Changes

The architecture of the temple also hints that the temple is much older than is suggested by the scholars. The temple was built in primarily two stages. The temple at Belavadi is a ''trikuta'' temple with three shrines. The main shrine is dedicated to Veera Narayan. The walls of this shrine are severely plain compared to the Hoysala temples dating to the year 1200 CE.

The architecture of the temple also hints that the temple is much older than is suggested by the scholars. The temple was built in primarily two stages. The temple at Belavadi is a ''trikuta'' temple with three shrines. The main shrine is dedicated to Veera Narayan. The walls of this shrine are severely plain compared to the Hoysala temples dating to the year 1200 CE.

They are also in sharp contrast to the other two later subsidiary shrines of the temples which have exquisitely decorated walls in the style of the later Hoysala architecture. The two lateral shrines were built much later, during the reign of Veera Ballala II. This also hints that the original shrine is much older than 1200 CE and may belong to early 12^th century.  

They are also in sharp contrast to the other two later subsidiary shrines of the temples which have exquisitely decorated walls in the style of the later Hoysala architecture. The two lateral shrines were built much later, during the reign of Veera Ballala II. This also hints that the original shrine is much older than 1200 CE and may belong to early 12^th century. This temple was built under the reign of two kings in two periods. The two parts of the temple with their characteristic evolution can easily be seen.

The earliest Hoysala temple at DoddaGaddavalli has many similarities to this Veera Narayan shrine temple at Belavadi. Just like DoddaGaddavalli temple is severely plain from the outside, so is the primary shrine of Belavadi. The DoddaGaddavalli temple dates back to 1114 CE, indicating that the age mentioned in the inscription may be true.

The earliest Hoysala temple at DoddaGaddavalli has many similarities to this Veera Narayan shrine temple at Belavadi. Just like DoddaGaddavalli temple is severely plain from the outside, so is the primary shrine of Belavadi. The DoddaGaddavalli temple dates back to 1114 CE, indicating that the age mentioned in the inscription may be true.  

 

This temple was built under the reign of two kings in two periods. The two parts of the temple with their characteristic evolution can easily be seen.

=== The Temple Escaped Islamic Destruction ===

=== The Temple Escaped Islamic Destruction ===

The Vesara style has evolved basically from the south Indian Dravida style with some Nagara embellishment. Hence, essentially it is a Dravida style which later evolved into a separate branch. This is why the Dravida feature of the ''vimana'' having many ''talas'' are also present in the Vesara styles. The rows of decorated miniature roofs that Foekema talks about in the above excerpt are actually these ''talas'' which are so decorated and so deeply enmeshed into each other that they look like a single structure.

The Vesara style has evolved basically from the south Indian Dravida style with some Nagara embellishment. Hence, essentially it is a Dravida style which later evolved into a separate branch. This is why the Dravida feature of the ''vimana'' having many ''talas'' are also present in the Vesara styles. The rows of decorated miniature roofs that Foekema talks about in the above excerpt are actually these ''talas'' which are so decorated and so deeply enmeshed into each other that they look like a single structure.

Below the ''vimana'' there is the hanging eave which is often half a metre long and is very heavy. It provides the shade to the sculpture on the walls. Below this eave two different architectural idioms are usually found. They are called the Old Hoysala type and the New Hoysala type. The Old Hoysala is very similar to the Chalukya style. The New Hoysala style features many innovations and it is this style which gave the Hoysala temples their characteristic touch. Foekema explains the differences between the two types:

