Hoysaleswara temple

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Hoysaleswara temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built by the Hoysalas in the 12th century during the reign of King Vishnuvardhana. The construction was completed in 1121 CE. During the early 14th century Halebidu was the sacked and looted by Muslim invaders from northern India and the temple fell into a state of ruin and neglect. The temple is located in the town of Halebidu. Previously known as Dorasamudra or Dwarasamudra, Halebidu is 16 km from Belur, 31 km from Hassan and 149 km from Mysore in the state of Karnataka, India.

Contents 1 History 2 Temple plan 2.1 Sculptures 2.2 Horizontal treatment 2.3 Garuda pillar 3 Notes 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

From records it is known that the temple derives its name from the Hoysala ruler at that time, Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleswara, though interestingly the construction of the temple was initiated and financed by wealthy Shaiva citizens of the city, prominent among whom were Ketamalla and Kesarasetti.^[1] The temple building activity was taken up in competition to the construction of the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, a Vaishnava temple. The temple faces a large tank which was built in the middle of the 11th century and received water through channels from an ancient anecut (dam) built over the Yagachi river.^[2] The tank preceded the temple by nearly seventy five years. It is one of the largest temples dedicated to lord Shiva in South India.

[edit] Temple plan

See also: Hoysala architecture, Chennakesava Temple, and Chennakesava Temple at Somanathapura

The temple is a simple dvikuta vimana (two shrined), one for Hoysaleswara and the other for Shantaleswara (after Shantala Devi, queen of king Vishnuvardhana) and is built with Chloritic Schist (Soapstone, also known as potstone).^[3] The whole temple complex is built on a jagati (platform), a feature that became popular at that time.^[4] The two shrines are located beside each other facing east and each have a mantapa (hall) in front. The two mantapa are connected giving a large and imposing view of the hall. Individually, each shrine is smaller than the one at the Chennakesava Temple at Belur and contains a simple linga, the universal symbol of Shiva. The plan of the inside of the temple is simple but the exterior looks different because of the use of many projections and recesses in the walls. The superstructure on the shrines called sukanasi^[5] the row of decorated miniature roofs above the eaves of the hall are all missing.^[6] The towers of the shrines that are missing must have followed the star shape of the shrine, just as in many existing well preserved towers in other Hoysala temples.^[7] The temple was built at a height that provided the architects sufficient horizontal and vertical space to depict large and small sculptures. The overall effect of the vertical and horizontal lines, the play of the outline, the effect of light and shade and the plan of the projections and recesses all amounts to a marvellous exhibition of human labor to be found even in the patient east and surpasses anything in Gothic art.^[8] The outer walls of all these temples contain an intricate array of stone sculptures. The great temple of Halebidu, has been described as an outstanding example of Hindu architecture and as the 'supreme climax of Indian architecture'.^[9]

The temple has four porches for entry and the one normally used by visitors as main entry is actually a lateral entrance (north). There is one entry on the south side and two on the east side, facing two large detached open pavilions whose ceiling is supported by lathe turned pillars. All entry porches have miniature shrines as flanking. In addition there is also a sanctuary for the Sun God Surya, whose image stands 7 ft tall. The pavilions enshrine large images of Nandi the bull, an attendant of Shiva. The pavilions share the same jagati as the main temple. As in the Chennakesava temple, this temple was also originally with an open mantapa but later outer walls with pierced window screens made with same material were erected making the mantapa a closed one.^[10] The window screens are devoid of any art work.^[11] The interior of the temple is quite plain except for the lathe turned pillars that run in rows between the north and south entrances.^[12] The four pillars in front of each shrine are the most ornate and the only ones that have madanika sculptures in their pillar brackets.^[13] There are no other madanikas in the temple.

[edit] Sculptures

The Hoysaleswara temple is most famous for its wall sculptures that run all along the outer wall starting with an image of dancing Ganesha on the left hand side of the south entrance and ending with another image of Ganesha on the right hand side of the north entrance. In all there are 240 such images. Perhaps no other Hoysala temple is as articulate as this is in depicting the sculptures and these sculptures are second to none in all of India.^[14] The most intricate of all sculptures are found in the lintels over two of the doorways, one on the south side doorway and the other on one of the eastern doorways.

[edit] Horizontal treatment

In this temple the Hoysala architects have broken from the tradition of using five friezes as the base of the temple below the large wall sculptures and the window screens.^[15] In this temple, the outer walls have two eaves that run around the temple. The top eaves is at the roof of the temple and the second eaves about a meter below. In between there are decorated towers. Below the lower eaves are the wall sculptures and eight friezes. This type of relief work is called horizontal treatment.^[16] Each of the eight friezes carries an array of decoration. Going from the bottom where the temple wall meets the platform, the lowest frieze depicts charging elephants which symbolise strength and stability, above which are lions which symbolise courage, floral scrolls as decoration, horses for speed, another band of floral scrolls, one frieze for depiction of Hindu epics and above this are makara (beasts) and finally hansas (swans). No two animals are alike in a total frieze span of over 200 m. In the epic frieze, the epics are not continuous as they are mixed with other depictions.^[17] After the construction of this temple, Hoysala architects have used this new kind of horizontal treatment only 50 years later, making it a standard style but with six friezes.^[18]

[edit] Garuda pillar

Another interesting object in the temple complex is the rare Garuda Sthamba (Garuda pillar). These are different from virgals (hero stones). Garudas were elite bodyguards of the kings and queens. They moved and lived with the royal family and their only purpose was to protect their master. Upon the death of their master, they committed suicide.^[19] The rare pillar on the south side depicts heroes brandishing knives and cutting their own heads. The inscription honors Kuruva Lakshma, a bodyguard of Veera Ballala II. A devoted officer, he took his life and that of his wife and other bodyguards after the death of his master. This event is narrated in an old Kannada inscription on the pillar. An 8 ft tall sculpture of Ganesha including the platform rests at the South entrance.

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide To Hoysala Temples, 1996, Abhinav, ISBN 81-7017-345-0 Dr. Suryanath U. Kamath, A Concise History of Karnataka from pre-historic times to the present, Jupiter books, 2001, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002), OCLC: 7796041. Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002), ISBN 0-19-560686-8. Landmarks in Hoysala architecture. Retrieved on November 22, 2006.

Historian Prof. Settar, Hoysala heritage. Retrieved on November 22, 2006. The Hoysala Dynasty, Dr. Jyotsna Kamat. Retrieved on November 22, 2006. History of Karnataka, Arthikaje. Retrieved on November 22, 2006. Architecture of Indian Subcontinent, Takeyo Kamiya. Retrieved on November 22, 2006. Halebidu, Temple of the month, TempleNet. Retrieved on November 22, 2006.

[edit] External links

• Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu near Hassan(Karnataka)
• Karnataka Halebid
• Postcard from Halebid, India