Hoysala Grandeur 2016

Travel enthusiasts need no introduction to the magnificently sculpted temples at Belur and Halebid near Hassan, Karnataka. It is one of the must-see architectural wonders before you die. The moment you step on the temple platform, you become instantly aware of being in the presence of a great artistic feat. Master-craftsmen toiled hard on a soft type of stone called soapstone to produce wonders during the reign of Hoysala kings seven to eight centuries ago. But there is more to Hoysala architecture than just Belur and Halebid. The empire sprang up in south-central Karnataka after the eclipse of Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas of Badami, with a geographical range extending hundreds of kilometers. Naturally, the region is studded with several magnificent temples, some of them even challenging Belur and Halebid, but unknown to the outside world other than chronicles of the Archeological Survey of India. I made some enquiries on the Internet about some of the Hoysala temples near Hassan, and was immediately enchanted by the splendor of some temples located very remote from sites of prominence. Just then, I got hold of Gerard Foekema’s incomparable book titled ‘A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples’. I wanted to visit all the prominent Hoysala temples – all seventeen of them – but settled finally on fourteen temples in and around Hassan. Considering the expediency of time and money, temples at Somanathapura (near Bengaluru), Basaralu (near Mysore) and Amritapura (near Chikmagalur) were exempted from this trip.

Day 0 (May 4, 2016)

Mangalore-bound Maveli Express was scheduled to arrive at Aluva railway station at 11:50 pm. We reached the station sufficiently early. It was a very warm night. Summer heat was rampaging in Kerala. A remarkable thing we observed was that the station has shed its characteristic smell of accumulated waste and dried urine. Swachh Bharat program seemed to be doing its job, as the platforms were clean and without litter. The train arrived ten minutes late and we settled for a good night’s sleep in train.

Day 1 (May 5, 2016)

We reached Mangalore Central by 8.30 am. Since our connection train was from Mangalore Junction, we hired a cab to get to that station situated nearly 5 km away. Mangalore seemed a nice, sleepy town that was just waking up from last night’s slumber. Our driver might have taken some shortcut, otherwise no respectable railway station would be connected to the city with such narrow roads. By 9.00 am, we reached Kankanadi, which was renamed as Mangalore Junction. There is no restaurant on the platform and the station is very isolated from major roads. We waited on the platform for nearly two and a half hours before the Karwar – Yashwantpur Express chugged on to the platform. It left Mangalore one hour late.

 

Yeshwantpur Express enter a tunnel

The mesmerizing stretch of railway line from Mangalore Junction to Subrahmanya Road enchanted us. There are 58 tunnels on this 91-km long line. It cuts across the Western Ghats and breezes past pristine forests and awesome gorges. Many tunnels are short and some are long, but there is nothing too long. It was a pleasant experience to encounter darkness enveloping you from all sides, and children roaring with laughter when the train enters a tunnel. When we reached Sakleshpur on the way, distant thunder was heard, heralding a welcome break from the sweltering summer heat. When we neared Hassan, it was pouring all over and we alighted at Hassan Railway Station at 5.15 pm. Taking an auto rickshaw, we drove straight to the hotel.

When dusk fell, Hassan’s streets appeared to have come alive with people briskly going about their lives and small groups clustering around street peddlers. We took a leisurely evening walk for some time. After dinner, we settled for the night.

Day 2 (May 6, 2016)

1. Mosale-Hosahalli

Nageshwara - Chenna Keshava

Temple Complex, Mosale Hosahalli

We took to the road at 8.00 am and proceeded straight to the small hamlet of Mosale Hosahalli on the Mysore road. This is a very small village inhabited mainly by farm labourers. The Nageshwara – Chennakeshava temple complex was built in 1200 CE by the Hoysala king Veera Ballala II. The temples appear to be perfect twins. The mandapa is supported by four lathe-turned pillars. The shikhara (tower) over the main shrine holds the Hoysala crest that depicts a warrior fighting a lion. This is not to be missed. At the pinnacle of the structure is placed the kalasha (decorative water pot). Ornate sculptures surround the shrine which stand on the ground. Stone inscriptions by later kings are also seen inside the temple complex.

