Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura
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| Chennakesava Temple | |
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| View of Chennakesava temple from entrance porch
View of Chennakesava temple from entrance porch
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 Chennakesava Temple
Location within Karnataka
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| Name | |
| Kannada | ಶ್ರೀ ಚೆನ್ನಕೇಶವ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Country | India |
| State | Karnataka |
| District | Mysore |
| Locale | Somanathapura |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Hoysala architecture |
| History and governance | |
| Date built | 1268 |
The Chennakesava Temple (Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ ಚೆನ್ನಕೇಶವ ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ) (also spelt Chennakeshava) located at Somanathapura is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. The temple was built by Soma, a Dandanayaka (lit, "commander") in 1268 C.E. under Hoysala king Narasimha III, when the Hoysala Empire was the major power in South India.
Contents
Deity and sculptures
The ceiling of the mantapa (hall) is supported by lathe turned pillars, a standard feature in Hoysala constructions. Between pillars, the ceiling is domical and intricately decorated. These decorations could include multi-petalled lotuses, banana bud motifs based on stepped ponds and snake like (ananta) knots (symbolising eternity).[1] Of the three shrines, one shrine has the image of the god Keshava, but the image is missing from the sanctum. The other two shrines house images of Janardhana and Venugopala (all three images are forms of the Hindu god Vishnu). This is strictly a Vaishnava temple and there are no depictions of any forms of the Hindu god Shiva.[2] Other sculptures include of depictions of affluence of that age including members of the royal family riding richly decorated chariots, soldiers and commoners riding horses, camel drawn vehicles, dancers, musicians, hunters armed with bows and arrows and accompanied by their dogs, all heading for a hunt. There are sculptures of royal palaces protected by armed guards, intricate carvings of jewellery, such as pendants, necklaces, waistbands and rings and of woman sporting hair styles that were in vogue. The names of many architects and sculptors are etched on stone from which it is evident that the artists were both local and from outside the region. Famous among them are the locals such as Ruvari Mallithamma, Masanithamma, Chameya, Rameya, Chaudeya and Nanjeya while Pallavachari and Cholavachari are prominent artists from Tamil country.[1]
Architecture
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The temple is housed inside an impressive high walled enclosure and the entrance to the complex is through a porch with tall lathe-turned pillars.[3] The material used for the temple is soapstone (Green schist).[4][5] The Keshava temple standouts out as one of the finest the Hoysala architects produced. Its symmetrical architecture, fine sculptures on equally prominent shrines, and panel sculptures form a cloister that speak of good taste.[6] While there are Hoysala temples with better sculpture and others with better architecture, this temples satisfies all requirements. According to the Mysore archaeological reports, it was built by the famous architect and sculptor Ruvari Malithamma who was well known for his expertise in ornamentation.[7]
The temple which is built on a jagati (platform)[8][9] is a trikuta (triple shrine) and fully satisfies that terminology as all shrines (vimanas) have a superstructure (tower) that is intact.[10] Inside the temple, each vimana has a vestibule that connects it to the main rectangular mantapa (hall). Like the shrines, all three vestibules also have their own tower called the Sukanasi (or nose), though it is shorter and hence looks like a low extension of the main superstructure over the shrine. The outer walls of all three shrines, their towers and Sukanasi are equally well decorated, making it overall a very well balanced design. The temple stands on a jagati (platform) and the three vimanas are located at the back and are connected by a common rectangular closed mantapa.[11] The jagati closely follows the plan of the temple exterior and there is a gallery with lathe-turned pillars all along the enclosure of the temple complex which adds to the effect. There is one flight of steps that leads to the jagati and one that leads from the jagati to the mantapa. The wide jagati invites devotees to follow the ritualistic clockwise circum-ambulation before entering the hall. The full effect of the rectangular hall is seen only when the temple profile is viewed. The hall has sixteen bays.[12] The moldings on the outer wall of the mantapa has well decorated reliefs and friezes, with pierced windows screens above them.[13]
All the three shrines are 16 pointed stellate (star-shaped) in design and their towers follow the same pattern. Hence the whole structure looks like a rhythmic progression of well decorated projections and recesses (called architectural articulation). The number of points make the towers look circular in shape[14]
Horizontal treatment
According to the art critic Gerard Foekema, the temple is of the "New style" because it has two eaves running around the temple and there are six moldings at the base of the outer walls.[15] The upper eaves is where the tower meets the wall of the shrine. The lower eaves is about a meter below the upper eaves. Between the two eaves are decorative miniature towers (called aedicule). Below the lower eaves are a panel of Hindu deities in frieze and their attendants. There are nearly two hundred such panels. Below these panels are six horizontal moldings or friezes of equal size with ornate decorations.[16] The six mouldings of the base are divided into two sections. In the lower section, where the jagati meets the temple wall, the orderly placement of friezes starts with sculpted procession of elephants in the lowest molding, horsemen in the second and a band of foliage in the third. In the upper section, the lowest molding has depictions from the Hindu epics and puranic scenes executed with detail, yalis in the second (or makara, an imaginary beast) and hamsas (swans) at the top. The Ramayana is depicted on the friezes on the south wall, stories of the Hindu God Krishna on the rear and depictions from the epic Mahabharata on the north wall. The overall effect of the decorated towers, wall images and friezes is well balanced.[17]
