According to historian I. K. Sarma, the temple is a fine example of native Western Ganga art of the 9th century, with influences from the Badami Chalukya and Nolamba architectural idioms. It is dedicated to the Hindugod Shiva and was commissioned by a vassalking of the Nolamba dynasty. Historians I.K. Sarma, B.S. Ali and K.V. Soundara Rajan date the temple to the late 9th century to early 10th-century period. B.S. Ali calls this temple one of the finest examples of Western Ganga art while Aschwin Lippe and Soundara Rajan feel the temple is more consistent with contemporary Nolamba style. The dating of the temple is confirmed by two inscriptions. One inscription in the temple dated 895 C.E. describes the commissioning of the temple by a Nolamba king under his overlord, the Western Ganga King Rachamalla II. The inscription also records the grant made by King Rachamalla II himself to the construction of this temple. The other inscription, a Hero stone in the temple tank, confirms that this region was under the overall control of the Western Ganga Dynasty during this period. Historian Sarma argues that the Western Gangas and Nolambas had close links with regards to "cultural art" and they would have, in their commission, common guilds of architects and sculptors. According to Sarma, the three lateral shrines with an enclosure for Nandi the bull, the vehicle of the god Shiva, was added during the later Hoysala period and this is confirmed by art critic Takeo Kamiya.
Temple plan and sculptures
The plan of the sanctum is a square pyramidal one, with a plain exterior with simple pilasters, a vestibule separating the sanctum from a closed hall with an exceptionally well sculptured section called the mahamantapa or navaranga. The superstructure over the shrine and vestibule have been renovated at a later period but the base on which the temple stands is original in construction. The doorjamb and the lintel above the main door have exceptional art. The doorjamb exhibits seated door keepers at the base, boldscrolls of decorative creepers that run along the sides of the main door and contain Yaksha and Yakshis. Above the door, forming the lintel is a sculpture of Gajalakshmi with elephants showering her from either side. Sarma feels this sculpture may have inspired the monolithic carving at the main entrance on the Vindyagiri hill in the famous Jain heritage town of Shravanabelagola. The ceiling panel grid of images in the mahamantapa needs special mention and speaks of the good taste of the Ganga-Nolamba architects. The panel images include a four handed dancing and well ornamented Shiva, and a four tusked elephant carrying on its back the god Indra and his consort Sachi.