The perimeter gate was locked when we reached the site. The watchman, who was staying nearby, immediately opened the gate as well as the shrine doors. We solemnly watched the architectural wonder inside, which is nothing short of a miracle. The shrines are not large by any standard, but the sheer work which went in making it stand apart is truly amazing. After spending half an hour at the temple, we moved to Anekere.

2. Anekere

Chenna Keshava

Temple, Anekere

Anekere is also a small hamlet 5-km away from Channarayapatna town. A brief drive brought us to the temple, which was locked. A woman from a nearby house came with the key and opened it for us. The Chennakeshava temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and was built in 1119 CE. The porch has beautifully carved pillars, but the sculpture on the temple itself is rather ordinary. The pillared corridors which surround the temple is attractive. The gopura houses a kalasha, but there is no Hoysala crest here. The mandapa houses lathe-turned pillars. Even with all this, the ornamentation of the temple is not so captivating. You can safely give it a miss.

3. Hosaholalu

Our driver was not sure about how to reach Hosaholalu, our next destination. He clarified the directions with the woman, who was the temple’s caretaker. Hosaholalu is located in Mandya district and is famous for the Lakshminarayana temple built in 1250 CE. What Anekere lacked, Hosaholalu compensated in lavish detail. The trikuta (three-shrine) temple has a central gopura that doesn’t

Lakshmi Narayana

Temple, Hosaholalu

possess the kalasha nor the Hoysala crest. Contrary to the structure at Mosale Hosahalli and Anekere, here the temple is built on a jagati (platform) almost a meter high. We entered the temple compound, but mandapa was locked and no watchman or caretaker was in sight. So we made a round of the magnificently decorated temple. The local village has almost encroached on the premises, which is neatly segregated by the Archeological Survey of India. The temple wall houses several eaves in which stories of epics and images of animals are sculpted. The stone pathway was almost red hot in the summer heat and we had a tough time walking around the shrine without footwear. Visitors are advised to keep a pair of socks handy, if they plan to visit in summer.

Shravanabelagola

This is really not a part of the Hoysala route in the strict sense. But we included it as it so near to the other sites and we hadn’t yet visited the town. It’s a 27-km drive from Hosaholalu to our next destination at Shravanabelagola. Our driver took a route through some of the typical Karnataka villages after he crossed Krishnarajapete. Very good roads pass through undulating fields filled with all kinds of crops. We reached the town by noon.

 

Gomateshwara Bahubali

Shravanabelagola is a prominent Jain pilgrim centre. The word belagola means ‘a white pond’ and the town’s name means Shravana’s white pond. There is a majestic pond at the very centre of the town, but its colour is anything but white. It shines like an emerald when looked at from the hill nearby – such lively is its green colour. Two hills are located on both sides of the pond. The one on the south is the taller one, Vindhyagiri, which is the abode of a colossal nude statue of Gomateshwara Bahubali, who was the son of Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara of Jainism. It is said that, being very devout, he entered meditation in a standing posture. Years went by and climbers encircled his legs and body parts. The 57-feet high monolithic statue atop Vindhyagiri hill commemorates this legendary prayer of Bahubali.

It was literally an ‘uphill’ task to climb the 133-m tall (1047 m from MSL) Vindhyagiri hill at noon, especially without footwear which you have to deposit in the counter at the foot of the hill. Peddlers sell socks and hats helpfully, at exorbitant rates. Be prepared to bargain hard with them. If you agree to buy at the very first price they demand, chances are that they would surmise that you are stupid! The slope is gentle, steps are neatly cut in the granite and handrails are also installed. Even very old people can make the climb, if done at a leisurely pace. After resting at several places, we reached the top in half an hour. Bahubali’s statue, built in 983 CE, stands majestically with careless abandon of worldly things – cloths being one of them! Michelangelo’s David on display at Florence, Italy is said to be the world’s most admired male nude. Bahubali, made almost six centuries beforehand the Renaissance masterpiece, may also aspire to such a claim in India.