Gallery
- Chennakesava Temple Gallery
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View of trikuta (three towers) from outside the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.jpg
View of the trikuta (three towers over three shrines) above the prakara (bounding wall) at the Chennakesava temple, Somanathapura
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Perforated windows and decorative molding frieze on outer wall of mantapa in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Wall relief, pierced windows and molding frieze at the Chennakesava temple, Somanathapura
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Profile of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Profile of Chennakesava temple, Somanathapura
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Relief carvings on vesara tower over shrine in Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura near Mysore, India.jpg
Relief carvings on tiered (tala) superstructure over the shrine (vimana) at Chennakesava temple, Somanathapura
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Close up of decorative lintel over shrine entrance in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Close up of decorative lintel over shrine entrance in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Deity sculpture on shrine outer wall in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Deity sculpture on shrine outer wall in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Deity sculpture under eves on shrine outer wall in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Deity sculpture under eves on shrine outer wall in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Deity sculpture under eves on shrine outer wall in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 1.JPG
Deity sculpture under eves on shrine outer wall in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Shrine wall relief sculpture follows a stellate plan in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Shrine wall relief sculpture follows a stellate plan in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Old Kannada inscription (1270 AD) in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Old Kannada inscription (1270 AD) in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Decorative wall molding frieze and deity sculpture in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 2.JPG
Decorative wall molding frieze and deity sculpture in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Design of sikhara (tower) follows the stellate plan of the shrine in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 1.JPG
Design of shikhara (tower) follows the stellate plan of the shrine in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Minor shrine with domical ceiling in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Minor shrine (aedicula) with domical ceiling in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Minor shrine inside the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
- Minor shrine (aedicula) inside the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Stellate plan of the shrine and sikhara (tower) in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura.JPG
Stellate plan of the shrine and shikhara (tower) in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 2.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 3.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 4.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 6.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 7.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 8.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 9.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 10.JPG
Domical bay ceiling in the mantapa of Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
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Decorative door jamb and lintel at the entrance to a shrine in the Chennakeshava temple at Somanathapura 1.JPG
Decorative doorjamb and lintel at the entrance to a shrine in the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Quote:"The use of bell-shaped lathe-turned pillars is a common feature of Western Chalukya-Hoysala temples", Kamath (2001), p117)
- ↑ Kamath (2001) p136
- ↑ The Western Chalukya carvings were done on green schist. This technique was adopted by the Hoysalas Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Foekema (1996), p87
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Quote:"The Jagati serves the purpose of a pradakshinapatha (circumambulation) as the shrine has no such arrangement", Kamath 2001, p135
- ↑ Quote:"This is a Hosyala innovation" Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Quote:"Depending on the number of towers, the temples are classified as ekakuta (one), dvikuta (two), trikuta (three), chatushkuta (four) and panchakuta (five). Most Hoysala temples belong to the ekakuta, dvikuta or trikuta class. Four shrined and five shrined temples ar rare. Sometimes a trikuta temple is literally not one because only the central of three shrines may have a tower", Foekema (1996), p25
- ↑ Quote:"This is unusual because all other Hoysala designs have square or staggered square hall plan", Foekema (2001), p88
- ↑ Quote:"A bay is a square or rectangular compartment in the hall", Foekema, (1996) p93
- ↑ Quote:"This is very commonly found in earlier Western Chalukya temples also", Kamath (2001), p116
- ↑ Quote:"The Western Chalukya architecture used a star-shaped plan for the vimana as well. The Doddabasappa Temple in Dambal has so many star points that it almost looks circular". Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Quote:"An eaves is a projecting roof overhanging a wall", Foekema (1996), p93
- ↑ Quote:"A frieze is a rectangular band decorated with sculptures", Foekema (1996), p93
- ↑ This is called Horizontal treatment, Kamath (2001), p134
References
- Kamath, Suryanath:A Concise History of Karnataka from pre-historic times to the present, 2001, Jupiter books, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002) OCLC: 7796041.
- Foekema, Gerard:A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples, Abhinav, 1996 ISBN 81-7017-345-0
- Sastri, Nilakanta K.A.:A History of South India, 1955, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002), ISBN 0-19-560686-8.
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External links
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