A breakthrough discovery in Karnataka has revealed a small but architecturally unique Western Ganga Dynasty temple previously buried under agricultural silt. The most striking feature of the temple is its 'iron-cored' granite pillars—an ancient engineering technique where iron rods were used as internal structural reinforcements for slender stone columns. This suggests a higher level of metallurgical and architectural integration than previously documented for the 9th century.
The shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva and includes an exquisitely carved Nandi pavilion with a pyramidal roof. Inscriptions found on the temple's basement detail grants given by the Ganga kings for the upkeep of a 'sacred grove' surrounding the temple. Local authorities and the ASI are now working to relocate the modern farming activities to protect the original temple courtyard, which remains buried just beneath the surface.