It originally had a Chaturmukha (four-faced) Linga in the center of the temple and many more mandapas (halls), but the surviving structure is much smaller.

According to Dakhy and Meister – scholars known for their encyclopedia on India temple architecture and history, these factors suggest that "a date no later than the eighties of the 11th century seems admissible".

[5] The temple is a remarkable building that illustrates the sandhara plan, with a square garbhagriha that can accessed from four cardinal directions.

The doorjambs are decorated with pancha shakhas (five concentric band of fine carvings), but the artisans made each door unique.

[1] The jalas in this temple are of two types – gulika and puspakantha – both elegantly completed, with timber-like finish.

[1] Originally, the temple housed the image of Chaturmukha linga at the very center so that the pilgrim could see one face of Shiva no matter where she or he stood.

These depict a galaxy of deities and Hindu legends from all the major traditions within Hinduism: Brahma, avatars of Vishnu, and various forms of Siva.

[6] Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had begun work on the temple premises very long back.

Origin of river Shalmala is Unkal Lake is one of the water sources of Hubli-Dharwad and a picnic spot.