An architectural masterpiece: Lakshmikantha Swamy Temple, Hedathale

 

The characteristic profusion of sculptures associated with Hoysala structures is strikingly absent, as is the raised platform upon which the temple edifice stands. However, the hallmark stellate appearance of the construct doubtlessly points to the temple belonging to the Hoysala period. A porch open on its sides and roofed with metal sheet, leads to the Hadinaru Mukha Chavadi or 16-faced hall which in turn leads to the main temple premises. The Garuda Sthambha is sandwiched between the hall and main temple structure which is of Trikutachala style, that is, a shrine with three distinct sanctum sanctorums sharing a common atrium.

 

We are at the Lakshmikanthaswamy Temple in the nondescript village of Hedathale, 12 km away from Nanjangud, on the Mysore-Nanjangud-Chamrajnagar route.

Both, the village and the temple enjoy distinguished history. The village originally went by the name Yedathale, ‘yeda’ meaning left.  Yedathale was one hamlet among a cluster of villages, fed by the river Koundi which no longer exists. It was the dwelling place of a sage by name Koundinya who performed austere penance to Lord Narayana. On the river bank, several rishis who would perform Homa and Yajna, would find their toils marred by a demon as their Yajna reached the stage of poornaahuti. At the crucial moment the demon would rush in, step on the homa kund and splatter blood over it.  Frustrated thus by the demon, the sages sought the help of Koundinya Maharishi. The maharishi in turn performed penance to Narayana who appeared before him and upon his request, slayed the demon.

A huge tree in Kannada is referred to as ‘Hemmara’ – ‘Hemm’ meaning enormous, and ‘mara’ meaning tree. The demons legs, ‘kaala’, were huge as a tree. When Narayana cut the demon’s legs, he threw it to one side which gave the place the name ‘Hemmarakaala’ which in due course of time became ‘Hemmaragala’ as we presently know it.

Narayana then severed the demon’s head and threw it on the left side of the place – hence the name ‘Yedathale’ to the village where his head fell. With time, it became ‘Hedathale’. However, centuries earlier, this region was known as Vamashura Nagara.

 

An unfinished figurine of an elephant welcomes us at the porch to the Lakshmikantha Swamy temple in Hedathale. The sculpture of the pachyderm has its own riveting narrative. The sculptor who undertook construction of the temple is said to have promised King Balla III that he would complete building the shrine on a certain date and time before sunrise, and then immediately depart from there. The chiseler was able to fulfill the word given to the king in all but one aspect. He was unable to finish carving the elephant according to the sketch he had drafted (the draft marks are still visible on the sculpture). By the time he came to its facial features, the sun rose on the horizon; he stopped work and left the place!

Both, the architecture of the place of worship, as well as the idols installed therein, boast certain unique attributes. The Hadinaru Mukha Chavadi in front of the Garuda Sthambha is an engineering marvel and specialty of the temple, perhaps the only one of its kind in Karnataka. Its brilliant design created with tradition and purpose in mind, is associated with an interesting tale related to its architect Bhimanna Danda Nayaka, a palegar who had sixteen daughters, all of who were married. Because of the sheer numbers, the palegar found it difficult to identify each son-in-law in relation to a particular daughter. Further, traditions and social practices of the times demanded that mothers-in-law should not see and speak to their sons-in-law, face to face. To surmount these problems, the palegar conceived the idea of the 16-faced chavadi or hall which became the venue for the family gathering when there would be gaiety and merriment with music, dance and cultural events. 

The hall built by Danda Nayaka had 16 seats, one each for his daughters in order of their birth, with their respective spouses. The seats that were constructed 3 feet above floor level were so structured that while the palegar himself could see all his daughters and their husbands, his wife would only be able to see her daughters but not the sons-in-law. The palegar and his wife would occupy a seat 5 ft above floor level in a mantapam which was pulled down in 1998 when restoration of the temple was undertaken. It has been replaced by a doorway to the hall. The architecture of the hall reveals the engineering skills of the people of those times.

 

The ceiling of the 16-face chavadi is held together by 7 ft high lathe turned pillars, has sculpted geometric patterns in addition to a quartet of carved tigers – the Hoysala emblem.

A trio of deities Lakshmikantha facing east, Lakshminarasimha facing south and Venugopala facing north, are installed in the sanctums. The deities, with sharp and detailed features, are carved out of hard black stone or kaggallu as termed in the Kannada language. To begin with, Lakshmikantha, the principal deity for whom the temple is named, is four-armed with the padma or lotus and gadha held at the back. The conch and the disc or shankhu and chakra are held in the front in the shama shrayanam mudra or mode, that is, in the right and left hands. This is contrary to norms as in most Vishnu idols the shankhu-chakra symbols are seen on the left and right hands respectively.

According to the temple priest, this is in keeping with the Sri Vishishta Advaitha philosophy of the 11^th century saint and social reformer Shri Ramanujacharya. The procedure or practice of shama shrayanam, the tattooing of the upper arms of devotees, with the conch and disc symbols, is done by the acharyas in their respective mutts following the performance of Sudarshana Homa. Hence, the deity Lakshmikantha Swamy is portrayed in the temple as calling devotees to undergo this purification process. The priest further explains that the idols of Vishnu as Keerti Narayana, Nambi Narayana and Lakshmikantha, present in Karnataka, typically display this sculptural style, established by Shri Ramanuja during his stay in the region’s Thondanur Kere.

 

To the left of the principle shrine of Lakshmikantha Swamy, is Lord Lakshmi Narasdimha in a calm and meditative posture with his consort on his lap. The goddess Lakshmi is chiseled in perfect proportion and seated at a level commensurate in relation to the position of the Lord. 

A circular motif is sculpted in front of the shrine where devotees sit in meditation and look steadfast at the eyes of Narasimha. It is believed that doing so energies them with positive vibrations which the worshippers feel as they sit here. 

 The idol of Venugopala, flute in hand, in tribhangi, the dance posture, is most enticing with cows and gopis standing entranced by the melody of his music. His statue in this temple is one foot taller than his representations elsewhere in the region – namely at Hemmergala and Himvadbetta. Also, contrary to most portrayals of Krishna which have the serpent Adishesha behind, here he has his hood on the Lord’s head, upon which is the kalpavriksha.

A beautiful image of Andal which adorns a corner of the central atrium is the piece de resistance in the temple. Science and aesthetics define the idol. The eyes that look ordinary in normal light appear real when the priest performs aarathi in total darkness with all lights switched off. 

As the aarathi is waved at level with Aandaal’s forehead, she appears to look straight into the devotees’ eyes!

A separate enclosure houses the images of Sri ChennaKesava, Sri Ramanuja, Sri Vedantha Desika and other azhwars. The temple architecture typically consists of three chambers – the garbha griha or sanctum sanctorum, the sukhanasi and the navaranga.  

 

  At the entrance to the temple complex are separate shrines for Ganesha and the Navagrahas.

 

The annual Brahmotsavam is the main festival held in April

 

Quick Facts

Reaching: Hedathale is 180 km from Bangalore, 37 km from Mysore

Road: Public buses ply from Bangalore to Mysore and from Mysore to Nanjangud. Private taxis or autos need to be hired from Nanjangud to reach Hedathale.

If commuting by own vehicle, drive on SH 17 towards Mysore, follow Mysore-Ooty road. After reaching Nanjangud, drive on for about 5 km before turning left towards Hedathale.

Temple Time: 7.30 to 9.30 am and 6.30 to 8.30 pm.

Contact Shri Narayan Iyengar: 9880552361/8221235457