Hoysala Temple Trails for this Long Weekend?

The Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, the Chennakeshava temple at Belur, the Chennakeshava temple at Somnathpur and the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagadvalli village are some of the living temple gems that the Hoysala kingdom of Karnataka has left behind as legacy for all history, art and temple lovers. Created by some of the finest artisans and sculptors of South India, all these temples rival each other for beauty in detail and joy in vivid story telling.



Not only are these places great summer getaways from Bengaluru, but they are also fantastic for those who love street photography or people photography. Personally, I am a big fan of all the Hoysala temple trails. There is so much to learn, see and imagine in these temples that is nothing short of pure joy for a visitor. Travel photographers who love taking portraits and street photos will love the colorful local attire, local mannerisms and the intricate detailing in the temple that make for great foregrounds and backgrounds.



Whether you are a travel photographer, a traveler or simply an art and temple lover, the Hoysala temple trails are bound to thrill you. May be, this upcoming long weekend could be your perfect opportunity to explore some of these temples.

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Somnathpur Keshava Temple: An OffBeat Cultural Trail just outside of Bangalore

750 years of pristine cultural history and that too located at just about 120 kms from the heart of Bangalore. And the best part is that it is tucked away in a non-descript village in the Mandya district of Karnataka. Sounds too good to be true right? But, it is the truth. It is a top off beat cultural trail that is located just 2 hours from Bangalore and which makes it either a great option for a day trip from Bangalore or as a weekend getaway along with other towns.


Karnataka has had mighty empires in its past. The four great ones were Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, Vijaynagara and Hoysala. Out of these, the temples from the Hoysala empire have stood the effects of time and stand in their best glory of all temples in Karnataka.


The temples at Belur and Halebid formed the crux of the Hoysala empire and hence attract the most attention. But, they did suffer damage during the wars. If you wish to see a Hoysala temple in all its glory, you have to head to Somnathpur, once a Hoysala kingdom stronghold, especially in the fertile Cauvery region.


This village was once very prosperous and hence was home to some of the most skilled craftsmen and sculptors. They designed a temple in 58 years about 750 years ago that saw very few wars and has withstood the effects of time gracefully. Thus, today, this archaeological site and non-functional temple stands in all its glory and lets the visitor admire the rich work created by the Hoysala artisans eight centuries ago.


Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this Chennakeshava temple like the rest of all temples was built during the Hoysala reign. Built using soapstone dug from the grounds in and around Somnathpur, this Vaishnavite temple that faces east is built on a raised platform and using a shikhara architecture.


It’s specialty is its intricate sculpting and carving that depicts stories from epics, mythological events, Hoysala battles, folk lore, musical and dance events and much more. The key feature of this temple are its sculptures.


From the dancing Goddess Lakshmi to Lord Indra on an elephant; from the four headed Brahma to Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning; from the 10 avatars of Bishnu to the beautiful and intricate Mahisasaura Mardini, these temple sculptures leave the visitors in awe at their craftmanship and their attention to detail.


Some of these sculptures are a rarity in all Hindu temples, especially the likes of the Angry Ganesha (one who looks towards his right), the dancing Lakshmi, Lakshmipati, Venugopala, the statue of Brahma, etc. Even some mythological creatures like the Makara (front as a crocodile, hind of a peacock, and other body parts from an elephant, deer and fish) are bound to leave you astounded.


Each stone and pillar on the outside walls of the temple depict so many tales from our rich Hindu mythologies. The 10 avatars of Maha Vishnu, the sun god, Lord Indra, the various goddesses, the day to day scenes, Kamasutra and much more can be seen on the temple walls. It is believed that the temple was set as an educational platform for the common man, who could learn everything from the gods to epics to sex to music and much more.


