During the restoration of a neglected 9th-century shrine in rural Karnataka, workers discovered a concealed staircase leading to a vast subterranean ritual hall. The hall, built in the Early Western Chalukya style, contains twelve carved pillars depicting scenes from the Shiva Purana that have never been seen before.
Architects state the underground chamber was designed with a sophisticated passive cooling system involving air-vents that channeled wind from a nearby lake. This discovery adds a new dimension to our knowledge of early medieval temple architecture and the use of underground spaces for esoteric rituals.