Marvels Beyond Belur and Halibedu

Profusion of Sculptures - Belavadi

Pantheon of Deities - Javagal

Published in "Swagat", the inflight magazine of Indian Airlines in its last issue, in May 2011.


Marvels Beyond Belur and Halibedu

It’s early November and the Karnatakan air is redolent with the slight scent of winter blended with the aroma of its lush villages. Having visited the most popular and oft written-about tourist sites of Belur and Halibedu in Hassan District, we decide to explore some of the less known but equally marvelous edifices of the district, especially those built during the Hoysala Dynasty. Unfortunately, most of them, deemed ‘protected’ monuments by the Archaeological Survey of India, lie cheek-by-jowl with vibrant and thriving villages, squired away in remote areas of the state. We plan to make a one-day circuit of temples within a radius of 40-50 km from the town of Hassan where we check into a comfortable hotel the previous night.

The Hoysala reign between the 11^th and 14^th centuries saw temple-building activity reach a feverish pitch with several hundred temples adorning the landscape of Karnataka. However, most of them oweverHsuccumbed to the ravages of time and marauding invaders, leaving just around one hundred temples in good state of preserve. These monuments bear testimony to the architectural and sculptural brilliance of the artisans of the times, who exploited the soft chlorite schist to splendid effect, sculpting miniature figures in minute detail, whether in the depiction of the Hindu epics, the pantheon of deities, gargoyles or erotism. 

The unique style of Hoysala architecture is immediately palpable as we enter the temple precincts, characterized by inventive ornamental decoration, and walls that are picture galleries, dense with carvings, both intricate and aesthetic. A striking feature of most Hoysala temples is the star-shaped raised platform upon which the main temple is erected. The platforms themselves are abundantly spacious to enable devotees circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum while allowing tourists and art lovers ample moving space to savour the life-like sculptural delights that their walls contain. The walls have carvings that are thematically tiered horizontally, portraying elephants at the lowest level, symbolic of strength, holding aloft the entire structure.
Elephants, horses, floral scrolls, scenes from Indian mythology and the puranas adorn the walls in thematic sequence, in horizontal narrow bands while larger figurines bedeck the upper reaches of the wall, sharing space with cornices, turrets and eaves. Unlike most South Indian temples, the Hoysala temples are neither very tall nor do they have a huge gopuram or shikhar towering over the landscape. Their appeal lies in the exceptionally detailed friezes adorning the walls, the ornamental lathe turned pillars and the lavish profusion of delicate carvings on the dome-shaped ceiling of their assembly hall leading to the sanctum.

Following a sumptuous breakfast of fluffy white idlis and steaming onion sambar, we leave for Mosale, a farming village about 15km from Hassan. Barely do we travel a few kilometers on the Hassan-Mysore state highway, the road ahead is obliterated by a thick veil of mist that threatens to assume foggy hues. The ‘white’ disc on the horizon appears defenseless against this heavy blanket, as it desperately attempts to show off its scintillating yellow-orange rays. I am just as desperate, hoping the misty fog will not play spoilt sport to dampen my tryst with my digital associate who I have ensured is fully charged and has ample memory to document my journey on his lens. 

After traveling approximately 10km on the highway, we take a right turn into the narrow village road that is tarred and muddy in stretches, flanked by fields on the one side and mud-brick village houses on the other. As we snake our way through narrow alleyways, we applaud our sixth sense for the decision to undertake the circuit in the smaller, easily maneouvreable Santro, instead of having sought the comfort of the spacious Innova. 

It is half past eight and a thin film of mist is still hovering above us as we come upon the twin temples of Chennakeshava and Nageshwara at Mosale, wearing a desolate and deserted look. It is evident that the temple has few devotees and fewer visitors, tucked away as it is, in enchanting but little known surrounds. Upon seeing visitors to the temple, a couple of villagers run a few yards away to summon the temple priests, two of them, one for each shrine. 

The twins are veritably a hidden gem on the art map of Karnataka, the exterior of their walls, a profusion of sculptures, typical of the Hoysala period. Unlike the other Hoysala structures, Mosale is humble in size and decor, bereft of the huge precincts, the star platform, and assembly halls. After savouring the exquisite wall sculptures and offering puja in the temples, we move on to our next destination, the hamlet of Doddaggaddavalli, to visit its famed Lakshmi temple.

We head back to Hassan to journey in the direction opposite to Mosale, on the route to Halebid, to reach Doddagaddavalli. The fog has dissipated and a gentle breeze ruffles wisps of corn and paddy plants as our car rumbles along a mosaic of dramatic landscapes alternating between undulating hillocks, crystal clear lakes, lush fields and tiny villages pulsating with activity. Our attention is suddenly diverted by a board that reads, Kondajji, home to the huge and unique black stone Varadarajaswamy temple. We make an impromptu decision, take a slight diversion from the highway and hit the village road to Kondajji. We travel 20-25 km on narrow and at-times-bumpy village roads to reach Kondajji, surrounded by verdant hills upon which are erected several windmills. 

The temple itself is a very nondescript structure situated bang in the middle of village huts and fields throwing up all kinds of vegetation. Though built during the Hoysala period, we learn that it was not a Hoysala monument. However, the 18 feet tall monolithic black stone idol of Lord Vishnu as Allalanatha or Varadaraja as he is variously called by the village people, is stunningly beautiful with features sharply sculpted to give the Lord a majestic and mesmerizing expression. 