If you thought the outsides of the temple were stunning, wait till you enter the sanctum sanatorium of the temple and see the rich carvings on the temple ceilings. The icing on the cake are the main statues of the 3 temple gods – Chenna Keshava, Venugopala and Janardhana. While the statues of Venugopala (Krishna) and Janardhana still exist in the temple, the original statue of Keshava exists in the London Museum and only a replica from another archaeological site has been kept here.


If you are a culture or heritage lover, this Chenna Keshava temple is bound to keep you spellbound. And what you will relish the most is the fact that this is off the beaten path and hence there are very few visitors. Enjoy it before everyone gets to hear of it.


Ideal Times, Entry Fees and Guides: It is best to visit this temple early in the day or late in the evening for better lighting and for cooler weather. Entry for Indians is INR 5 and for foreign nationals is INR 100. It is recommended to avail the services of government approved cultural guides to appreciate the meaning of the rocks and the sculptures. The typical fee of a guide is INR 350 for the group and his services last 40 to 60 minutes.


Food and Stay: Somnathpur is a small village and nothing much in terms of food and accommodation can be found here apart from some fruit hawkers. The nearest cities of Mysore and Srirangapatna would be the best bet for food and lodging.


Ideal Route from Bangalore would be –> Bangalore –> Channapatna –> Maddur –> Mandya –> turn left towards Bannur –> after Bannur turn right towards Somnathpur (the overall distance would be about 120 kms and should take you 2 to 3 hours depending on speed and breaks). One can also opt for an alternate route via Kanakapura, Malavalli and Talakad. As per Jan 2015, the roads from Mandya to Somnathpur are in good condition with the exception of small patches were the roads have small pot holes.


Timings: 9 Am to 5 PM

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Rainbow from the Channakeshava Temple, Belur, Karnataka

It was a cloudy monsoon afternoon in the Hoysala kingdom, but as I approached the Channakeshava temple in Belur, the skies opened up to let in some late evening sun. This bright sunshine and its soft glow made for a great session of photography at this historic site.



And it got even better when a rainbow could be seen against the temple entrance. It was quite a sight to behold. A great natural moment against a great historic monument.

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Sunset Silhouette Moments from Belur Channakeshava Temple

It was a typical monsoon day and all I could see was dark clouds and gloomy weather. I knew this type of bad lighting was not ideal for architectural photography and was hoping that the sun would come out and bless us with some golden evening light.

 
And it was one of those days when hope turned into reality. In fact, the day made a complete turnaround from grey skies to brilliantly blue skies with golden evening rays of the sun. It was right at this opportune time that I found myself at the Belur Channakeshava temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the pride of the Hoysala empire.

 
The light became so good that I decided to indulge in some silhouette photography keeping the temple architecture in the foreground and the designer clouds, blue skies and the setting sun in the background.

 
Personally, I don’t know how to categorize these photographs. Should I club them as landscape photography or skyscape photography. Or should I categorize them as silhouette photography, if there is such a category. These photographs seems to have all the right combination of elements and hence the dilemma.

 
What is your opinion? I am more leaning towards silhouette photography!

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Doddagaddavalli Lakshmi Devi Temple–Lesser known destination on the Hoysala Map!

When one thinks of the Hoysala Kingdom, it is Belur and Halebid that first come to mind and hence it is these places that are high on the tourist’s itinerary. But, the true essence of the Hoysala kingdom lies in its lesser known jewels. Such a jewel is the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli village that is located about 16 kilometres from Hassan and enroute to Belur.

 
This is a 12th century temple built by the Hoysalas during the rule of King Vishnuvardhana. In spite of it being one of the oldest Hoysala temples, it has withstood the vagaries of time very well and stands in pristine condition. The entire temple area can be spotted from the road that leads to Doddagaddavalli from the Hassan-Belur road.

 
This long distance view of the temple is spectacular as one can see the temple vimanas glimmering in the sun against the surrounding dense green vegetation and near a large water body. This water body is a pond that is situated to the back of the temple. This pond also adds a new dimension to this temple from a picturesque locale standpoint.