The cloistered corridor around the statue houses idols of Jain tirthankaras. All of them are nude and looks similar. On our way down, we abandoned the plan to visit Chandragiri hill which is nearby and only half as tall as the first one. The heat was so oppressive! We had lunch from a nearby restaurant, which is in fact an extension of the owner’s house. After lunch, we walked to Akkana Basadi, which is nearby. This is a Jain temple built during the Hoysala period in memory of a devout Jain lady named Achiyakka. Akka means elder sister in Kannada.

Unfortunately, the temple gate was locked when we reached there by 2.30 pm. Locals said that one man from a nearby Jain basti will come and open it at 3.00 pm. So, we waited there under the shade of a tree. There were nobody except ourselves at the site. The sky was slowly getting dark with thick rain clouds and by 3.00 pm, heavy rain poured out. We took shelter in a Hindu temple located on the opposite side of the road. We waited till 3.30 pm, but still there was no sign of the caretaker. At last, we left the place and drove back to Hassan.

After having tea at the hotel, we planned a short walking trip to Hassanamba temple, located about 2-km away from the hotel. The city of Hassan derives its name from Goddess Hassanamba. A brisk walk through the busy streets and by-lanes of Hassan guided by Google Maps brought us to the imposing gopura of Hassanamba. There is a main temple devoted to Hassanamba and another shrine to Siddeshwara (Lord Shiva) though not in the linga form. The Hassanamba shrine will be open for only a week in a year, at the time of Deepavali. It is said that as the sapta matruke (seven mothers) were going south, they were captivated by the beauty of Hassan and decided to take abode there. The goddess is in a smiling pose and hence the name. There is an ant-hill inside the sanctum sanctorum, with only a lit lamp for company, and waiting for the next opportunity to see daylight a few months from now. We went back to the hotel, had dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Day 3 (May 7, 2016)

4. Kondajji

The Kalasha and the Hoysala Crest

On this day, we planned to visit the north of Hassan, whereas yesterday, we had gone in the southern direction. We went straight to Kondajji. After a few enquiries with locals, our car reached the portico of a modern building on the middle of a plot of land. There was nobody around. The structure was unlocked and at one end of the building there was a locked room that looked like a sanctum sanctorum. Getting out of the building, we looked everywhere to ask for directions. There were lush green farm plots on all sides with the green turning slightly to a yellowish hue in the bright morning sun. Then we saw two farmers crossing a nearby brook on their way to the fields. We quickly went near them and asked where the Allalanatha temple was. They pointed to the concrete building with a slight smile, obviously wondering why anyone should come from afar to see this mediocre temple. Our disappointment knew no bounds. Had we come so much distance only to see this building, which was evidently constructed after demolishing the previous one built by the mighty Hoysalas?

We peeped through the locked door panels of the shrine. The idol of Allalanatha (Lord Vishnu) is the only saving grace of this temple, standing magnificently at 18-feet, made out of black stone, bearing a conch, wheel and mace. The facial expression is arresting. Hoysala fans can safely give this place a miss.

5. Doddagadduvalli

Lakshmidevi Temple,

Doddagadduvalli

Next, we drove to Doddagadduvalli on the road from Hassan to Belur. It takes a detour from the main road and passes through 5-km of captivating beauty of Karnataka’s countryside. As usual, the temple is stemmed in by the village. The Lakshmidevi temple was open, but the shrine was locked. No caretaker was seen nearby.

