Arasikere's temple treasures

A traveller in the state is certain to stub his toe against many of the extant classical monumental temples dating back to the different periods of Karnataka.
The Ishwara temple at Arasikere is one such monumental temple. It is a unique and exquisite exhibit in the museum of surviving temples of Hoysala period in the state.
Unique because of its design within the Hoysala architecture and exquisite because of its excellent workmanship executed through fine chiselling as can be seen from the images on the outer walls and the ceilings of the mantapas of the temple.
This temple is dedicated to Shiva enshrined in the form of a linga. Evidencing the harmonious co-existence of Jainism and Hinduism is the Sahasrakuta Jinalaya, a Jaina temple, built in the year 1220 by Vasudhaika-bandhava Racharasa, a minister of Hoysala King Ballala II. Arasikere, the headquarters of the taluk of the same name, presently a hub of trade and commerce, once vast and of considerable importance derived its name from the large tank built by a queen.

Queen’s tank

Arasikere means ‘queen’s tank’ in Kannada. This place was also known by different names like Udbhava; Sarvagna Vijaya and Ballalapura. Its history is traced to the days of the attack of Marathas during the reign of Mysore Wodeyars to the days of Shivappa Nayak of Ikkeri from whom it was regained by the Mysore rulers in the year 1690.
The municipality of the town is one of the oldest in the State and came into existence as far back as 1882.
Ishwara Temple: This east facing Ekakuta temple built in the year 1919 during the reign of King Ballala II is a remarkable building in the Hoysala style of architecture.
It consists of Garbha Griha, a closed mantapa, a small rectangular inner porch connecting open Mukhamantapa with the Navaranga. All these elements of the temple are connected to form a unity. Falling in line with the architectural style of Hoysalas, this temple also has a closed mantapa with subdued light in the interiors in the absence of any windows.
The central ceiling of the closed mantapa is elaborately decorated. The Navaranga has elegantly carved niches with surmounted miniature towers, again a unique feature uncommon to ekakuta temples of this period. The pillars in the Navaranga are decorated with fine bead work. The four faces at the bottom of these pillars are sculpted with the images of Vishnu, Bhirava, Durga and so forth.
 The ceilings of all the elements of the temple including the Garbagriha are decorated elaborately with fine carvings exhibiting excellent craftsmanship.
The excellence of craftsmanship is amply reflected in the elegantly carved dwarapalakas and ornately carved doorways of the Garbagriha also.
The outer walls of the temple have been divided in to three vertical sections namely: the bands (pattikas) at the base, the wall proper from the top of basement to the eaves and the parapet. 
The walls are embellished with large reliefs (images) numbering to about 120 while the basement cornices are either left plain or only dentilled. The images are mostly on pilasters (half pillars) between miniature turrets. These images add elegance to the beauty of the temple.
The Mukhamantapa i.e. an open pillared hall,  pen shaped sixteen pointed star in plan with high railings and no walls, provided with best of the stone benches laid around the entire hall except where there is a passage, is a rare architectural feature in the Hoysala temples.
To the left of this east facing ekakuta temple stands a double temple with an intervening niche which is of smaller proportion with out any ornamentation. This is not of much architectural importance in comparison with the Iswara temple next to it.

Sahasrakuta Basadi

A place of worship of Jaina community.  The temple is simple in construction and its exterior is plain except for the embedded pilasters found on the side walls. The exterior simplicity of the temple belies the internal beauty and ornate carvings found in the ceilings of Navaranga, Mukhamantapa and Garbhagriha. Sahsrakuta thirthankaras are carved in a single stone. The only other temple of this kind is found in Adaguru in South Karnataka.
Arasikere being a trade centre is well connected to all important cities and towns of Karnataka both by road and rail. It lies at about a distance of 170 kilometers from Bangalore city on Bangalore –Honnavara National Highway. Hotels are available for a comfortable stay, if needed.
The other places of attractions include temple at the foot and on the top of a hill known as Malekal Tirupathi which lies at a distance of about three kilometers from the centre of the town.