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| Chennakesava temple at Somanathpura en.wikipedia.org |
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| Chennakesava temple at Somanathpura, KA outer covered path mytriphack.com |
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| Outer wall carving,Chennakesava temple, Karnatakamytriphack.com |
A pillared court yard encloses the temple which has three symmetrical sanctums, the main temple is on a star-shaped raised platform. What is special about the girbagrihas is the three are built in square matrix (89' x 89') aligned along the east–west and north–south axes and they share a common hall (Sabha mandapa) wit many ornate pillar that support the ceiling. Here, soapstone is widely used and the carvings are done with excellent finish. The main hall opens to each sanctum through a small square shaped puja mandapa. All of them are dedicated to the three forms of God Sri Krishna (Vishnu) Keshava (west). Janardhana (north) and Venugopala (south). The Kesava idol is missing. The attractive features are the ornate ceilings, walls and pillars displaying nicely carved images from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata purana. Outside the walled courtyard stands a stone pillar that once had a Garuda on it.It is missing now.
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| pillared mandapa, Chennakesava temple, Karnataka. en.wipedia.org |
Above image. nicely carved and polished pillars and ceiling of the mandapa. Chennakesava temple, Karnataka,
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The main temple is built on a jagati (raised platform , symbolic of worldly platform. It is about 3 feet high, star-shaped with an eastern entrance guarded by sentinels - dvarapala which are damaged. You have to climb the steps to reach the platform. The pillared courtyard /corridor on all sides have selected number of single shrines and linked double shrines and in total the Kesava temple consists of 58 small 1x1 small shrines, 4 small 2x1 linked-double shrines, 2 near entrance,of the main central temple. The raised jagati platform has a circular covered broad prathakshana path and on the wall there are small stone carved images depicting scenes from the Mahabharata, Ramayana.and Bhagavata Purana, all in a sequential manner. The outer wall of the main temple above the prathakshana platform has parallel horizontal bands of artwork at different levels depicting elephants, horses with armed riders and interestingly camels in action in a war. They suggest the Hoysala rulers also used camels in the battle.
The main temple is built on a jagati (raised platform , symbolic of worldly platform. It is about 3 feet high, star-shaped with an eastern entrance guarded by sentinels - dvarapala which are damaged. You have to climb the steps to reach the platform. The pillared courtyard /corridor on all sides have selected number of single shrines and linked double shrines and in total the Kesava temple consists of 58 small 1x1 small shrines, 4 small 2x1 linked-double shrines, 2 near entrance,of the main central temple. The raised jagati platform has a circular covered broad prathakshana path and on the wall there are small stone carved images depicting scenes from the Mahabharata, Ramayana.and Bhagavata Purana, all in a sequential manner. The outer wall of the main temple above the prathakshana platform has parallel horizontal bands of artwork at different levels depicting elephants, horses with armed riders and interestingly camels in action in a war. They suggest the Hoysala rulers also used camels in the battle.
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| carved ceiling, Chennakesava temple, Karnataka en.wikipedia.org |
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| carved ceiling, Chennakesava temple, Karnataka en.wikipedia.org |
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| Chennakesava temple, Somanathpura, KA.en.wikipedia.org |
The temple seems to have been built during the hey day of the Hoysala empire. The temple was highly damaged most obviously due to frequent wars and in the 16th century. Two inscriptions, dated 1497 CE and 1550 CE confirm the damages and repairs done to the temple. The Vijyanagara rulers repaired the temple. Later, the repaired portions were damaged and in the 20th century rulers of Mysore during the colonial rule rectified them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chennakesava_Temple,_Somanathapura