A legacy bequeathed

The Hoysala dynasty, in its temples has bequeathed not just architecture but an archive of Karnataka’s culture during their reign writes Narendra K V.

Karnataka boasts of a rich cultural heritage and a legacy that is reflected in much of its art and architecture.

Over the last 25 centuries, 13 prominent dynasties have ruled the state. For long periods of time, these kingdoms ruled the entire region south of Gujarat and Odisha.

Vassals fought wars, managed administration and transferred taxes.

The kings had the time and money to define their legacy by building elaborate and wonderfully sculpted temples.

Successive dynasties, including the Kadambas, Gangas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Wodeyars and Hoysalas contributed to this rich legacy for over 25 centuries.

Each dynasty drew inspiration from its predecessor and competed with other contemporary rulers to establish an architectural stand of its own.

From among this wonderful tradition, the contribution of Hoysalas particularly stands out.

The Hoysala dynasty ruled large parts of the state between 1026 AD and 1355 AD.

There are more than a hundred Hoysala temples in and around the state today. While some are in disrepair, others are in a fairly good condition.

As many as 39 temples spread across 22 locations in five districts are in good stead currently.

The district of Hassan takes the credit of housing the maximum number of temples (27), including the famed Parsvanath Temple and the Lakshminarasimha Temple.

Mandya, Mysore, Tumkur, Shimoga and Chikmagalur also have their share of Hoysala architecture.

The 12 kings of this dynasty outdid each other in their contribution to art and culture in the state.

In the process of excelling, the architecture standards set by their rivals of the time, Chalukyas of Badami, they have presented the state with a wonderful heritage.

The earliest contributions of the Hoysalas can be traced back to 1113 AD, in the Lakshmidevi Temple that was built in Doddagaddavalli in Hassan by King Vishnuvardhana.

This was followed by the renowned Chennakeshava and Chennigaraya temples in Belur in 1117 AD.

Karnata style

The social, cultural and religious events of the period and the political and economic stability led to the kings focusing on rigorous temple-building during this period.

The outcome was a stylistic transformation of the Karnata or Karnata Dravida style of temple-building.

These temples are reflective of the religious trends of the time.

One can see a steady mix of Sri Vaishnava, Veerashaiva and Jain temples.

This is evident in the Lakshminarayana and Digambareshwara Temples built near Anathi in Hassan by Vishnuvardhana in 1119 AD.

The Mallikarjuna Temple built at Basaralu in Mandya by Veera Narasimha II and the Ishwara Temple built by Veera Ballala II in Arasikere, Hassan district, are classic examples of the religious diversity that was prevalent in Karnataka at the time.

Excellence in temple architecture reached its pinnacle during the reign of Hoysalas. We can see an evolution in the framework of temple architecture during this period.

To an uninterested onlooker, all Hoysala temples might appear the same. The principal engineering behind each complex is very similar.

The base, contours, mantapa and vimana make every temple look like a replica of another.

However, for those who are willing to spend a few more minutes to observe the sculpture, one can see the complexity of the work and the finesse that has gone into the production of each artefact. This is evident in the intricate carvings of the Harihareshwara Temple at Harihar in Hassan.

Traditional temple architecture across the country has a garbhagriha – the place of worship as the epicentre.

A devotee enters the garbhagriha after circumambulation through passageways, which provide access to the mantapas – the place of assembly, art and culture.

Eye for detail

Hoysala temples are unique, in that, all the three components of a typical temple merge into a single entity.

This innovation brought fine arts including dance and music closer to the sanctum sanctorum and allowed for continuous patronage and respect for the art and artist.

There is no evidence of separate structures for vedic rites like homa on the premises. It is perhaps for this reason, even with the use of soft sandstone, – perfect for sculpture that the temples have not been destroyed by soot and waste, even after a thousand years.

A typical Hoysala temple has defined structures.

The porch with lathe-turned pillars, star-shaped raised platform called jagati, elaborate lintel called makaratorana that leads to the mantapa. The mantapa comprises two parts – an outer part to seat an audience and an inner part to pray.

Lathe-turned pillars support the beams even as they facilitate people to watch a performance.

The high vimana atop the sanctum sanctorum and the ceiling, provide unhindered opportunities for artists to demonstrate their skill.

This intricate work is what sets Hoysala temples apart from the rest. Each temple has its own beauty and narration, that rivals another in depiction.

Stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas are the prime objects of illustration.

Anyone with a passing knowledge of Indian mythology can relate to them.

The choice of depiction of social mores seems to suggest that nothing has changed over the centuries and the world has remained stagnant in thought and practice.

This combination of ancient and modern thinking is what makes these heritage sites absolutely unique and even more relevant.

All the temples are government managed at this time and come within the ambit of the Muzrai department. They are all listed as protected monuments by the Archeological Survey of India under The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958.