We are happy for the detour we made to visit Kondajji and still entranced by the Lord’s glorious looks, we return to our original schedule and head for Doddagaddavalli. It is village roads again for the major part of the distance and we revel in this rural ambience, away from the maddening urban jungle of glass and concrete. Crows, flaunting their ebony wings, circle the swatches of ginger, sugarcane and corn fields while the seemingly less active kingfishers and blue jays lounge on the electric wires above the fields, watching the world go by.

Doddagaddavalli, corrupted from its original name Doddagaddumpalli, is the birth place of the famous veena maestro, Doraiswamy Iyengar. The Lakshmi temple, set in a scenic rural environment, amidst pristine coconut plantations, ginger fields and a lake at its rear was built in the 1100s during the Hoysala reign of King Vishnuvardhan but not by the king. This is one of the earliest Hoysala style temples, built before the renowned temples at Belur, Halibedu and Somnathpura, by a merchant Kullahana Rahuta and his wife Sahaja Devi. The temple is unique in that it is a complex of four shrines that face the cardinal directions, not seen in South Indian temples until then. The star platform is absent and the four shrines each have a pyramidical tower, only one of which is embellished with motifs typical of Hoysala architecture. The other three towers are like stepped pyramids with dented horizontal mouldings and a kalash on top. The temple complex has lush green lawn, maintained by the archeology department.

Lakshmi Devi, the presiding deity stands in all grandeur, 3 feet tall and holding aloft in each of her four hands, the conch, discus, rosary and mace. The doorway sculptures are exquisite in their rendition. The carved goblins or betalas standing guard at the doorway of the Lakshmi Devi shrine, are particularly arresting for the way they have been executed. Unfortunately, because of a power cut, a very common feature in the village we are told, I am unable to take photographs of the temple interior. The ceiling of the main hall, inscribing the quartet of shrines, is supported by 18 lathe turned pillars and reveals carvings that reflect artistry and workmanship of the highest order.  

Artistically though we have enjoyed a brimming platter, our bellies are rumbling, beseeching us for their share of fuel. As we hit the road to Halibedu to reach Belavadi, our next stop in the itinerary, we halt for lunch at one of the wayside restaurants. Ravenous from the morning’s jaunt, we enjoy a complete South Indian meal, served on tender banana leaves that add their dash of aroma to the viscous delicacies – the rasam and sambar that we mop up with practiced dexterity, with cupped palm and fingers.

Following a very brief stop to pick up some freshly harvested ginger, we continue our drive to Belavadi. We are greeted by a pair of ornate elephants at the main entrance. The temple is of trikutachala style, having three shrines, each with its individual tower. One of the best and largest examples of Hoysala architecture, the trio of towers and the temple itself is a visual feast that leaves us gaping, unabashedly at man’s handiwork.

It is seven gates to heaven, and walking through a huge Navaranga or assembly hall the ceiling of which is richly decorated with tales from the Mahabharata and Bhagwad, we come upon the presiding deity Vishnu, in the form of Veeranarayana, resplendent in silk robe and bedecked with jewels. To the left of Veeranarayana is the shrine dedicated to Krishna as Venugopala. Flute in hand, and in tribhangi posture under the Honne tree, Krishna is visibly having an audience of gopikas, cows, cowherds and sages, besides his consorts Rukmini and Satyabama, spellbound with his recital. To the right and directly opposite the shrine of Venugopalaswamy, is the sanctum dedicated to Yoganarasimha in the sitting, yoga posture.

Legend has it that Belavadi, known as Ekachakranagara during the epic period of the Mahabharata, is where the Pandavas lived after escaping from their Kaurava cousins. A unique feature of the temple architecture is that on Summer Solstice on 23^rd March every year, the rays of the sun cross the seven gates of the temple, to gently fall on the deity in the main sanctum sanctorum.

Tall trees crowded the highway, forming a gray-green tunnel, casting long shadows in the late noon light as we wend our way to the picturesque village of Javagal, 20 km from Belavadi. The nondescript temple exterior belies the wealth of artistry within. Scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata spring to life with dramatic effect that we virtually visualize the entire epics unfold before us.

The Lakshminarasimha temple, we observe, manifests all the characteristics of a typical Hoysala structure, with its star-shaped platform, lathe-turned pillars and the various figures – gods & goddesses, apsaras, epic heroes, animals – expressively looking up from the walls on which they have been lofted. Unlike some of the Hoysala temples of the medieval period that were massive, the predominant element at Javagal is the ornamentation. The trademark Sala-slaying-the-lion figure is conspicuous by its absence here. The upper segment of the temple wall portray towers and turrets on plasters representing Nagara and Dravidian temple forms in miniature, a characteristic unique to the temple here. Many of the temple sculptures are believed to have been carved by Mallitamm, Chikkamallithamma and Makasa, well known medieval sculptors who had made invaluable contributions to the plastic art of Karnataka.

The temple comprises three shrines one each for Sridhara, Venugopala and Lakshminarasimhaall of them, forms of Vishnu. This is the only Hoysala temple that has a shrine for Vishnu as Sridhara. Though Sridhara is the temple’s central deity, over time, the temple has come to be known by Lakshminarasimha, the presiding deity. Legend has it that the statue of Lakshminarasimha was buried some place in the hamlet of Harihareshvarabetta, upon which a cow would empty her udder everyday. Further, the god is also believed to have given a vision to King Vishnuvardhan beseeching him to install his idol appropriately. The high priest of the temple rues that Brahmotsava is the only event that draws some public attention to the temple.

The anemic sun is sinking through a sky that is slowly turning red, pink and peach as we bid adieu to a segment of India’s rich heritage. But not without the heavy feeling that funds for the routine maintenance of these jewels in the crown of India architecture, are hard to come by though they have been declared protected monuments. It is unfortunate that these treasures from the past are not being adequately maintained for posterity.

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