Seen here is an inscription on the pilaster on the right side of the antarala (vestibule or antechamber) in the Suhaveshwar Temple. The inscription is written in Sanskrit language using Devanagari script. The inscriptions state that Suhavadevi, queen of Prithviraja II, the Chahamana King in the year 1168 CE, gave donations for the construction of the temple.
The mukhamandapa (front porch) of the Suhaveshwar Temple is built on a trabeated system. The beams of the mukhamandapa connect to the concentric circles of the ceiling. The circular ceiling is made up of concentric circles of cusps. These diminish in size, and the centre is decorated with a suspending floral medallion.
Seen here is the domical ceiling in the mandapa (pillared hall) of the Suhaveshwar Temple. It is composed of concentric circles made up of small cusps. Each inner circle is offset a little from the outer circle. The centre of the ceiling has a suspended lotus medallion. The ceiling rests on eight pillars. Just above the pillar capitals, the circular portion of the ceiling has small square brackets with sculptures.
Seen here are the details of the mukhamandapa (front porch) of the matha (monastic or residential building) of the Suhaveshwar Temple. The entrance of the mukhamandapa is flanked by two walls which must have had kakshasanas (seat backs) above it. The corners are marked by pillars. In front of the mukhamandapa is an enclosed space that might have been used as a shrine of the matha. The pillars of the matha are plain, made up of rectangular stone slats with minimal ornamentation.
This is a view of the matha (monastic or residential), in the Suhaveshwar temple complex, from the eastern side. It is comprised of two long rectangular blocks, with the block on the back side slightly offset from the front. The upper storey of the matha has windows and balconies. The side walls of the upper storey have been restored.
The upper floor of the matha (monastic or residential) in the Suhaveshwar temple complex has a balcony that is right above the mukhamandapa (front porch) on the ground floor. This balcony is made up of four pillars that support a flat ceiling. The base of the balcony has an opening that leads to a small room. The layout and style of this balcony is similar to the transepts in the mandapas (pillared halls) of the Suhaveshwar and Mahanaleshwar temples.
This is a view of the south lateral transept inside the mandapa (pillared hall) of the Suhaveshwar Temple. The dwarf wall of the transept has an opening at the centre which leads to a small room. This style of the lateral wing or transept is similar to the mandapa of the Mahanaleshwar temple. The lower shafts of the pilasters embedded in these walls have elephant sculptures.
This is the south-facing elevation of the mulaprasada (main shrine) of the Suhaveshwar Temple. The juncture where the mandapa (pillared hall) meets the main shrine has a plain wall with only one band of ornamentation at the centre. This forms the kapili that corresponds to the antarala (vestibule or antechamber) of the temple. The jangha (wall) of the temple is plain, divided into two parts by a plain band.
The Nandi mandapa (pillared hall), or the vahana mandapa, stands in front of the main entrance of the Suhaveshwar Temple. It has a flight of stairs to its east. It must have had four pillars supporting a shikhara (superstructure) at one point. This Nandi mandapa’s remains are similar to the one in front of the Mahanaleshwar Temple.
View of the mukhamandapa (front porch) and mandapa (pillared hall) of the Suhaveshwar Temple from the east and the southeast sides. The semi-open mandapa is entered from the eastern side. The mandapa has dwarf walls running all along its north and south sides. There are kakshasanas (seat backs) on the dwarf walls. The temple exterior is austere and minimal in ornamentation.