The temple is built on the ground in a chatushkuta (four shrines and towers) style. Entry to the walled enclosure is through an exquisitely carved porch with lathe-turned pillars. All four towers still sport the kalasha, but the Hoysala crest is present in only one of the towers. The gopuras are on the Kadamba style. The temple itself was locked and nobody was around to open it for us. After a walk around the temple, we returned to the car. The sculpture on the outer walls of the shrine is not elaborate. We drove next to Belur.

6. Belur

Situated on the banks of the Yagachi River, Belur is the only semi-urban site in which famous Hoysala monuments are located. The Chennakeshava temple, dedicated to Vishnu, was consecrated in 1117. The main entrance to the temple is topped by a Tamil-style gopura built during the Vijayanagara period, which is incongruous with the architecture of the shrine. There are two pillars on the courtyard. The Garuda sthambha (eagle pillar) was built during Vijayanagara times, while the deepa sthambha (lamp pole) belong to Hoysalas. The intricately sculpted Hoysala crest just outside the doorway of the temple is quite impressive.

 

Chenna Keshava Temple,

Belur

The temple has three entrances. The doorways have decorated sculptures on either side. What differentiates this temple from other Hoysala temples of the same plan is the unusually large size of the basic parts. The mandapa has sixty bays. The superstructure on top of the shrine is lost over time. You may refer to Foekema’s book for an artist’s impression of how it might have looked like. The jagati is wide enough to make simultaneous circumambulation by many people. The mandapa is said to be open when it was built, but converted to a closed one after about fifty years. This was done by erecting walls with pierced window screens. The pillars inside the hall are very attractive and the most popular one is the Narasimha pillar, which at one time could’ve revolved on its ball bearings. The four central pillars have been hand-chiseled while the others are lathe-turned. All of these four pillars bear salabhanjikas (celestial damsels). There is a rotatable light inside the mandapa, which can be used to focus light on them, by paying Rs. 30. Completing the rounds of the temple, we left for Halebid.

7. Halebid

The road to Halebid was really bad in some places though restoration work was in progress. After about half an hour’s drive, we reached the place, which rather looked like a dusty market place. A lot of tourists had come there. The Hoysaleshwara temple is dedicated to Shiva and completed in 1150 CE. This was sacked and looted by Muslim invaders in the 14^th century. This place was known as Dwarasamudra in those days, the capital city of the Hoysalas. It is strange that no remains of palaces or city fortifications are seen in the neighbourhood.

 

Hoysaleshwara Temple,

Halebid

The Hoysaleshwara temple is of dwikuta type. The entire complex is on an elevated jagati. The two adjoining shrines have a mandapa in front. The towers of the shrine are missing, but Foekema’s book is helpful here also. The outer walls of these temples contain an intricate array of stone sculpture. The ceiling is supported by lathe-turned pillars. As in Belur, this temple originally had an open mandapa to which outer walls with pierced window screens were later added. The four pillars in front of each shrine are the most ornate and the only ones with salabhanjika sculptures.

After completing the Hoysaleshwara, we went to Kedareshwara temple, which was just a kilometer away, but visited by nobody. This temple also is dedicated to Shiva. The temple stands on a jagati. It is a trikuta structure. Despite being a Shiva temple, its friezes depict from both Shaiva and Vaishnava legends, epitomizing the symbiotic nature of medieval Hindu worship. The temple was unfortunately locked, and no watchman was in sight. So we just loitered around the shrine, which was deserted except for a few couples who were very discreet in their movements looking for some privacy!

 

Kedareshwara Temple,

Halebid

On the way back from the Kedareshwara and hardly a kilometer away from it is a Jain basadi. This is a group of three Jain temples dedicated to Parshwanatha, Adinatha and Shantinatha. The caretaker in the temple complex showed us the way and explained the salient features. The temple is steeped in darkness, particularly so when we had just stepped inside from the midday sun. No lamps were lit inside and there are no windows in the sanctum. There is an 18-feet tall idol of Parshwanatha here. Our guide switched on the lights and we saw its nude majesty in full. It is clear from the guide’s description that the Hoysalas gradually shifted their allegiance from Jainism to Hinduism around the time of construction of these temples. There is a mute sense of incompleteness – of work half done – around the complex. Unsculpted stone slabs portray a feeling of neglect. We could only join in the anguish Jains of that period might have felt when they saw their prominence erode along with royal favour. Spending some time there, we left the place.