Below the ''vimana'' there is the hanging eave which is often half a metre long and is very heavy. It provides the shade to the sculpture on the walls. Below this eave two different architectural idioms are usually found. They are called the Old Hoysala type and the New Hoysala type. The Old Hoysala is very similar to the Chalukya style. The New Hoysala style features many innovations and it is this style which gave the Hoysala temples their characteristic touch. Foekema explains the differences between the two types:<blockquote>''“In the Old kind of temples, the wall-images are placed below the decorative towers, and below the wall-images the base of the wall consists of a set of 5 different horizontal mouldings, one of them a row of blocks. In the New kind of temples there is a second eave running around the temple, about one meter below the first one; the decorative towers are placed between the two eaves, and the wall-images below the lower one. The base of the wall consists of a set of 6 equal rectangular mouldings, each of them of the same width.”''<ref>Ibid.</ref></blockquote>The wall images that form a continuous row all around the walls of the ''garbha-griha'' and ''antarala'' are one of the most beautiful features of the Hoysala temple. They are exquisitely sculpted and are often capped by an overhanging tree or a creeper. The images on the ''rathas'', or the projections, are of major deities, often the different forms of the primary deity in the shrine. This image is flanked by ''chanvara'' bearers or attendants. Lesser divinities occupy other less important projections.

 

“In the Old kind of temples, the wall-images are placed below the decorative towers, and below the wall-images the base of the wall consists of a set of 5 different horizontal mouldings, one of them a row of blocks. In the New kind of temples there is a second eave running around the temple, about one meter below the first one; the decorative towers are placed between the two eaves, and the wall-images below the lower one. The base of the wall consists of a set of 6 equal rectangular mouldings, each of them of the same width.”<ref>Ibid.</ref>

The wall images that form a continuous row all around the walls of the ''garbha-griha'' and ''antarala'' are one of the most beautiful features of the Hoysala temple. They are exquisitely sculpted and are often capped by an overhanging tree or a creeper. The images on the ''rathas'', or the projections, are of major deities, often the different forms of the primary deity in the shrine. This image is flanked by ''chanvara'' bearers or attendants. Lesser divinities occupy other less important projections.

Below this is the temple base. It is the temple base and the second eave which differentiate the Old and the New styles in the Hoysala architecture. The base consists of five mouldings, each of a peculiar shape. These mouldings of the base are an integral part of the Hindu temple and almost invariably exist in all styles and regional variation. Many of them are decorated, but only minimally.

Below this is the temple base. It is the temple base and the second eave which differentiate the Old and the New styles in the Hoysala architecture. The base consists of five mouldings, each of a peculiar shape. These mouldings of the base are an integral part of the Hindu temple and almost invariably exist in all styles and regional variation. Many of them are decorated, but only minimally.

In the New kind of Hoysala architecture, these five traditional mouldings are replaces with six bands of sculptured rows. They are called friezes. From top to bottom they show ''hansa'', ''makara'', stories from epics, vegetal scroll, horses and the elephants. There are a few exceptions to this like the Halebidu Hoysaleshwar temple which has eight friezes instead of six.

In the New kind of Hoysala architecture, these five traditional mouldings are replaced with six bands of sculptured rows. They are called friezes. From top to bottom they show ''hansa'', ''makara'', stories from epics, vegetal scroll, horses and the elephants. There are a few exceptions to this like the Halebidu Hoysaleshwar temple which has eight friezes instead of six.

The Hoysala temples are mainly dedicated to either a form of Shiva or that of Vishnu. In temples with more than one shrine some individual shrines are dedicated to Surya or Lakshmi. Vaishnava ''trikutas'' always have all three shrines dedicated to a form of Vishnu, while Shaiva ''trikutas'' have one shrine dedicated to Shiva while two others to Vishnu and Surya. Images of other gods and goddesses like Surya, Brahma, Durga, Ganesha etc. are also found in the temples but entire temples are seldom dedicated to them.

The Hoysala temples are mainly dedicated to either a form of Shiva or that of Vishnu. In temples with more than one shrine some individual shrines are dedicated to Surya or Lakshmi. Vaishnava ''trikutas'' always have all three shrines dedicated to a form of Vishnu, while Shaiva ''trikutas'' have one shrine dedicated to Shiva while two others to Vishnu and Surya. Images of other gods and goddesses like Surya, Brahma, Durga, Ganesha etc. are also found in the temples but entire temples are seldom dedicated to them.