Harihara – Fusion of Shiva and Vishnu
This stunningly beautiful sculptural relief depicts Harihara, a symbolical fusion of Vishnu and Shiva – two Gods of the Hindu Trinity – made into a single entity by combining half of their features. Because of this fusion, the followers of both the Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions worship Harihara.
As you can see from the image, Harihara is carved with Vishnu’s features on the right side and Shiva’s features on the left side. One of the left hands carries a shanka (conch), a signature object of Vishnu, indicating that the left part of Harihara belongs to Vishnu. One of the right hands carries a staff with a serpent, and the right part of his crown has a half-moon, kapala (skull cup), and a serpent, indicating that the right part of Harihara belongs to Shiva.
A similar Harihara relief can be found at the Durga Temple at Aihole, about 22 miles east of Badami.
Harihara is one of the most beautiful sculptural reliefs carved in the Badami caves. Adding to its beauty is the red and blue colored texture of the sandstone. It carved into the perpendicular extension to the sidewall of the mukhamantapa (porch) on the right side of Cave 3.
As the name suggests, Cave 3 is the third of the four rock-cut caves carved out of a red sandstone hill near Badami, Karnataka, India.
Related Images
– Harihara in Cave 1
– Harihara – Sculpture installed in one of the six devakoshtas (niches) built into the inner wall of the pradakshina patha of the Durga Temple at Aihole in Karnataka, India
– Ardhanarishvara in Cave – 1
Explore More About Badami Caves
– Badami
– Cave Temples of Badami
– Badami Cave 1, Badami Cave 2, Badami Cave 3, Badami Cave 4
– Durga Temple at Aihole
Explore Elephanta Caves
– Cave Temples of Elephanta
– Elephanta Main Cave (Cave 1), Elephanta Main Cave Ground Plan
– The Mystery of Elephanta Cave 2
– The Smaller Caves of Elephanta: Caves 2, 3, 4, and 5
– How to Reach Elephanta Caves
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