There are no decent restaurants in Halebid and we made good with a small one near the Hoysaleshwara temple which served only Kannada meals. We had to consume what was available, but frankly, the food was good but unaccustomed to the taste, we couldn’t enjoy it.

8. Belavadi

Veera Narayana Temple,

Belavadi

After lunch, we left for Belavadi via the road to Arsikere. A short drive brought us to the imposing structure at Belavadi. The Veeranarayana temple is located here. The place is known in legend as Ekachakranagara where the Pandava prince Bhima is said to have killed Bakasura. This trikuta temple was built in 1200 CE by King Veera Ballala II. This temple is known more for its architecture than sculpture. Three shrines are separated by a mandapa having lathe-turned pillars. All three shrines have images of Lord Vishnu, in the forms of Veeranarayana, Venugopala and Yoganarasimha. The stone pathway was very hot and without footwear, was an ordeal. After spending about half an hour, we left for Javagal.

9. Javagal

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple,

Javagal

The road to Javagal retraced our route and joined the Halebid – Arsikere road from which we had branched earlier. A very short drive brought us to the Lakshminarasimha temple, which was built in mid-13^th century by the Hoysala king Veera Someshwara. This is a trikuta shrine with a superstructure for only the central shrine. The temple was locked and we couldn’t enter it, as nobody was seen on the premises. After admiring the outer sculpture, we returned to Hassan, reaching the hotel just in time for tea.

This was our last evening in Hassan, as we had planned to leave the city on the next morning. We went for a walk around the town, having some shopping to do. The town bus stand was crowded as usual, but there was an air of unhurried charm in the people. On the way back to the hotel, we spent some time in the nearby Maharaja Park. As darkness settled in, we strolled back to the hotel. There are some temporary stalls selling delicious varieties of chicken. Being street food, we can’t recommend it, but we didn’t experience any ill effects. A calm night and good rest awaited us at the hotel.

Day 4 (May 8, 2016)

10. Korvangala

Buccheswara Temple,

Koravangala

After breakfast, we vacated the hotel at 8.00 am and drove straight to Korvangala, 12 km away. The detour from Rameshwara Nagara on the highway to Arsikere runs through vast farm lands. The caretaker at the temple showed us the temple and surroundings. The Bucceshwara temple was built in 1173 by a rich officer called Bucciraja to celebrate the coronation of Hoysala king Veera Ballala II. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is a dvikuta structure, where the two shrines of Surya and Shiva face each other. The temple’s decorative features are not so ornate, and is said to belong to the old kind prevalent even before Hoysala times. It has a kalasha and the Hoysala crest. After spending some time in the mandapa, which was very cozy in the morning coolness, we headed for the next destination.

11. Nuggehalli

Lakshmi Narasimha

Temple, Nuggehalli

Nuggehalli is nearly 35-km away from Korvangala and the ride passes through some beautiful Kannada villages. The road to Lakshminarasimha temple is laid through some thickly populated narrow lanes. One such lane was blocked by a decorated motor car under an awning drawn over the road. It was placed there to carry the bridegroom of a wedding in the house nearby. They moved the car for our vehicle to pass.

The temple was built in 1246 CE by Bommanna Dandanayaka of the Hoysala king Veera Someshwara. The town was called Vijaya Somanathapura in Hoysala times. This temple is of the trikuta pattern, with fine sculpture adorning the walls. From outside, the temple looks like an ekakuta, the two lateral shrines are simple extensions of the mandapa. The priest performed some pujas for us, but was reluctant to show us around. After capturing some photos, we left the place.

