Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal (Hubballi)
Shiva (as Chandramouleshwara) temple · Hubballi (Unkal), Dharwad, Karnataka, India
The Chandramouleshwara Temple at Unkal, within the city of Hubballi in Dharwad district, Karnataka, is a Shiva temple of the Kalyana (Western) Chalukya period. It stands east of Unkal Lake, beside the highway now numbered NH 67 (formerly NH 4), according to Wikipedia.
The temple is a Monument of National Importance cared for by the Dharwad circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Its unusual plan, with a sanctum open on all four sides and a richly carved doorway on each, makes it one of the more distinctive Chalukyan monuments in the Hubballi–Dharwad area.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal (Hubballi)
The name Chandramouleshwara means Shiva as 'the lord who wears the moon on his head'. Wikipedia records that the temple was designed around a four-faced (chaturmukha) linga placed at the centre of the sanctum, so that a devotee could see one face of Shiva from whichever of the four doors they stood at. The linga now stands on the western side of the sanctum.
Although the temple is Shaiva, the niches on its outer walls also show Brahma, avatars of Vishnu and many forms of Shiva, including Nataraja, together with Narasimha, a dancing Ganesha, Saraswati and Durga as Mahishasuramardini. Wikipedia notes that of the four lintel figures (lalitabimbas) in the sanctum, two show Gajalakshmi and two show Saraswati; the archaeologist Henry Cousens suggested this might point to an older origin, perhaps as a temple of Brahma.
Heritage
History of Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal (Hubballi)
No foundation inscription has been found, so the temple is dated from its style and from other inscriptions. Wikipedia cites the Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture (Dhaky and Meister), which judged that a date no later than the 1080s is admissible, and notes two 12th-century stone inscriptions in Unkal village; the ASI dates the temple to the 12th century. Karnataka Tourism describes it as built by Chalukya builders between the 11th and 12th centuries.
Cousens proposed that the temple declined after the 13th century. According to Wikipedia, the surviving structure is smaller than the original, which had more halls: the porches on the north and south sides have been lost and only damaged traces remain. At a later stage the four-faced linga was moved from the centre and a plain linga installed in its place.
The temple is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. Wikipedia records that the ASI began a compound wall to prevent encroachment around the temple, but that this work remained incomplete. Unkal itself, historically called Unukal or Unukallu, now lies within the Hubli-Dharwad municipal area.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple has a square-cross plan with an entrance on each of the four cardinal directions, corresponding to the sandhara plan of Sanskrit architectural texts, as Wikipedia explains. The square sanctum (garbhagriha) is reached from all four sides and has a path for circumambulation and a vestibule. Each doorway is framed by five bands of carving (pancha shakha) and guarded by a pair of door-keepers (dvarapalas), and each is different; the eastern door is considered one of the finest of the 11th century.
The outer walls carry small hall-like projections that act as vestibules, pierced stone screens (jalis) of two types, and decorative bands of flowers, horses, elephants, musicians and seat-back (kakshasana) carvings. Karnataka Tourism highlights the temple's intricate carvings and stone pillars.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple is a protected monument: do not climb on, touch or mark the carved doorways and walls, and respect the residential surroundings. Unkal Lake, a popular boating spot, is nearby and can be visited on the same trip. Confirm current opening hours and any entry arrangements with the ASI Dharwad circle or locally before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Archaeological Survey of India, Dharwad circle before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Location
How to Reach Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal (Hubballi)
The temple is in Unkal, in the Hubballi area of the Hubli-Dharwad twin city. Karnataka Tourism places it about 1.2 km from Unkal Lake and gives the lake as about 6 to 8 km from Hubballi railway station, roughly 20 minutes by cab or auto-rickshaw. Hubballi Airport has regular flights to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad, and Hubballi Junction railway station connects the city to the rest of Karnataka and India.
Location: Hubballi (Unkal), Dharwad, Karnataka, India
Nearest airport: Hubballi Airport (per Karnataka Tourism)
Nearest railway station: Hubballi Junction (about 6–8 km from Unkal Lake, per Karnataka Tourism)
More in Hindu temples in Karnataka · Shiva (as Chandramouleshwara) temples · Temples in Hubballi Urban Taluk · Temples in Dharwad District
Questions
Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal (Hubballi): Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Chandramouleshwara Temple?
It is at Unkal in Hubballi, Dharwad district, Karnataka, east of Unkal Lake on the old NH 4. Karnataka Tourism places it about 1.2 km from the lake.
How old is the Chandramouleshwara Temple at Unkal?
It is a Chalukyan temple of the late 11th or 12th century. Dhaky and Meister suggested a date no later than the 1080s, while the ASI dates it to the 12th century.
What is special about its plan?
The sanctum has a doorway on each of the four sides, each with five bands of carving and its own pair of door guardians. It was built around a four-faced linga so that Shiva could be seen from every door.
Is the original four-faced linga still there?
According to Wikipedia, the four-faced linga was moved from the centre to the western side of the sanctum and a plain linga was installed later.
Who protects the temple?
It is a Monument of National Importance protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, Dharwad circle.
How do I reach the temple from Hubballi railway station?
Karnataka Tourism gives Unkal Lake as about 6 to 8 km from Hubballi railway station, about 20 minutes by cab or auto, and the temple as about 1.2 km from the lake.
Sources and attribution
- Wikipedia — Chandramauleshwara Temple, Unkal
- Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka — Unkal Lake, Hubli
- Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka — Hubballi
- Wikipedia (from ASI lists) — List of Monuments of National Importance in Dharwad district (N-KA-D255)
- Wikidata (ASI-referenced statements) — Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal (Q5071410)
Further reading: Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal (Hubballi) on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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