Best of My Travel

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Ishvara Temple, Arasikere The Ishvara temple is located at a short distance from Haranhalli. Location: Ishvara Temple, Arasikere The Ishvara Temple (also spelt Ishwara or Isvara) in Arasikere town of the Hassan district in Karnataka state, India, dates to c. 1220 CE rule of Hoysala Empire. Arasikere (lit "Queens tank"; Arasi means "queen" or "princess" and kere means "tank" in the Kannada language) is located 140 km north of the historic city of Mysore and 41 km east of Hassan city. The temple, which is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, though modest in size and figure sculpture, is considered the most complex one in architecture among surviving Hoysala monuments because of its ground plan: a 16-pointed star shaped mantapa (hall), in addition to an asymmetrical star shaped shrine, whose star points are of three different types. The temple faces east as in all Hoysala constructions, uses soapstone ...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Someshvara Temple, Haranahalli Someshvara temple is located on the opposite side road of Lakshminarasimha temple. Unfortunately this temple is not well maintained as Lakshminarasimha temple. Location: Someshvara Temple, Haranahalli This temple was also closed and even after our best efforts we couldn't locate anybody to get it opened. But it looked splendid from outside. The Someshvara temple at Haranhalli is an example of 13th century Hoysala architecture. Haranhalli is located about 35 km from Hassan city in Karnataka state, India. The temple was built in 1235 A.D. by the Hoysala Empire King Vira Someshwara. The main deity in this temple is the Hindu god Shiva represented by his universal symbol, the linga. The temple plan is similar to that of the Lakshminarasimha temple. The main shrine is stellate (star shaped), has a complete superstructure (tower or shikhara) and a sukhanasi (nose or tower over the vestibule) which is ...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Haranhalli Lakshminarasimha temple is wrongly depicted as Chennakeshava temple in google map. Location: Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Haranahalli This temple was a surprise package in the trip. It is a very well maintained place and is looked after by the archaeological survey of India. It was closed when we reached there but we could get it opened after getting some help from locals.  The Lakshminarasimha temple at Haranhalli is a complete and good example of 13th century Hoysala architecture. Haranhalli is located about 35 km from Hassan city in Karnataka state, India. The temple, whose main deity is the Hindu god Vishnu, was built in 1235 A.D. by the Hoysala Empire King Vira Someshwara.  The temple plan is that of a trikuta (three shrined), with a strong focus on the middle shrine which has a superstructure (tower or shikhara) and a sukhanasi (nose or tower over the vestibule). The temple sta...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Javagal Javagal is very close to Marle and the roads are also pretty good. But there are hardly any good eateries or hotels at Javagal. Javagal is a small town and it was not difficult to find it. Most of the temples could be located in google with good accuracy. Location: Lakshminarasimha Temple, Javagal The Lakshminarasimha temple at Javagal (also called Javagallu) is an example of mid-13th century Hoysala architecture. The temple, whose main deity is Narasimha (a form of the Hindu god Vishnu), was built in 1250 A.D. by the Hoysala Empire King Vira Someshwara. The temple stands on a platform (jagati), a feature common to many Hoysala temples.  The decorative plan of the outer walls of the shrines and the mantapa (hall) is of the "new kind", with two eaves that run around the temple.  It is a trikuta (three shrined), though only the middle shrine has a superstructure (tower or...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Basadihalli Jinalaya, Halebidu A just few steps away from the Kedaresvara temple is Basadi compound. Location: Basadihalli Temples, Halebidu There are 3 basadi's which are known as Adinatheswvara, Shantishvara and Parshvanatheshvara Jain Basadis. These are considered as the most important Jain temples. These three Jinalayas dating to the period of King Vishnuvardhan who was earlier a Jain called Bittideva. Halebid is said to have originally contained no less that 720 Jain Bastis but now there are only three of them remains. This Jain temples at Halebid of which are believed to have been built during the reign of Hoysala period, was built around ShantalaDevi reign. Though Vishnuvardana converted to Hinduism at the instance of Sri Ramanujacharya, he & his queen patronised Jain faith too, his wife Shantala remained a Jain and built Jaina temples. The Parsvanathesvara Basti is the Largest of these Bastis containing an ima...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Kedareshwara Temple, Halebidu Kedareshwara temple is just a kilometre away from Hoysaleshwara temple. Location: Kedareshwara Temple, Halebidu It was surprising to here from the locals that even though this temple is just a kilometre away from the Hoysaleshwara temple, it is completely cut-off from tourist circuit. It was evident when we reached the place and to our astonishment we were the only people there. There was a care taker and he was kind enough to open the temple main doors and explain some history. Kedareshwara Temple (also spelt "Kedaresvara" or "Kedareshvara") is a Hoysala era construction in the historically important town of Halebidu, in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India. It is located a short distance away from the famous Hoysaleswara Temple. The temple was constructed by Hoysala King Veera Ballala II (r. 1173–1220 A.D.) and his queen Ketaladevi, and the main deity is Ishwara (another name for ...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Keshava & Ishvara Temple, Marle Marle belongs to Chikkamagalur district. A road connects Marle to Hiremagalur. Location: Marle Hoysala Temples During the region of Vishnuvardhana, two temples have been built here - one a Kesava temple, and the other, a Siddeswara (Ishvara) temple. On the outer surfaces of each of these temples several wall carvings are found. Two attractive elephants holding lotuses in their tusks capture the attention of every visitor near the portico of the Kesava Temple. In between the two temples there stands a 12 feet high stone slab on which are inscribed the details regarding the history of their construction.  (Source: http://hoysalatemple.blogspot.in/2010/08/kesava-temple-1130-ad-marle.html http://aravindgj.blogspot.in/2014/07/twin-temples-of-marle.html) Some portions of the temple has been restored but this place is still totally cut off from tourists. I hope m...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Veeranarayana Temple, Belavadi Belavadi is just a few kilometres away from Halebidu. Location: Veeranarayana Temple, Belavadi The Veera Narayana temple is located in Belavadi, a village in the Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka state, India. The temple was built during the rule of the Hoysala Empire. Known to legend as Ekachakranagara, Belavadi is said to be the place mentioned in Mahabharatha where Pandava prince Bheema killed the demon Bakasura and protected the village and its people. This ornate trikuta (three shrined) temple was built in 1200 C.E. by Hoysala Empire King Veera Ballala II. The material used is Soapstone. The central shrine (older shrine) has an 8 ft (2.4 m) tall image of Narayana with four hands and is considered one of the best examples of Hoysala art. It is well elaborated with ornamentation and stands on a padmasana (lotus seat). The southern shrine has an 8 ft (2.4 m) tall image of Venugopala (the god K...