Shri Hoysaleswara Temple, Halebidu - Hassan, Karnataka

Experienced: May 2023

Unique Aspects

• The temple is renowned for its incredibly detailed and intricate carvings. The walls are adorned with an extensive array of sculptures depicting various mythological stories, deities, celestial beings, animals, and scenes from daily life.
• The temple has a unique double-shrine design with separate sanctums for the main deities, Lord Shiva (Hoysaleswara) and his consort Parvati (Shantaleswara). This architectural feature is not commonly found in other temples of the region.
• Along with the Chennakesava Temple in Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This acknowledgment highlights its cultural and historical significance.
• The temple is famous for its "musical pillars" or pillars that produce musical notes when struck. Unfortunately, due to preservation efforts, visitors are no longer allowed to touch the pillars.

Dorasamudra became the established capital, serving as the heart of the Hoysala Empire for nearly 300 years. Initially, the capital was Belur in Karnataka. The name Halebidu might have originated from 'Dvarasamudra,' a Sanskrit term combining 'Dvara' (meaning gateway or door) and 'Samudra' (referring to an ocean or large water body). Originally known as Dorasamudra in inscriptions, the Hoysala period in South Indian history spanned from around 1000 CE to 1346 CE. This era witnessed the construction of approximately 1,500 temples across 958 locations.

The contemporary Hoysaleswara temple is a composite of the original Hindu temple architecture, open in design, with stone screens, outer walls, and doors added by the 14th century. Unfortunately, the crowning towers (shikhara) have been lost, and the ruins underwent repairs and restoration multiple times in the 19th and 20th centuries. Panels from ruined temples were repurposed to cover the Nandi mandapa, and parts of friezes were used to repair the plinth. The Hoysaleswara temple ruins, among the earliest surveyed, were then photographed in the 1850s.

The Hoysaleswara temple, alternatively spelled as Hoysaleshwara or Hoywalesvara temple, is a twin-temple, known as a dvikuta vimana, featuring two shrines and two superstructures. Both temples are identical in size, with their sanctums opening to the east, facing the sunrise. Inside, the sanctum dedicated to 'Hoysaleswara' (the king) and the other to 'Shantaleswara' (the queen, Shantala Devi) both house a Shiva linga. On the eastern side of the main temples, two smaller shrines can be found, each accompanied by seated Nandi statues. Adjacent to the southern Nandi shrine lies a smaller attached Surya shrine, featuring a 7 feet (2.1 m) tall Surya statue facing both the Nandi and the sanctum. Some historians, including Adam Hardy, suggest that the Hoysaleswara temple originally included additional shrines, but these are now missing and lost to history.

In front of each sanctum lies a small chamber known as an antarala. This intermediary space serves as a connection between the sanctum and a nine-bayed hall, referred to as a ranga-mandapa. Within the ranga-mandapa, a circular platform is positioned at the center of its floor. These slightly raised platforms might have originally served as stages for devotional dance and music performances, dedicated to the god. The ranga-mandapas also provide space for devotees participating in darshan, the act of seeing and being seen by the god. During darshan, only priests enter the sanctums to present offerings to the deity. These offerings include flower garlands, delectable foods, ablutions of scented water, and the illumination of oil lamps.

The interior walls of the Hoysaleswara temple are adorned with smaller shrines, situated on the western side of both ranga-mandapas and at the midpoint of the hall connecting them. Originally constructed to house various gods and goddesses, these shrines no longer contain the sculptures they once held. While Shiva may have held a prominent position as the most important deity in the Hoysaleswara temple, it's important to note that he wasn't the sole god worshipped within its sacred walls.

To the east of the enclosed Hoysaleswara temple, situated within two open pavilions, stand two impressive bull sculptures adorned with garlands, jewelry, and bells. Both sculptures represent Nandi, the sacred vehicle of Shiva. It is customary for a vahana (divine mount) to face the main sanctum, and in the unique design of the Hoysaleswara temple, with its two side-by-side temples, there are two Nandi sculptures facing each sanctum of the double-temple. Positioned in this way, the two Nandis gaze upon the two lingas within—much like human visitors taking darshan of Shiva during their temple visit.

Behind the southern Nandi, there is another shrine that accommodates a standing male figure adorned with elaborate jewelry and holding two lotuses. This majestic figure represents Surya, the sun god. Carved into the pedestal are his seven galloping horses, led by a charioteer personifying dawn. Much like Nandi, Surya gazes towards the linga, directed towards Shiva. This layout is not uncommon in Karnataka, where many Shiva temples feature a similar design, incorporating a Surya shrine and a Nandi pavilion aligned with the main sanctum of the temple.

The Hoysaleswara temple is a testament to intricate craftsmanship, with nearly every surface adorned in finely detailed sculptures. The deities are depicted wearing crowns, necklaces, and other jewelry adorned with gems and pearls. Delicate vines gently curl around leafy tendrils and tiny figures, creating a captivating visual spectacle. The narrative frieze intricately weaves through various episodes from the two great epics of ancient India—the Ramayana and the Mahabharata—along with the captivating story of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, from the Bhagavata Purana, a devotional text focusing on Vishnu's exploits during his human existence.

Some of the expansive figural blocks on the Hoysaleswara temple intricately tell captivating stories. A particularly detailed example illustrates Krishna holding up Mount Govardhana to protect his community from torrential rains. This vivid representation of a moment from Krishna's life bursts with life, portraying a mountain in the upper register teeming with monkeys, birds, diverse trees, and even a hunter aiming an arrow at a boar. Snakes (nagas) emerging from the mountain's base are symbolic of water and rain. Below, flanking Krishna, rows of musicians, figures with herding canes, and cattle patiently wait out the storm.

As one walks around the Hoysaleswara temple, an abundance of such visual details captivates the observer. During the Hoysala period, just as today, visitors to the temple must have marveled at the building's beauty, appreciating the artistic skill displayed and delighting in the visual narratives of familiar stories and beloved deities.

Location

The Hoysaleswara Temple, alternatively known as Halebidu, Halebeedu, Halebid, or Dorasamudra, is located in the town of Halebidu in the Hassan district of Karnataka, India. Positioned approximately 30 kilometers northwest of Hassan, the temple is also about 16 kilometers from the renowned Belur temples. While Halebidu doesn't have its own airport, it is conveniently accessible, situated about 210 kilometers west of Bengaluru. The journey takes approximately 4 hours by car, with easy access through a four-lane NH75 highway passing through Hassan. For those preferring train travel, Halebidu is connected to the railway network at Hassan, providing transportation to major cities in Karnataka.

Address

Shri Hoysaleswara Temple,
Halebidu,
Hassan Region,
Karnataka,
India, Pincode: 573121.