 
According to the legends, this temple is said to have been built in 1114 A.D. by a merchant called Kullahana Rahuta, a merchant or high officer in the Hoysala court. And this was for his wife Sahaja Devi. It is one of the earliest known temples built in Hoysala style and is built with Chloritic schist or Soapstone.

 
It was a dark and cloudy monsoon day when I was here recently. The soapstone did not get a chance to gleam in the sunshine, but stood plainly in the dark and grey weather. But it was the surrounding lake and the greenery that caught my eye first. Then, came the series of long granite steps along the outer wall of the temple compound. It is these steps that separate the temple compound from the lake. One can get to see the high vimanas of the temple from this place.

 
The entire temple area comes under the purview of the Archaeological Society of India who have maintained it very well. In terms of current functioning, prayers are still being offered daily to the temple deity, though the temple is open only during designated time slots. But, in case, you are interested in exploring this temple and are unable to make it during the allotted time slot, then you can reach out to the temple priest who stays in the house that is just opposite the main entrance of the temple. Generally, the temple priest is very kind and often offers to open the temple doors for tourists and devotees alike.

 
Inside the temple inner sanctum, one can see the following deities. The main shrine facing east has a 3 foot tall image of goddess Lakshmi with an attendant on either side. In her four hands, the image holds a conch in the upper right hand, a chakra (discus) in the upper left, a rosary in the lower right and a mace in the lower left.

 
In the shrines facing north, west and south are the idols of Kali, Vishnu and Boothanatha Linga (the universal symbol of Shiva). A sculpture of Tandaveswara (dancing Shiva) exists in the circular panel at the centre of the ceiling of the mantapa. Other important sculptures are those of Gajalakshmi (form of Lakshmi), Tandaveswara and Yoganarasimha (form of Vishnu) found on the doorway of the temple.

 
Overall, the temple has the older Hoysala style where there is only one eaves running through the temple wherein the main towers meet the wall of the shrine. On the whole, the temple complex has nine towers, which is unusual for a Hoysala Temple. Another unusual feature of the temple is the existence of four more shrines at each corner of the temple complex with two sides of each shrine attached to the courtyard wall. Each of these minor shrines has its own tower,Kalasa and Hoysala emblem.

 
The temple compound may not be very big, but each bit of it has a lot of culture and history to offer to the interested traveller. The lake side of the temple also offers a different view of the temple. One can walk along the lake banks and see a long range shot of the entire temple campus.



The Lakshmi devi temple at Doddagaddavalli village is truly one of Hoysala’s lesser known jewels and for its stature and importance, it is far unrepresented in the tourism map of Karnataka. This also offers a pleasant deviation from the crowded touristy attractions. Personally, I like this temple a lot, especially for its location, its excellent current state and its rich culture and history. I would definitely recommend this temple to all those who are interested in visiting the Hoysala Empire. If you are interested in planning your vacation, then visit Playa de Las Americas on holiday.

 
How to reach Doddagaddavalli village from Hassan town?
From Hassan, head towards Belur. Take the Bangalore – Mangalore road that runs right through the middle of Hassan town. Head towards the Mangalore direction (i.e. towards West from the town centre). As you come out of the town (after SDM Ayurveda college on your right), a junction appears with the Belur road on your right. The traffic thins out suddenly as you get to this road. This is the State Highway 57 (SH57).

 
After about 10 kms from Hassan, drive slowly and keep watching to the left of the road for directions to Doddagaddavally. Turn left at the place where you see a Karnataka tourism map hoarding or a picture of the Lakshmidevi temple of Doddagaddavalli. Take this small road to the left of this hoarding. This road takes you to the Doddagaddavalli village square after about 3 km of winding through some rocky outcrops. Even before reaching the village square, you should be able to spot a large lake to your left.On the bank of the lake, you can spot the protruding towers of the temple. However, you need to cross the village to reach the temple gate. Ask for directions in the village. They would point you the path through some narrow village lanes.

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