Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi

Belavadi
—  village  —
Mantapa with symmetrical shrines, 1200 CE, Veeranarayana temple, at Belavadi, Chikkamagaluru district
Coordinates
Country India
State Karnataka
District(s) Chikkamagaluru District
Population 3,000
Time zone IST (UTC+05:30)

The Veera Narayana temple is located in Belavadi (Kannada: ಬೆಳವಾಡಿ), a village in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka state, India. The temple was built by the Hoysala Empire. This village was also known as Ekachakranagara, a place mentioned in Mahabharatha where Bheemasena killed the demon Bakasura and protected the village and its people. Belavadi is 29 km southeast of Chikmagalur town on the Chikmagalur-Javagal highway and 10 km north of Halebidu. It is at a very convenient distance from the famous temple towns of Belur and Halebidu, and a visit to this quiet town is a rewarding experience. Belavadi is also famous for the Udbhava Ganapati temple. A rock has been growing in the form of Lord Ganesha from many decades, and now one can clearly distinguish the image of the Lord in the rock. This temple is managed by Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri.

Contents

Architecture

This ornate trikuta (three tower) temple was built in 1200 CE by Hoysala Veera Ballala II. The material used is Chloritic schist.[1] Each of the shrines has a complete superstructure (tower on top of shrine) and is one of the largest examples of Hoysala architecture. While the famous temples at Belur and Halebidu are known for their intricate sculptures, this one is known for its architecture.[2]

The plan of this temple is unique in that two of the shrines face each other on either side of a wide and spacious open mantapa (hall) containing 37 bays.[3] There is also an older shrine containing a closed mantapa with 13 bays and a closed mantapa with 9 bays at the end of which is a central shrine. This third shrine is an older construction and exhibits a perfect Hoysala architectural idiom containing all the basic elements of Hoysala temple.[2] The inner walls of the older shrine are plain, but its roof is well decorated. In all, the temple has 59 bays, indicating the use of many pillars, most of which are lathe-turned and hence bell shaped[4] while others have carvings on them. The outer wall of the temple shows the older Hoysala style where there is one eave running around the temple where the superstructure meets the wall of the shrine; below this are decorative towers on pilasters. A panel of Hindu deities and their attendants are below these miniature towers followed by a set of five different mouldings forming the base of the wall.[5]

The newer structure containing the two symmetrical shrines have different plans. One shrine is square while the other is star shaped. The tower of the shrine below the kalasa[6] consists of three tiers of decorated miniature roofs. They also have different shaped sukanasi[7] which consist of two tiers of decorated miniature roofs. In all other aspects the two shrines are identical. All shrines have well-sculptured decoration on the towers and the sculptures on the walls are bold and look good from a distance.[8] The important sculptures with fine finish are that of Lord Krishna dancing on the head of Kalia the serpent and Garuda (eagle).

This is a Vaishnava temple and all three shrines have images of Lord Vishnu in different forms. The central shrine (older shrine) has an 8 ft (2.4 m) tall image of Narayana with four hands which is considered one of the best examples of Hoysala art. It is well elaborated with ornamentation standing on a padmasana (lotus seat), the southern shrine has an 8 ft (2.4 m) tall image of Venugopala including a garuda pedestal (Krishna with flute) and the northern shrine has a 7 ft (2.1 m) tall image of Yoganarasimha, sitting in a yoga posture.[9] Kirtimukhas (demon faces) are used to make the vimana (prayer hall) towers ornate along with other sculptures.

