Chennakeshava Temple, Hullekere

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Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Chennakeshava Temple, Hullekere

Our next destination was Hullekere which is about 30 kms away from Vignasanthe.
Location: Hullekere Temple
This drive was awesome along very good roads. The pradhan mantri gram sadak yojna is really phenomenal. I was not expecting such good roads along these remote places. 

The Chennakeshava temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu is located in the village of Hullekere, in the Arasikere Taluk, about 22 km from the commercial town Arasikere. It was built in 1163 A.D. by a minister of Hoysala empire king Narasimha I. 


The entrance to the temple is through an open pillared hall or porch (mukhamantapa) followed by a closed hall (mantapa or navaranga).


The temple has a single vimana ekakuta plan.


The decor on the parapet walls, ceiling, lintel over the entrance and the pillars is noteworthy.


At the top of the main tower is the kalasha, a decorative water-pot like structure which stands on a large ornate dome. This dome is largest piece of sculpture in the temple and can be 2m x 2m in size. On the tower over the vestibule is located the Hoysala emblem of a royal warrior (legend has it that it is Sala, the founder of the empire) stabbing a lion.


The lathe turned pillars with four brackets above are a signature style of the 11th-13th century Chalukya-Hoysala architectural idiom.


Decorative Ceiling inside the temple sanctum.



The tower is divided into decorative tiers with each tier diminishing in height and culminating in an "umbrella" like structure.


The hoysala emblem of great sala striking the lion.


(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chennakeshava_Temple,_Hullekere)

Hullekere temple is very well preserved and so far the best in the current trip.








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