Laxminarayana Temple- Hosaholalu, K R Pet, Mandya

My office got the news of new H1N1 case reported from Virarajpur near Bukanakere in Mandya district. Any report of H1N1 requires serious monitoring and we had to visit. My team decided to visit the place. It was about 70 kms from Mandya  and we had to cross K R Pet. After crossing K R Pet I saw a nice temple on the right temple. Our team explained to me that this place is Hosaholalu and we have a Hoysala temple here !!

Our work took almost 3 hours to complete and while coming back I wanted to visit this temple for 10 mins.Once I entered inside I could sense that this is a marvelous temple. Hosaholalu is about 60 kms from Mandya and 45 kms from Mysore.

Hosaholalu has a splendid Laxminarayan temple. According to records this temple dates back to 1250 and was built by king Vira Someshwara of the Hoysala dynasty. Luckily for us when we visited, 2 members from ASI were also present and they were good in history and explained many aspects of the temple.They told me that Laxmi temple( of Laxminarayana ) was added late in 1950s. Deccan Herald published a beautiful article on 6th Nov 2012 I have used that for this blog.

The elements present, the style of architecture and the conventional enshrinement of deities in this temple present a fine example of Hoysala temple architecture. Good maintenance by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) authorities has ensured that the temple has retained its beauty and elegance. According to Gerard Foekema, a renowned architectural historian, this temple is considered a ‘fairy temple’ among Hoysala temples. “Only the famous temple of Somanathpur can match its fairy tale atmosphere,” he adds. 

After a guided tour of this temple, one can conclude that this can be called an open air museum of sorts. The temple is one of trikuta type with three shrines. The central shrine with heavily carved super structure, three-tiered sukanasi (a short tower or the ‘nose’) and three large two-storied wall shrines on the three sides make it one of the most decorated ones found in Hoysala architecture. The lateral shrines are devoid of super structure. While the presiding deity, Lakshminarayana, is enshrined in the garbha griha (central shrine), the lateral shrines situated on the southern and northern sides, house the images of Venugopala and Lakshminarasimha respectively.

The lateral shrines don’t have an antarala (antichamber), but the central shrine has one such chamber followed by a navaranga hall and beyond this hall is a mukha mantapa. This temple has six decorative pattikas (friezes) on the exterior walls and it slightly differs from the earlier style of five pattikas. But a later addition at the entrance of the temple not only denies an elegant conventional stepped entrance to the temple via the elevated platform but also belies the beauty of the temple.

The exteriors match the interiors of this temple. The lower portion of the walls above the platform on which the temple is built is decorated with six pattikas. The pattikas depict rows of mythological creatures and episodes from the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Bhagavatha. The finely carved images, which are 120 in number, include 24 different aspects of Vishnu embellished on the walls. Images of deities such as Bhairava, Parvati, Indra on his Airavata, Brahma, Durga and Krishna dancing on a serpent also share this space. Conspicuously absent is the Hoysala’s royal insignia generally found in the temples of the Hoysala period. 

Dwajastamba- A later edition

This temple, with its marvellous art and sculpture executed both in the interiors and exteriors, is a feast to the eyes of a visitor. The ceiling of the navaranga hall with its four ornately sculpted pillars is divided into nine bays. Each bay has a deep domical ceiling and is decorated with different patterns of art work. A kalingamardhana panel in the central bay may miss the attention of the visitor because of its miniature size. Finely sculpted idols of goddess Mahishasuramardhini and lord Ganesha are housed in large niches with ornately carved super structure, on the corners abutting the central shrine.

Angadi- Birth place of Hoysala dynasty

Last part of our journey in and around Mudigere was the place Angadi. This place is about 7 kms from Janapur road junction. Road was very bad and we struggled to reach the place.

Angadi, which means a shop, is a sleepy little village in Mudigere taluka. It was originally called "Sasakapura or Sosevur" by the Hoysalas, who built a mighty kingdom that played a decisive role in the history of south India.

There is an interesting anecdote about the dynasty and how it got the name Hoysala.It is said that Sala, the progenitor of the Hoysalas, was walking through a forest with his Jain Guru, Yogendra Sudatta, to worship goddess Vasantika Devi when a tiger came their way.Taking an iron rod, the teacher handed it over to Sala saying, "Poy, Sala" (Strike, Sala). Sala killed the tiger.

This story is narrated in several records with a few differences in detail. While the Hoysala crest in many temples depicts Sala killing a tiger, the seal on copper plates and coins shows a dead tiger and a rod. Sala was perhaps the first ruler of the dynasty. Not much is known about him.

The main attraction of Angadi is Durga or Vasantha Parameshwari Temple located on a hillock. This temple has pillars of granite with cylindrical beams and hemi spherical moldings. The temple has been renovated and well maintained. 

Angadi has the ruins of five temples. Two of them, identified as Jain basadis, are said to date back to the 10th Century. One of the basadis is called "Makara Jinalaya," built by Manika Poysalachari. It has a mammoth idol of Shantinatha in the seated posture. The larger of the two basadis is called Neminatha Basadi and contains images of Neminatha, Chandranatha and Gomateswara. The three other temples are dedicated to Keshava, Patalarudreshwara and Mallikarjuna. The carvings indicate that the structures belong to the early period of the Hoysala Empire.

Vasanta Parameshwari Temple

Place where Sala killed the tiger

Prasanna Rameshwara Temple- Devarunda,Mudigere Chikmagalur

Prabhu,Manjunath and myself continued our journey from Bhairapur and reached Devarunda, a small village few kms from Bhairapur. Devarunda is a beautiful name for this place and has a beautiful temple. When we reached this place temple was closed but we could spend quality time witnessing the structure,its beauty and also learnt about its history.

Prabhu told me that Gods meeting place is Devarunda and thats the history. This place is also known as Dakshin Kashi and temple complex houses gods Rameshwara,Veerbhadreshwara, Bahireshwara,Parvati and Ganapati. This temple is said to be more than 500 years old and renovation is going on. This temple is popularly known as Prasanna Rameshwara temple.

Bhairaveshwara Temple- Bhairapur,Mudigere Chikmagalur

Chikmagalur district is unbelievably beautiful place and I am always fascinated by that place and enjoy visiting Chikmagalur. There are many wonderful hill stations to visit and few of them are Mullayanagiri and Kemmannu gundi. Since my interest is visiting historical temples,I enquired few locals about any special place.Mr.Prabhu, my friend took time,discussed with his local friends and came out with a plan to visit 3 temples of historical importance.

Prabhu and myself started from Mudigere and on the way picked up Mr. Manjunath,school teacher in Bhairapur.One of the temples we visited is Bhairaveshwara Temple in Bhairapur.Manjunath is working in that place for 3 years and is quite popular.He taught us many interesting facts about Bhairapur.He took us to Bhairaveshwara Temple on the top of the hill. This place is about 22 kms from Mudigere and road is manageable.

This temple on the top of the hill looks like protecting the whole western ghats !! There is no record available about this temple but probably it was built in 13th century. The priest who was waiting for us informed that there is an adjoining pond and a escape route from this place. We could witness the pond and entry of escape route. This was part of the fort which Hoysalas built ,now it is in ruins.This was the place which was used for preparing and storing coins. Thats why this place is called Tankada Bhairapur(means factory for coins).

Manjunath explained that this place is popular trekking place.Two hours trek behind the temple area will take us to Kukke Subramanya temple !