Notes

  1. ^ Dr. S.U. Kamath A Concise History of Karnataka, pp 136. The Western Chalukya carvings were done on green schist (Soapstone). This technique was adopted by the Hoysalas too, Takeo Kamiya. "Architecture of the Indian subcontinent, 20 September 1996". Gerard da Cunha-Architecture Autonomous, Bardez, Goa, India. http://www.indoarch.org/. Retrieved 2006-11-26. 
  2. ^ a b Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples, pp 53
  3. ^ A bay is a square or rectangular compartment in the hall, Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples, pp 93
  4. ^ This is a common feature of Western Chalukya-Hoysala temples, A Concise History of Karnataka, pp 117, Dr. S.U. Kamath
  5. ^ An eave is a projecting roof, overhanging the wall, Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples pp 93
  6. ^ Water pot like structure at the peak of the tower, Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples pp 27
  7. ^ tower on top of vestibule connecting hall and shrine, Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples pp 22
  8. ^ In the opinion of Gerard Foekema, these sculptures are not so fine and impressive from close unlike many other Hoysala temples, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples, pp 54-55
  9. ^ I Sesunathan. "Belavadi exudes Hoysala’s beauty". Spectrum, Deccan Herald, Tuesday, May 9, 2006. Decan Herald. Archived from the original on 2007-03-09. http://web.archive.org/web/20070309183400/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may92006/spectrum15441200658.asp. Retrieved 2006-11-26. .

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See also

Amrutesvara Temple, Amruthapura • Annapoorneshwari Temple • Annigeri • Antara Gange • Badami Cave Temples • Balligavi • Banashankari Amma Temple • Banashankari Temple Amargol • Bhutanatha group • Chamundeshwari Temple • Chamundeswari Temple • Chandramouleshwara Temple • Chaudayyadanapura • Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple • Chennakesava Temple • Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura • Chitrapur Math • Chowdeshwari Temple • Devarayana Durga • Dharmaraya Swamy Temple • Dharmasthala Temple • Dodda Ganeshana Gudi • Doddabasappa Temple Dambal • Gadag-Betigeri • Kalakaleshwara Temple Gajendragad • Galaganatha • Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple • Godachi • Gokarnanatheshwara Temple • Halasi • Halasuru Someshwara Temple • Hangal • Harihareshwara Temple • Panchalingewara Temple Hooli • Hoysaleswara Temple • Hulimavu cave Temple • Idagunji • Ikkeri • Ishvara Temple, Arasikere • Itagi Bhimambika • Kadri Manjunath Temple • Kalasa • Kalghatgi • Kalikamba Temple • Kamala Narayana Temple Belagavi • Kanakagiri • Karighatta temple • Karikanamma • Kasivisvesvara Temple, Lakkundi • Keladi • Keshava Temple • Kodandarama Temple • Kotilingeshwara • Krauncha Giri • Kudalasangama • Kudroli Bhagavathi • Kukke Subramanya Temple • Kuknur • Kumara Swamy Devasthana, Bangalore • Kundgol • Kurudumale • Lakkundi • Lakshmeshwar • Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli • Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Bhadravathi • Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Nuggehalli • Lakshminarayana Temple, Hosaholalu • Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna • Maha Ganapathi Mahammaya Temple • Mahadeva Temple, Itagi • Mahakuta group of temples • Mandarthi • Mangaladevi Temple • Maranakatte • Mariyamma Temple • Melukote • Mookambika Temple Sirsi • Mudukuthore • Mundkur Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple • Murudeshwara • Mylara Lingeshwara Temple at Mylara • Nandi Temple • Navalinga Temple • Nellitheertha Cave Temple • Padutirupathi • Pattadakal • Ragigudda Anjaneya Temple • Ranganathaswamy Temple, Bangalore • Saundatti • Shree Vishnumurthy Temple • Shri Vinayaka Shankaranarayana Durgamba Temple • Shringeri • Shringeri Sharadamba Temple • Siddhesvara Temple Haveri • Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud •Sirsangi Kalika Temple • Someshwara • Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Shivanasamudra • Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna • Sudi • Shree Sharavu Sharabheshwara Kshetra- Sri Mahaganapathy Temple • Talagunda • Talakad • Tamboor • Temples in Tulunadu • Temples of North Karnataka • Thirunarayanapuram • Trikuteshwara Temple Gadag • Tripurantaka Temple • Udupi Sri Krishna Matha • Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi • Virupaksha Temple • Western Chalukya temples • Yediyur Siddhalingeshwara Swamy Temple • Yelluru Shri Vishweshwara Temple