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Line 37: − + + + + + − ==Hoysala Sculpture==+ − In the Hindu temple, sculpture is inextricably enmeshed with architecture to the point where the boundary between them becomes unrecognizable. This is another feature which distinguishes the Hindu temple from other sacred architectures in the world. In the Hoysala architecture this feature becomes even more exaggerated. As Gerard Foekema says, in Karnataka, mainly in Kalyani Chalukya and Hoysala temples, architecture is decorated with architecture. These architectural parts are both functional and decorative. Since most of these parts are constructed by chiseling hence they are technically sculpture but play the function of architecture as well.[[File:Hoysala sculpture at Somnathapur, Mysore, Karnataka.png|thumb|Hoysala sculpture at Somnathapur, Mysore, Karnataka|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Hoysala_sculpture_at_Somnathapur,_Mysore,_Karnataka.png|left|480.996x480.996px]]Beginning from the top, the Hoysala temple has the quintessential ''kalasha'', containing the temple seed. It was built in stone, but in most temples it was lost during Islamic invasions, but some like temples at Mosale have their ''kalasha'' intact. The Veera Narayana temple, Belavadi also has the ''kalashas'' intact in all three of its shrines. The temples that have lost their ''kalasha'' have replaced it with a metal one. − Below the ''kalasha'' there is the domed roof, which is actually a sculpted stone and given the shape of the roof. It is square if the plan of the ''garbha-griha'' and ''shikhara'' is square and star if the plan is that of a star. “Below this giant topping roof, the tower consists of many more domed roofs with square plan, all of them much smaller, and also crowned by ''kalasas''. They are mixed with other small roofs of different shapes, most of them finely decorated. The top of the wall of a closed hall also shows this kind of decorated miniature roofs, but only one single row of them, and also above the heavy eaves of open halls and porches one row of them can be found. The tower of the shrine mostly consists of three or four of this kind of rows, the top of the nose mostly of two or three of them.”<ref>Ibid. p. 28.</ref>[[File:Hoysala Sculpture, Aralaguppe, Tumkuru, Karnataka.png|thumb|''Hoysala Sculpture, Aralaguppe, Tumkuru, Karnataka''|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Hoysala_Sculpture,_Aralaguppe,_Tumkuru,_Karnataka.png|451.992x451.992px]]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.+ − + + + + + + + + + Line 48:
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Hoyasala Temple Architecture (view source)
Revision as of 15:33, 25 March 2019
, 15:33, 25 March 2019added content
#''mandapam'' (open)
#''mandapam'' (open)
#''mukha mandapam'' (porch)
#''mukha mandapam'' (porch)
The ''vimana'' of the Hoysala temple is extremely articulated, artistic and complex in nature and is what attracts the tourists most of all. Gerard Foekema explains:<blockquote>''“Its inside forms a strong contrast to its outside: the inside is simply square in plan with plain walls, hence the name cella, the outside is complicated in plan and is profusely decorated. The outside plan is a star, a staggered square or a combination of star and square, and consequently the walls show many projections and recesses.”<ref>Foekema, Gerard. ''A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples''. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications, 1996. p. 21.</ref>''</blockquote>The ''antarala'' too is plain from the inside and has just the space for the priest to officiate between the devotee and the deity. Its walls are plain or barely decorated from the inside. The mandapams are divided into bays. Their ceilings are decorted with ''padma'' motifs, oral patterns and other decorative motifs. On the outside the walls are profusely decorated, but their decoration is integrated with that of the outer walls of the ''garbha-griha'' and is inconspicuous. It also has a roof in the form of a nose like structure protruding from the ''vimanas''. It is called ''shukanasika''.[[File:Plans of the Maha Mandapam.png|thumb|318.965x318.965px|''Plans of the Maha Mandapam''|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Plans_of_the_Maha_Mandapam.png]]In most Hoysala temples, the closed ''mandapam'' has either no windows, or perforated windows which let in some light. It has thick walls. It is a large hall and hence there are four pillars to support the roof. Both outside and inside of the ''mandapam'' are decorated. The pillars are the famous lathe-turned and the ceilings of the bays of the ''mandapam'' are exquisitely decorated. It is large but smaller than the open ''mandapam''.
