Imagine being transported back in time to witness the grandeur and magnificence of temple architecture in the region of Karnataka, India. This is the essence of the Hoysala Art Temples in Krishnaraja Pete.
Let us explore a few examples of Hoysala architecture in the region of Krishnaraja Pete.
4 Hoysala Art Temples In Krishnaraja Pete
Brahmeshwara Temple
The Brahmeshwara temple mentioned here is in good condition. It was built in 1171 during the reign of Veera Narasimha by his vassal Burmayya and his wife Bammavve and donated to Brahmeswara Jiyar, an inscription in the Nandi mantapa of the temple. Hence it is named Brahmeshwara. It is common for kings and vassals to change their names to Isvara and name the temple they built. There is also an inscription mentioning the contribution of Bammavva, the builder of the temple. The Brahmeshwara temple does not have a verandah as found in other Hoysala temples.
The sanctorum is star-shaped. The outer wall of the temple is simply decorated. Notably, while most of the temples have mural sculptures arranged roughly in the centre, here the sculptures are placed at a height of four feet and the rest of the upper part is left blank. This is a technique that helps to observe the appearance of the sculptures more. The reliefs of the deities carved between the pillars of straight lines are not very large in size. The carvings carved on the side of Kakshasana are more sculptural. There are many beautiful idols like Narasimha, Govardhana Giridhari, Umamaheshwara, Ganapathi, Venugopala, Varahamurthy etc. Not only was he crushed by the shock of his feet, but his face was disfigured with a stone.
The Dravidian style peak is decorated with beautiful miniatures. The temple is accessible from two directions and eleven of the sixteen idols of Madanikas are now available in the bodhige in the vast Navaranga. There are sculptures of Shiva and Vishnu in the small temples in the north and south. The Bhuvaneswari of Navaranga has a beautiful composition of Ashtadikpalas centered on Nataraja. The attractive Nandi idol at the entrance has one eye looking at Shiva while the other eye seems to be looking at Parvati. The structure of the rope on Nandi’s body and the beauty of the ornaments are very real. Apparently, the Veerabhadra Temple at Lepakshi, built during the Vijayanagara period, is based on Kurma. A similar structure has been installed in this temple as well.
For more photos;(20+) Facebook
Amriteshwar Temple
Amriteshwar Temple was built during the reign of Ballala III. Three-four years ago, a shepherd found traces of a temple buried in the mud near the village lake. Then excavate it. The temple, which was in good condition, and the nearby Kalabhairava temple were renovated at a cost of around Rs 4 lakh. The temples of Kalabhairava are rarely in close proximity to the temples of Ishvara. Just as Kalabhairava is near the Vishwanath temple in Kashi, there is a Kalabhairava temple near the Gangadhareshwara temple at Adichunchanagiri in the south. Another such rare temple of Kalabhairava is located near the Amriteshwara temple at Agrahara Bachahalli. Both have been updated simultaneously.
In this collection, both new and old paintings are published in parallel. This helps us to understand the differences, progress, etc. The outer wall of the temple, which appears to be the simplest of the Hoysala constructions, has simple carvings of vertical lines. The temple, which has no other attraction except the Phansa-style peak, is proposed for its antiquity and revived significance. Congratulations to the villagers for saving the temple which was being destroyed.
For more photos;(20+) Facebook
Huniseshwara Temple
Huniseshwara Temple Just as the temple here is called Huniseshwara, recently the argument that it should be called Hoysaleshwara has begun. Based on the records, scholars need to clarify the historical evidence for this. Agrahara Bachahalli is an important site during the Hoysala period and there are many hero stones and temples here. The hero stones carved in memory of the heroes are preserved here. This place is referred to as Bachiyahalli, Bacheyahalli. It is customary to call the Hoysala temple here as Huniseshwara Temple.
The name may have been derived from the construction of a Hoysala officer named Hunsimayya. It is also said that the name is derived from the large hunise tree near the temple. The temple consists of garbhagriha, antaraala, navaranga and mukhamantapa. The beautiful Nandi sculpture, Bhuvaneswaris in Navaranga, the main gates are the attractions here. On top of the sanctum sanctorum is a Dravidian style peak. Navaranga has access through steps from three sides. The sloping structure of the temple is reminiscent of the temple at Ikkeri. The mukhamantapa seems to have been created after the construction of the temple. There is a difference between the structure of the roof around the temple and the structure of the mandapa.
The idol of Nandi in the mini-mandapa in the mukhamantapa is missing and it seems that the nandi seen now may be different. If the sculpture of Nandi is gently tapped with a stone, it gives a metallic sound. Different sounds are produced in different parts. It is clear that the structures of the kirtimukhas on the Dravidian style peak have worn out. There may have been a sculpture in front of Sukanasi. It is no longer visible.
For more photos;(20+) Facebook
Mahalingeshwara Temple
Another such example is the Mahalingeshwara Temple at Santhebachahalli. Because. When the original structure of the temple is changed and renovated, structures such as mukhamantapas are missing. Naturally, the temple is situated eight feet below the lake as it is opposite the lake. There is so much left for what has now been secured. The fact that otherwise this too would have been destroyed is comforting. The density of Hoysala temples in Mandya district is high. It is located at a distance of 24 km from K.R. Pet. It’s not that big in size. The unique stone peak of the temple is still in good condition. The peak is in three stages. These include Ugranarasimha, Lakshminarayana, Tandaveshwara, Bhairava, Venugopala, Umamaheshwara and many other attractive sculptures.
A pair of magicians and poison-maidens, usually dressed in robes, are found in several hoysala murals. Interestingly, on the summit of the Mahalingeshwara temple, a pair of magicians and serpent bearers are seen. In the broad vision and devotion of the Hoysalas, both the worldly and the transcendental are inflexible. There is also a temple of Veeranarayana built by Hoysalas in Santhebachahalli. The temple here is known as Tripurusha Temple. It is noteworthy that the idea of a single platform of these deities has a holistic view, just as a single temple was created for the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Though it looks monolithic from the outside, in the three sanctum sanctorums inside, there is an idol of Lord Vishnu to the north of the Navaranga. There is an idol of Chaturmukha Brahma in the north. Between the two, there is a linga form of Mahalingeshwara facing east.
It is the same here as in many Hoysala temples where idols have been stolen and missing. The six-foot-long idol of Nandi in the Navaranga is now missing. The four devakoshthas of the Navaranga had two-and-a-half feet tall idols. The standing idols of Brahma, Umamaheswara and Sthanaka Vishnu remain in ruins. At the entrance of Sukanasi are the guardians, there is a structure of jalandras. In Vitana, there are reliefs of dancing Shiva, Ganapati, Skanda and Aditya. The nine-column navaranga has nine vithanas with separate designs.
Generally, the pillars of the Hoysala temple are simple, either made of rotating machines or with round structures. The pillars here show diamond figures with vines and beads. Daily rituals are going on. On the new moon day of Deepavali, lakshdeepotsava and Shivaratri celebrations are being done as usual. Some vijayanagara period temples like Anjaneya, Veerabhadra, Masthamma etc. are preserved in this village.
For more photos;(20+) Facebook
Also Read;
Nataraja Temple Or Thillai Nataraja Temple (thearchspace.com)
Leave a Reply