Best of My Travel

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Mallikarjuna Temple, Basaralu The Mallikarjuna temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, is in Basaralu, a small town in the Mandya district, Karnataka state, India. Basaralu is close to Nagamangala and about 65 km from the culturally important city of Mysore. The temple was built by Harihara Dhannayaka around 1234 A.D. during the rule of the Hoysala Empire King Vira Narasimha II. Location: Basaralu The temple is highly ornate example of Hoysala architecture. The temple plan is that of a trikuta (three shrined), though only the middle one has a superstructure (tower or shikhara) and a sukhanasi (nose or tower over the vestibule). The three shrines are connected by a common hall (mantapa) which is unique in that it mixes characteristics of an open and a closed hall. The lateral shrines are connected directly to the hall while the middle shrine has a vestibule that connects the sanctum (cella or vimana) to the hall. The cella in the central shrine ...

Hoysala Heritage Trip - 5 Another weekend, all alone at home and another opportunity to explore the great living Hoysala temples. I woke up at 4:30 in the morning and started off at 5:15. It had rained heavily he previous night, hence it was very gloomy in the morning. I reached Swathi Hotel around 7:00 where I had breakfast. Then headed to the historic city of Nagamangala. Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Saumyakeshava Temple, Nagamangala Saumyakeshava Temple, Nagamangala Nagamangala is a town in the Mandya district of Karnataka state, India. It is located 62 km from the historically important town Mysore, on the Srirangapatna-Sira highway. Location; Nagamangala The Saumyakeshava temple (also spelt Sauymakesava or Soumyakeshava) at Nagamangala was constructed in the 12th century by the rulers of the Hoysala empire. Historically, Nagamangala came into prominence during the rule of Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana when it became an important center of Vaishnava faith and r...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Bhagwan Bahubali, Shravanabelagola According to Jaina traditional accounts, Sravanabelagola seems to have had religious significance from the 3rd century BC with the migration of Bhadrabahu, a Jaina pontiff along with his emperor Chandragupta Maurya. The place attained greater prominence  as a Digambara Jaina center when Chamundaraya, an illustrious minister of Ganga Rachamalla IV (974-985 AD), got installed the colossus of Bahubali to fulfil the cherished desire of his mother.  Location: Shravanabelagola The colossal image of Gomatesvara (Bahubali), sculpted from a tor, marks the culmination of the artistic excellence achieved by the Ganga sculptors. This magnificent sculpture installed at the peak of the Vindhya hill around 981 AD, is the tallest monolithic image in India and measures about 17.7 m in height. Hewn out of fine-grained grey granite, it is finished in the round from head to knees. The depiction of ant-hill with snakes peep...

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Chennakeshava Temple, Channarayapatna C R Patna or Channarayapatna is a taluk Headquarter situated on the Bangalore – Mangalore Highway NH 48, about 40 km from Hassan. There is a lovely Hoysala temple here, dedicated to Lord Chennakeshava and built during the 11th Century. Location: Chennarayapatna Temple I was doing some research on Hoysala temples when I accidentally located this on 'templesofkarnataka.com' website. It was on Google maps also. So I had no difficulty in reaching the place. However, the temple complex was closed which was a big disappointment. The temple is in the centre of the city adjacent to the KSRTC bus stand. 

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Govindeshwara Temple, Koravangala Nearby Bucesvara temple are two more temples that are in ruins. From the inscriptions on the premises, it is evident that these two temples had been commissioned by Buci's older brothers, Govinda and Naka. The ruined temples are visible from the Bucesvara temple complex. The temple care taker gave some details. 

Keywords: Hoysala Temples, Bucesvara Temple, Koravangala The Bucesvara temple (also spelt Bucheshwara or Bucheshvara) is a simple yet elegant specimen of 12th century of Hoysala architecture. It is located in the village of Korvangla, 10 km from Hassan city, in Hassan district or Karnataka state, India. The temple was built in 1173 A.D. by a rich officer called Buci (or Buchiraja), to celebrate the coronation of Hoysala King Veera Ballala II. Location: Koravangala temple By plan, the temple is a divikuta (two shrines) that face each other. These shrines are connected by a closed mantapa (hall) and an open mantapa. At the eastern end of the complex is a small shrine whose deity is the Bhairava, a form of the Hindu god Shiva. The western shrine facing the east, containing an image of Surya (the Sun god in Hinduism) has a staggered square plan , its kalasa  and Hoysala crest (warrior stabbing a lion) are intact, and the decorative features on the shikhara (tower over shr...