Kesava Temple: An Epitome of Chalukyan / Hoysala Style of Temple Architecture
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Fast Facts Somnathpur, Karnataka, India Getting There: Nearest Airport: Mysore Airport at Mandakalli Nearest Railway Station: Mysore Railway Station Nearest Bus Stand: KSRTC Mofussil Bus Stand, Mysore Distance: Srirangapatnam-Somnathpur 72 Km Mysore-Somanthpur 50 Km Bangalore-Somanthpur 140 Km Language: Kannada, Hindi and English Food: Vegetarian and non-vegetarian Safety: It is a safe place. Photography: Allowed Clothes: Cotton clothes in summer and winter. Light woolens at night in winter Entry Fee: Indians: INR 5.00 per head Foreigners: US$ 2.00 per head Timings: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm |
Chalukyas and Hoysalas built numerous exquisite temples in a new distinct style of architecture known by their dynasty names during eleventh to thirteenth century. Most of these temples were erected in Mysore, India and Chalukyan and Hoysala builders deftly used unique aesthetic abilities and sensibilities of local artisans to produce magnificent structures. And bluish-black or greenish chloritic schist with finer grains- a close textured, easily chiseled stone suitable for intricate carvings characteristic to these temples- was preferred. However, Dravidian style of temple architecture influenced Chalukyan / Hoysala style temples especially built in the Chalukyan territory bordered with the Dravidian areas.
Kesava Temple, a lesser-known tourist spot on the banks of the Cauvery River in Mysore, Karnataka, India, is a fine and complete example of Chalukyan / Hoysala style and worth a visit. Knowledge of various style elements and the typical architectural composition of the Chalukyan / Hoysala style temples will help you in appreciating beauty of the Keshava. The basic composition comprises four parts: building configuration and plan shape, wall surface treatment, shikhara (tower) formation and pillar design.
Configuration, Shape of Plan
An enclosure features a central structure, whose surrounding wall contains a number of cells facing a cloister or pillared verandah. The structure has three compartments: gribha graham (the inner sanctum), sukhanasi (vestibule attached to the cella) and navaranga (a pillared hall). Hoysala temples contain more than one inner sanctum - double, triple, quadruple and even some times quintuple. A series of points were used to draw the outer wall plan, creating a traditional star figure called asthabhadra or stellate plan. The temples are built on a high spacious non-rectangular platforms designed for circumambulations as there is no pradakshina path inside the structure.
Wall Surfaces
Wall surface design of vimana, the sanctuary containing deity cell, has three horizontal divisions while that of pillared halls features one less. A continuous cornice connects both the compartments- halls and vimana. High vertical basements of the compartments consist of various bands that are embellished with animated sculptures according to a traditional sequence. The band closest to the ground features elephant processions symbolizing stability and strength, followed by horsemen indicating speed, spiral foliage and sun-face (kirthimukh), scenes from epic poems, foliage and yalis (scaly hippopotami) representing the Ganga River and a series of geese (hamsa). Vimana wall surfaces are more ornate than that of the halls and feature finely carved deity sculptures under foliated canopies.
Shikhara
Shikhara (tower) is a systematic succession of tiers reducing in width rising upwards and terminating in parasol-shaped finial. Gorgeous niches and miniature shrines complement the tower. However, these towers without effective height are architecturally formless and structurally not very strong.
Pillars
Simple baluster-like pillars with monolithic shafts are testimony to mass production and mechanical process used for constructing edifices in the past. Lower part of the shafts features a bell-shaped motif. Ring-like moldings of capital are topped off with four-square brackets. Another prominent element of the pillars is Madanakai figures, strut-like brackets.
Kesava Temple
Kesava Temple, a triple (trikutachala) Chalukyan / Hoysala style temple, was erected at Somnathpur, Mysore in 1268 to house three incarnations of Lord Krishna: Prasanna Keshava, Janardana and Venugopal. The shrine stands in the center of a rectangular courtyard fringed with 64 cells facing pillared verandah. Its three shrines are located at the western end of its main pillared hall. One shrine aligns with hall axially and the remaining two project laterally, creating cruciform shape. The hall consists of the navaranga (a middle hall) with four pillars and mukha-mandapa (a front hall) with 12 pillars. Each of three interior walls of the navaranga has a doorway leading to a square sukhanasi connecting to the inner sanctum. The temple with single entrance on the east side is erected on a high and roomy platform boasting a seven-foot wide ambulatory. Seated lions guard the platform.
The three stellate towers rise as high as 30 feet. Towers, parapet and exterior walls are arranged and embellished as per conventional sequence comprising elephants, horsemen, sun-face, scenes from epic poems, yalis, geese, deity images adorned with jewelry and shrines. Panels are covered with figures of Indra, Brahma, Shiva, Durga, incarnations of Vishnu and nymphs. There are sixteen unique profusely carved ceilings within the temple. One of them looks like a banana flower and other resembles concentric circles. Sculptures even carry names of the respective sculptors.
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