Lakshminarayana Temple, Hosaholalu
Encyclopedia
The Lakshminarayana Temple located in Hosaholalu, a small town in Mandya district of Karnataka
, India
was built by king Vira Someshwara
of the Hoysala Empire
in 1250 CE. The date of the temple has been ascertained by the style of the sculptures and architecture and compares closely with the contemporeneous Hoysala architecture
at Javagalu, Nuggehalli
, Somanathapura
etc. The town of Hosaholalu is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Hassan and 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the heritage city Mysore, the cultural capital of Karnataka state.
(three shrined) temple with only the central shrine exhibiting a tower (superstructure) on top. The lateral shrines are square with five projections and no special features. The central shrine is well decorated and its tower has a sukanasi (nose) which is actually the tower of the vestibule that connects the shrine (cella containing the image of the deity) to the hall (mantapa). The material used for the temple construction is chloritic schist or Soapstone
. The temple is built on a jagati
(platform), a Hoysala innovation that elevates the whole temple by about a metre.
The temple as a whole belongs to the 2nd phase of Hoysala building activity (13th century), with two sets of eaves. The first eave is located where the superstructure meets the temple outer wall and another eave running around the temple and about a metre below the first eave. In between the two eaves are decorative miniature towers on pilasters, with sculptured wall images of Hindu deities below the second eave. Being a Vaishnava temple, most of the images represent some form of Vishnu
, his consort and his attendants and there are 120 such images. In all there are 24 sculptures of Vishnu standing upright holding in his four arms the four attributes, a conch
, a wheel
, a lotus
and a mace in all possible permutations. Below the panel of deities is the base of the wall consisting of six decorative rectangular moulding
s of equal width which run all around the temple.
The six horizontal mouldings are intricately sculptured and are called friezes. Going from top to bottom; the first frieze depicts birds (hansa), the second depicts aquatic monsters (makara
), the third frieze has depictions of Hindu
epics and other mythological and puranic stories narrated in the clockwise direction (direction of devotee circumabulation), the fourth frieze has leafy scrolls, the fifth and sixth friezes have a procession of horses and elephants respectively. In the frieze that depicts the epics, the Ramayana
starts from the western corner of the southern shrine and the Mahabharata
starts from the northern side of the central shrine vividly illustrating the demise of many heroes of the famous war between Pandava
s and Kaurava
s.
The interior of the temple consists of a closed hall (mantapa) of modest size with four beautiful lathe turned pillars supporting the roof. The four central pillars divide the hall into nine equal bays and nine decorated ceilings. The sanctum of the three shrines contain the images of Venugopala, Narayana
in the middle and Lakshminarasimha
; all forms (Avatar
) of Vishnu.
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
was built by king Vira Someshwara
Vira Someshwara
Vira Someshwara was a king of the Hoysala Empire. The preoccupation of Vira Narasimha II in the affairs of Tamil country resulted in neglect of northern territories and Vira Someshwara had to face Seuna incursion south of the Tungabhadra river....
of the Hoysala Empire
Hoysala Empire
The Hoysala Empire was a prominent South Indian Kannadiga empire that ruled most of the modern day state of Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur but was later moved to Halebidu....
in 1250 CE. The date of the temple has been ascertained by the style of the sculptures and architecture and compares closely with the contemporeneous Hoysala architecture
Hoysala architecture
Hoysala architecture is the building style developed under the rule of the Hoysala Empire between the 11th and 14th centuries, in the region known today as Karnataka, a state of India. Hoysala influence was at its peak in the 13th century, when it dominated the Southern Deccan Plateau region...
at Javagalu, Nuggehalli
Nuggehalli
Nuggehalli , is a town in Hassan district of Karnataka, India. Nuggehalli is located on the Tiptur-Channarayanapatna state highway. It is about 50 km from Hassan city. It is connected by road with Bangalore, the state capital...
