Time & life cast in stone

Anand & Madhura Katti

India is attracting specific interest groups from across the world for its historical magnificence. An expert art historian from Europe was on a reconciliation trip to places of Hoysala architecture in South India recently. He was fine-tuning the details of a future trip for a delegation of 21 high-profile bureaucrats and businessmen from Europe, whom he’ll be accompanying in December. They will study the intricate features of the Hoysala architecture. The Hoysala rulers of the South patronised creativity during their 300 years of regime, evident from the temple remains that sustained subsequent invasions.  It is time to revisit our own backyard appreciate art and architecture.

Belur and Halebidu near Hassan in Karnataka, not far from Bengaluru, are home to some of the finest surviving temples of the era. Hoysala architecture at Belur and Hoysaleshwara temples in Halebidu boasts of fine figurine sculptures. Soapstone has been used to create iconographic representation of episodes from epics.

There are rows of elephants, and one of a lion-faced animal. The next level has row of horses and their riders form the lower rung of the many stages of carvings on the temple exterior. Accuracy and aesthetic detailing is simply incredible.

There is a captivating sculpture depicting the legendary folklore of a young man Sala encountering (‘hoy’ in old Kannada) a tiger to save his Jain guru Sudatta at the entrance of the Channakeshava Temple in Belur. That’s how the name Hoysala was adopted by the subsequent empire. Typical architecture of a temple in Hoysala style has a cuboid cell, the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) housing a centrally placed idol on a pedestal. Its shikhara (superstructure) rises over the sanctum sanctorum, which has an intricately carved entrance. A vestibule joining the garbha griha leads to an expansive pillared mandapa (porch) that has beautiful, multi-layered carvings on ceilings. The intricately carved banded plinths and hand lathe-turned filigreed pillars in the main hall are one of the distinguishing characteristic of the Hoysala temples. There are many in number, each with a distinction of its own, comprising a series of horizontal courses with narrow recesses in-between. 

The temple has entrances from different sides with gigantic gopurams (ornate entrance towers) over each doorway. Several minor shrines can be seen in the temple courtyard. Belur and Halebidu temple are built on a raised platform, outer area of which is used for the purpose of pradakshinapatha (circumambulation). Huge courtyards surround the temples.  

Another fine example of Hoysala architecture, just a few hours’ drive away from Belur, is Harihareshwar temple on the banks of river Tungabhadra at Harihar. It’s dedicated to both Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva), who are both merged into one figurine of the main 1.21 mtr tall idol. Left portion of the image has Vishnu and the right has Shiva. The main sabhamandapa has 56 perfectly lathe-turned pillars, supporting massive ‘s’ shaped eaves.

Harihareshwar temple is on the ground level and its unique feature is the stone sofas running along the temple wall. They make a comfortable place to squat and observe the detailing on pillars and the ceiling. The complex also houses an equally beautiful shrine dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. Many inscriptions here speak of contributions made to the temple by the Pandya as well as Vijayanagara rulers.

It’s a matter of pride to be a part of such a rich heritage that attracts worldwide visitors.