Kedareshwara Temple, Nagalapura

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Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Kedareshwara Temple, Nagalapura

The temple is just a few yards from Chennakeshava temple.

Location: Nagalapura

This ekakuta (single sanctum) temple faces east and is dedicated to Shiva. It is consisted of a garbha-grha (sanctum), an antarala (vestibule) and a navaranga (closed hall). There would have been a porch but it has disappeared. Though the garbha-grha faces east however the main entrance to the temple, through navaranga, is on its southern side. The garbha-grha is modeled on a sixteen-pointed star plan. The shikhara (tower) of the temple has not survived.

This temple belongs to the matured Hoysala architectural phase. This phase is distinguished by the series of the bands of the adhisthana of the temple and the eaves over the external wall images. Both these features are evident in this temple. The arrangement of bands found here, over the adhishthana (platform), is consisted of six separate horizontal friezes. These are, from below, a frieze of elephants, a frieze of horse-men, scroll-work, empty band intended for Puranic sculptures, a frieze of makaras with riders on it and a band of swans. The frieze which is usually used for depicting Puranic scenes is empty here, which suggests that it was left incomplete by the sculptors. Among the various images adorning the external walls of the temple, some noticeable images are Gajasamharamurti, Arjun aiming for fish, three-legged Bhringi, Bhairava, Shiva as Tripurari, Durga, Nrrtti, Uma-Maheshvara, Kamadeva, Mahishasuramardini and Shiva as Tandaveshvara.










This is was one of the best solo trip. Now it was time to head back. I headed via T. Narasipura road which joins Yadiyur. Amidt heavy rains, I reached Bangalore at around 8:30.


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