The Mallikarjuna temple is located in the town of Kuruvatti (also spelt Kuruvathi) in the Bellary district of Karnataka state, India.

The art historian Ajay Sinha classifies the Kuruvatti style to be a third idiom, the other two being the Lakkundi and Itagi (or Ittagi) schools.

[4] The Mallikarjuna temple has a single shrine with a superstructure or tower (ekakuta vimana[5]) with porched entrances from three sides.

[1] The outer walls of the shrine and hall (mantapa) have been provided with projections and recesses giving rise to niches, in which, in relief, are pilasters (including a new Chalukyan variety), miniature decorative towers (turrets or aedicule), sculptures of Hindu gods, and women displaying stylized feminine features (salabanjika or madanika).

[6] Cousens feels the specimens of makara (mythical beasts) on the shrine walls are exceptionally delicate with "tails of flowing arabesque" standing out free from the background material.