, Somanathapura
Somanathapura
The Chennakesava Temple located at Somanathapura is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. This temple was built by Soma, a Dandanayaka in 1268 under Hoysala king Narasimha III, when the Hoysala Empire was the major power in South India.-Deity and sculptures:The ceiling of the hall...
etc. The town of Hosaholalu is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Hassan and 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the heritage city Mysore, the cultural capital of Karnataka state.
Temple plan
The temple is an example of a trikuta vimanaVimana (shrine)
Vimana is a term for the tower above the Garbhagriha or Sanctum sanctorum in a Hindu temple.-Architecture:A typical Hindu temple in Dravidian style may have multiple gopurams, typically constructed into multiple walls in tiers around the main shrine...
(three shrined) temple with only the central shrine exhibiting a tower (superstructure) on top. The lateral shrines are square with five projections and no special features. The central shrine is well decorated and its tower has a sukanasi (nose) which is actually the tower of the vestibule that connects the shrine (cella containing the image of the deity) to the hall (mantapa). The material used for the temple construction is chloritic schist or Soapstone
Soapstone
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock, a talc-schist. It is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich in magnesium. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occurs in the areas where tectonic plates are subducted, changing rocks by heat and pressure, with influx...
. The temple is built on a jagati
Jagati (temple)
Jagati is a term used in Indian temple architecture. A Jagati is a raised surface, platform or terrace upon which the temple is placed....
(platform), a Hoysala innovation that elevates the whole temple by about a metre.
The temple as a whole belongs to the 2nd phase of Hoysala building activity (13th century), with two sets of eaves. The first eave is located where the superstructure meets the temple outer wall and another eave running around the temple and about a metre below the first eave. In between the two eaves are decorative miniature towers on pilasters, with sculptured wall images of Hindu deities below the second eave. Being a Vaishnava temple, most of the images represent some form of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, his consort and his attendants and there are 120 such images. In all there are 24 sculptures of Vishnu standing upright holding in his four arms the four attributes, a conch
Conch
A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....
, a wheel
Wheel
A wheel is a device that allows heavy objects to be moved easily through rotating on an axle through its center, facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Common examples found in transport applications. A wheel, together with an axle,...
, a lotus
Lotus (plant)
Lotus identifies various plant taxa:* Nelumbo, a genus of aquatic plants with showy flowers** Nelumbo nucifera, the Sacred or Indian lotus** Nelumbo lutea, the American or Yellow lotus...
and a mace in all possible permutations. Below the panel of deities is the base of the wall consisting of six decorative rectangular moulding
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
s of equal width which run all around the temple.
The six horizontal mouldings are intricately sculptured and are called friezes. Going from top to bottom; the first frieze depicts birds (hansa), the second depicts aquatic monsters (makara
Makara (Hindu mythology)
Makara is a sea-creature in Hindu mythology. It is generally depicted as half terrestrial animal and in hind part as aquatic animal, in the tail part, as a fish tail or also as seal...
), the third frieze has depictions of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
epics and other mythological and puranic stories narrated in the clockwise direction (direction of devotee circumabulation), the fourth frieze has leafy scrolls, the fifth and sixth friezes have a procession of horses and elephants respectively. In the frieze that depicts the epics, the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
starts from the western corner of the southern shrine and the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
starts from the northern side of the central shrine vividly illustrating the demise of many heroes of the famous war between Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
s and Kaurava
Kaurava
The term Kaurava is a Sanskrit term, that means the descendants of Kuru, a legendary king who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the Mahābhārata.The term is used in the Mahābhārata with two meanings:...
s.
The interior of the temple consists of a closed hall (mantapa) of modest size with four beautiful lathe turned pillars supporting the roof. The four central pillars divide the hall into nine equal bays and nine decorated ceilings. The sanctum of the three shrines contain the images of Venugopala, Narayana
Narayana
Narayana or Narayan or Naraina is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary vernaculars a common Indian name. Narayana is also identified as the original man, Purusha. The Puranas present divergent views on Narayana...
in the middle and Lakshminarasimha
Narasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
; all forms (Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
) of Vishnu.