishnu on the south, Brahma on the north side, and Surya on the east. These are notable for two distinctive styles of decoration, with Vishnu and Surya in the Kalinga style (Odisha) and Brahma in the Chola style (Tamil Nadu). It is likely that shilpins (artisans) from these two regions worked together as a team to complete this and few other temples in Biccavolu.</li>
<li>The <i>vimana</i> (spire) of the temple has two intricately carved <i>talas</i> (storeys). These show a tradition of artwork similar to most major Hindu temples all over South Asia and Southeast Asia – kama scenes (amorous couples), artha scenes (people of different professions including teachers) and dharma scenes (gods and goddesses).</li>
<li>The Brahmacchanda shikara of the Virabhadra temple is partly ruined.</li>
<li>The door jambs of the sanctum are simple, but do include goddess Ganga and Yamuna at the base.</li></ul>
G.N. Subrahmanyam
2021-06-26 10:24:22
G.N. Subrahmanyam (OTRS 2021062810008185)