Sculptural Heritage of the Savadatti Region: A Study of Shaiva, Vaishnava and Jaina Traditions

Abstract The Savadatti region of present-day Karnataka preserves a rich sculptural tradition reflecting the religious, cultural, and artistic developments of the medieval Deccan. Particularly during the period of the Kalyana Chalukyas and their feudatories, the Rattas, temple architecture and iconography flourished extensively. This paper examines the sculptural corpus of the region through field study, classifying the sculptures into Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Jaina traditions. Special attention is given to iconographic features, stylistic characteristics, ornamentation, posture (bhangi), and religious symbolism. The study highlights the predominance of Shaiva imagery while also examining the limited but significant presence of Vaishnava and Jaina elements. The research contributes to understanding the socio-religious dynamics and artistic excellence of medieval Karnataka.