Context:
Hoysala temples at Belur, Halebid, and Somanathapura in Karnataka were declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Sacred Ensembles of Hoysala is a serial nomination of 3 temples belonging to the Hoysala era from the 12th to 13th century, located in the state of Karnataka. The 3 temples are Channakeshava Temple (Belur), Hoyasalesvara Temple (Halebidu), Keshava Temple (Somanathapura).
Details about Temple:
| Chennakesava Temple | Hoyasalesvara Temple | Keshava Temple | |
| Type | Ekakuta (temple with 1 shrine) | Dvikuta (temple with 2 shrines) | Trikuta (temple with 3 shrines) |
| Dedicated to | Vaishnavism | Shiva [One shrine is dedicated to King Vishnuvardhan and the other to his Queen Shantala] | Lord Krishna in 3 forms – Janardhana, Keshava and Venugopala |
| Built/commissioned by | King Vishnuvardhana to mark victory against the Cholas. A stepped pond called Vasudev Tirtha was constructed by Veer Ballala II | King Vishnuvardhana | Built under King Narasimha III |
| Architectural details | Depicts scenes from daily life, music, and dance.Narrates scenes from life of Vishnu Depicts the epics Ramayana, and Mahabharata. Images from Jainism and Buddhism. Garbha griha houses an enshrined image of Krishna. | Has a walled complex containing of 3 Jaina basadi (temples) of the Hoysala period as well as a stepped well. Sculptures inside the temple depict scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. | Known for its lathe turned pillars, symmetrical architecture, and intricate sculptures. Sculptures found are that of Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati. |
| Waterbody | Banks of Yagachi River | Originally Halebidu was called Dwarasamudra which refers to a large water reservoir. | Banks of River Kaveri |
| Comments | On all 3 entrances to the temple are the Hoysala symbol showing the legend of Sala killing the tiger. Belur is the 1st known instance of this type of usage of the symbol. Rathotsava at temple began with syncretic tradition after the moulvi recited the Koran. | No longer used as a place of worship as the temple was desecrated by armies of Sultanate. |
Hoysala Architecture:
- Architecture Style – Vesara
- Building Stone – Soapstone (chloritic schist)
- Time Period – 10th to 14th century AD
- Unique Features –
- Stellate Plan (looking like a star)Intricate carvings – Seen in the jewellery of gods at temple wallsCarvings of – Animals and other denizens of forest on lower part and above them huge sculptural representations of gods.Sculptures – Depicts scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavata Purana.
- Design –
- Double building with large hall form mandapa (for music and dance)
- A Nandi pavilion precedes each building
- Mandapas – Both open and closed mandapas, have circular pillars, ceilings are ornate with mythological and floral designs.Vimana – Simple on inside and decorative on outside.
- Religious themes – Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, Jainism etc.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Building ‘Kalyaana Mandapas’ was a notable feature in the temple construction in the kingdom of
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]
(a) Chalukya
(b) Chandela
(c) Rashtrakuta
(d) Vijayanagara
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
The construction of Kalyana Mandapas, specifically dedicated to conducting religious and ceremonial events, was a notable hallmark of temple architecture in the Vijayanagara kingdom.