12. Aralaguppe

Chenna Keshava Temple,

Aralaguppe

Aralaguppe is nearly 54 km away. The Chennakeshava temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple was built around 1250 CE by King Veera Someshwara. The jagati here is of a special design of a 16-pointed star and the shrine also follows this basement pattern. This ekakuta shrine is said to be of the later kind. The priest here was very cooperative. He immediately began a puja for us and handed us prasad, without our asking for it. The time was mid-noon and we retraced our road to the nearby town of Tiptur, where we had lunch.

13. Haranahalli

Lakshmi Narasimha

Temple, Haranahalli

We proceeded to Haranahalli via Arsikere. The road was very good, with low traffic in the blistering May sun. When we reached Lakshminarasimha temple, the sanctuary was found locked. An aged man resting in the porch directed us to the priest’s nearby house. Our driver volunteered to go and fetch him. He quickly came back, bringing with him the keys to the shrine itself! The priest must have been truly trusting! We opened the doors of the temple with it and witnessed the superb sculptures. This temple was built in 1235 CE by the king Veera Someshwara. It is said that this temple has seen no structural additions or modifications during the intervening period, giving it an original look. The plan is a trikuta, with a superstructure for the middle shrine. The temple is located on a jagati. There is no kalasha or the Hoysala crest.

There’s another temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, called Someshwara temple nearby. But this one was locked, and we had already returned the keys with a small gift. So we admired it from the perimeter fence and took a few photos. After spending some time there, we moved to our last destination of the trip.

14. Arsikere

Ishwara Temple,

Arsikere

Arsikere derives its name from the tank (kere) of the queen (arasi). Ishwara temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, was built in 1220 CE. This temple has a unique 16-pointed star shaped mandapa in front of the shrine. This is of ekakuta structure. The shrine has a tower, but the kalasha finial is said to be of recent construction. In place of the Hoysala crest, an image of a bull (nandi) is seen. This was the last point in our itinerary and the driver dropped us at Arsikere railway station by 4.00 pm

Jan Shatabdi Express from Hubballi to Bengaluru was delayed by more than an hour. While waiting on the platform, we sampled the delicious Arsikere vada. If you plan to visit the town, be sure to have a bite of this tasty snack. Still, there was plenty of time left. So I just walked to the junction nearby where the town bus stand was located. The bus station was a busy one, with vehicles plying to all parts of Karnataka coming and going in an endless stream. People rushed to their busses with baggage and children on tow. As darkness fell, I returned to the station. Jan Shatabdi arrived at 7.00 pm. By 10.00 pm, we reached Yashwantpur. Mangalore Express departed at the right time at 12.00 midnight. We had to get off at Shoranur, and was delayed by nearly 2 hours due to derailment of a train at Tiruppur and reached Aluva by 5.00 pm

Accommodation

We stayed at the Mallige Residency. The rooms are compact and elegant. The staff is very courteous and the hotel is away from the hustle of the city, yet very near to the city centre. The nights were very calm and quiet. Electrical equipments in the room like the split AC, electric kettle and LCD TV were very much fresh! The TV showed all channels the DTH provider supplied. It was rare to find a hotel where you could watch more regional language channels than at your home. The furniture was trendy. Free WiFi is available in rooms, which was reasonably fast.

On the flop-side, the room was somewhat small for its genre. The bathing space was very confined. The restaurant is vegetarian, but non-vegetarian food will be served in individual rooms. One water bottle per room was provided on daily basis, but it required frequent reminders to get new bottles.

Travel

We hired an Innova from Sri Sai Travels. The rate was very reasonable. Shri. Umesh Kumar, its owner, was very polite and our driver, Shri. Shamanth was too gentle for a driver. On one day, we forgot to collect our bag from the car in the evening and came to think about it only half an hour later. But Shamanth quickly came with the car with no demur and handed it back. Our long-distance journeys were by train.

Book References

Gerard Foekema’s ‘A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples’ is an essential companion for those who intends to visit these temples.