Hidden gem from Hoysala era

We were charmed by our environs as we journeyed in a region endowed with bounteous nature, riddled with hills, rivulets, dales, dense shrubs and sanctuaries. As we rode on occasionally-bumpy, serpentine roads rimmed by paddy fields, and coconut and areca nut groves, we chanced upon a little-known temple in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district. Tucked away in the folds of the lush village of Amruthapura, near the Bhadra Reservoir, is one of the finest architectural treasures of the Hoysala period, the Amrutheshvara Temple.

Ensconced amidst luxuriant green manicured lawns and swaying palm trees, the majestic temple bears testimony to the aesthetic disposition and artistic prowess of the artisans and rulers of the Hoysala dynasty. History, art and mythology come alive in the edifice built in 1196 CE by Amrutheshvara Dandanayaka, the commander-in-chief under the Hoysala king Veera Ballala II.

A sculpted Ganesha in dancing form, inscribed in a circle on the outer wall of the temple complex, welcomes us at the entrance. The wall, which runs through the perimeter of the precincts, is intact in its original form and is embellished with intricate carvings at regular intervals.

Architectural deviation
The temple, which is an Archaeological Society of India-protected monument, is built in typical Hoysala style, on a star-shaped plinth. However, one of the most striking features of Hoysala temples, the raised stellar platform which forms the circumambulatory path and upon which the shrine itself stands, is absent here. The medium-sized temple bears close resemblance in size and structure, to the Veeranarayana Temple at Belavadi. The Hoysala emblem of Sala, the dynasty’s founder, fighting the lion, towers over the single shikara of the temple built in ekakuta design. In addition to the emblem, the shikara is ornamented with carvings of gods, goddesses, gargoyles, kirthimukhas  and mini turrets.

The temple has two mantapas. A large open mantapa with 29 bays leads to the closed mantapa having nine bays. The closed passage culminates in the sanctum sanctorum containing the Shivalinga. Two rows of lustrous lathe-turned pillars support the domed ceiling of the mantapas. The dome of the main mantapa is embellished with floral motifs. History records that Ruvari Mallitamma, the renowned Hoysala sculptor and architect, began his career here, executing the masterpieces on the domed ceilings in this mantapa. At the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum stands the mythical shardula with the body of an elephant, head of a crocodile and tail of a peacock.

The sanctum contains the Shivalinga, made of shaligrama stone. It is believed to encompass Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. According to inscriptions, the linga itself was procured from Nepal’s Gandaki River and brought to Amruthapura. The smaller mantapa contains a shrine dedicated to Goddess Saraswati as Sharada Devi. A unique aspect of the idol is the absence of the veena, the musical instrument with which the goddess of wisdom and learning is associated. The statue, claimed to have been sculpted in keeping with Vedic norms and installed by siddhas and rishis to the chanting of mantras, is a much revered one.

As with most Hoysala temples, its outer walls display a plethora of intricate sculptures. However, carvings of Hindu deities, usually seen in panels below the superstructure, is absent here. On the other hand, the base of the wall is patterned on the older Hoysala style with five mouldings. Unlike several Hoysala temples that have a profusion of small and miniature figurines, those in this shrine, are significantly larger.

External embellishments
Running across the length of the exterior wall of the open mantapa are 140 panel sculptures and bas-reliefs depicting the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and the Bhagavata. Running in the anticlockwise direction on the south wall, are 70 panels stretching across the six kandas or subdivisions of the Ramayana. Though some of the figurines are defaced, they capture the emotional state of the characters with simple grace — whether in Hanuman’s meeting with Sita at Ashokavana,  his subsequent return to Rama with Sita’s message, Ravana’s brutal slaying of the vulture king Jatayu, or Rama valiantly attacking the demons during the yajna performed by Vishwamitra.

In a similar manner, on the north wall of the open mantapa, scenes from the Mahabharata crawl out of the static depictions through 45 panels that proceed in a clockwise direction to make way for 25 episodes from Bhagavata Purana. The sculpture of Kalinganarthana Krishna is yet another creation that delights us. On the front porch is the inscription of a poem written by Kavichakravarti Jana, the famous medieval Kannada poet. Amruthapura is around 240 km from Bengaluru and can reached via Tumakuru, Arsikere, Birur and Tarikere.