Voyage 361

Kedareshwara temple and Parshwanatha Jain Basadi of Halebidu: Kedareshwara temple: It was about 5 pm before we headed out of the temple towards the Kedareshwara temple which is just 500 m away from the Hoysaleshwara temple. Star shaped structure of the Kedareshwara Temple According to the inscriptions, it was built by Hoysala king Ballala II and his queen Abhinava Ketaladevi in 1219 A.D. Some parts of this temple had been destroyed and some reconstruction work has been taken place in this temple. In-spite of this, the temple has retained most of its originality and presents a good view of a typical Hoysala Temple. Image of shiva-parvati on the walls of the temple Friezes and the sculptures on the walls of the Kedareshwara temple Built with soapstone, stands on a platform of sixteen points and the super structure are parallel to the contour of the platform. Originally this was a trikuta or three celled temple but all the garbhagrihas are now empty. As a...

Hoysaleshwara temple Nandi Mandapa’s and the Temple complex: Nandi Mandapa's: To the other side of the temple to the east are two more entrances facing to the Dwara Samudra Lake and to both of these east doors are the Nandi Mandapa's built with huge Nandi (the Bull, an attendant of Lord Shiva) statues inside it, being majestic in appearance and beautiful in composition. The walls on this side are more or less plain with less number of sculptures and pillars holding the roof structure and pierced perforated window structures are placed similar to that of the Belur temple. Nandi Mantapa 1 The first Nandi statue from the north is of more importance and is more beautifully carved than the other. It has a plain mantapa with pillars and open to air without any walls, it doesn’t have a garbhagriha, but has model shrines on either sides of the Nandi mantapa. Friezes on the base of the Nandi Mantapa 1, beside it is the Nandi Mantapa 2 Side view of the Nandi Manta...

Sculptures & Doorways of Hoysaleshwara temple Sculptures on the walls of the Hoysaleshwara temple Entrance: There are totally 4 doorways for the temple out of which the south door is of most importance. The entrance looks similar to that of the Belur, and is a true Hoysala style of architecture, with two model shrines on either sides of the door and the Lintel being exquisitely carved with small sculptures on them. The south entrance of the Hoysaleshwara temple The Dwarapalakas and the lintel work at the south entrance The most beautiful sculpture in Hoysaleshwara temple were the two sculptures of Dwarapalakas at the south door of the temple, it has the most elaborately carved ornaments  on both these sculptures. Dwarapalaka at the North entrace Dwarapalaka on the right of the south entrance Dwarapalaka on the left of the south entrance Here you can imagine those days how rich and elegant were there ornaments decorated so beautifully Even to...