Hidden Hoysala treasures

Hoysala architecture attracts many tourists. But the best examples of this are hidden in remote areas, unseen by the world outside.

The Archaeological Survey of India announced early last month that it would rebuild the Keertinarayana temple at Talakad, a 12th century structure built by the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana, which had collapsed in torrential rains in 2000. Talakad is, of course, not known for its Hoysala architecture, as Belur, Halebid and Somanathapur are. Heavily promoted by the state government and local tour operators, most people come to these three destinations to admire the sculptures of the madanikes (bracket figures). But there are other hidden Hoysala treasures which, more often than not, escape the eyes of tourists.

A large number of other Hoysala temples are in remote villages. In some cases, even the villagers care little about these temples and often fail to guide visitors. One has to knock on the door of the priest’s house to have them opened, while for the rest of the time they remain shut.

These temples are built in unique styles and have a variety of sculptures created by the master artisans of the Hoysala period (10th-14th century). Some of the temples have carvings as good as those in Belur, Halebid or Somanathapur, if not better.

The Lakshmidevi temple in Doddagaddavalli in Hassan district, for instance, is a unique temple with four sanctums — of Lakshmi, Kali, Siva and Narasimha — facing each other. In this chatushkuta temple, the images of Kali and Bhetalas leave a visitor marvelling at their sculptural details.

Similarly, the Panchalingeswara temple in Mandya district is a rare five-cell temple. At the Keertinarayana temple in Talakad, the Panchalingas are distributed into five temples in different locations, while the Panchakuta temple in remote Govindanahalli has all the five faces of Siva in the form of Aghora, Ishana, Tatpurushua, Mahadeva and Viswanatha in separate sanctums in a row with separate towers.

Located amidst greenery at Kikkeri, in the same district, the Brahmeswara temple (1171 AD), is another excellent example of Hoysala craftsmanship. The intricate carvings and sculptures of exceptional workmanship are less damaged because of its location in a remote corner. The ‘Trikutachala’ has exquisitely carved bracket figures, some surpassing even those of Belur temple.

The ekakuta Amrutheswara temple (1196 AD) at Amruthapura in Chikamagalur is another temple with a tower peculiar to Hoysala towers. Located in an idyllic spot near Tarikere, epic stories depicted in carvings reflecting the empire’s power. The older Tripuranthakeswara temple (1070 AD) at Balligavi (Belagavi) in the Chalukyan style has door frames and pillars which have close resemblance to the earlier work at Belur and Halebid. The Mohini image has similarities with the Belur image.

There are about 100 Hoysala temples spread across the state, a large number concentrated in and around Hassan district. Located in isolated villages, many of them are amidst natural surroundings close to a tank. They are not easily accessible for lack of public transport and bad roads. Undoubtedly these need better roads but perhaps the fact that they are isolated and in remote areas have made them all the more worth a visit by a connoisseur of art and architecture for their uniqueness and grandeur.