The ''vimana'' of the Hoysala temple is extremely articulated, artistic and complex in nature and is what attracts the tourists most of all. Gerard Foekema explains:<blockquote>''“Its inside forms a strong contrast to its outside: the inside is simply square in plan with plain walls, hence the name cella, the outside is complicated in plan and is profusely decorated. The outside plan is a star, a staggered square or a combination of star and square, and consequently the walls show many projections and recesses.”<ref>Foekema, Gerard. ''A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples''. New Delhi: Abhinav Publications, 1996. p. 21.</ref>''</blockquote>The ''antarala'' too is plain from the inside and has just the space for the priest to officiate between the devotee and the deity. Its walls are plain or barely decorated from the inside. The mandapams are divided into bays. Their ceilings are decorted with ''padma'' motifs, oral patterns and other decorative motifs. On the outside the walls are profusely decorated, but their decoration is integrated with that of the outer walls of the ''garbha-griha'' and is inconspicuous. It also has a roof in the form of a nose like structure protruding from the ''vimanas''. It is called ''shukanasika''.
In most Hoysala temples, the closed ''mandapam'' has either no windows, or perforated windows which let in some light. It has thick walls. It is a large hall and hence there are four pillars to support the roof. Both outside and inside of the ''mandapam'' are decorated. The pillars are the famous lathe-turned and the ceilings of the bays of the ''mandapam'' are exquisitely decorated. It is large but smaller than the open ''mandapam''.
The open ''mandapam'' has an intricate plan. It is a staggered square of many sizes and variations. The number of pillars and bays vary here and the open ''mandapam'' of Veera Narayan temple Belavadi has one of the largest open ''mandapams'' of any Hoysala temple.
The open ''mandapam'' has an intricate plan. It is a staggered square of many sizes and variations. The number of pillars and bays vary here and the open ''mandapam'' of Veera Narayan temple Belavadi has one of the largest open ''mandapams'' of any Hoysala temple.
Splitting is another technique in which an aedicule or architectural motif such as a ''panjara'', or a ''stambha'' is split into half with the intervening space either remaining empty or containing a niche figure.[[File:Splitting.png|thumb|Splitting|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Splitting.png|327x327px]][[File:Bursting of Boundaries.png|thumb|''Bursting of Boundaries''|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Bursting_of_Boundaries.png|left]]Bursting of Boundaries - When a form which is projecting and enshrined within a frame, actually bursts over in its expansion, and overstepping its boundaries appears to be leaving the confines of its frame. It suggests a greater sense of movement and expansion.
Splitting is another technique in which an aedicule or architectural motif such as a ''panjara'', or a ''stambha'' is split into half with the intervening space either remaining empty or containing a niche figure.[[File:Splitting.png|thumb|Splitting|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Splitting.png|327x327px]][[File:Bursting of Boundaries.png|thumb|''Bursting of Boundaries''|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Bursting_of_Boundaries.png|left]]Bursting of Boundaries - When a form which is projecting and enshrined within a frame, actually bursts over in its expansion, and overstepping its boundaries appears to be leaving the confines of its frame. It suggests a greater sense of movement and expansion.
Progressive multiplication - Starting from top to bottom, a whole aedicule is multiplied successively, starting from top and then descending in ever increasing numbers.[[File:Progressive Multiplication.png|thumb|Progressive Multiplication|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Progressive_Multiplication.png|233x233px]]The vimanas are decorated with these aediculae. A ''hara'' is a chain of the aediculae comprising ''kuta, shala'' and ''panjara'' and their staggering. Starting from one end a ''vimana tala'' may have a ''kuta'' at the corner, a ''shala'' in the center and a ''kuta'' at the other corner. This scheme would be called a k-s-k scheme. If a ''panjara'' is added at the center of the ''shala'' then the scheme would be: k-s-p-s-k.
Progressive multiplication - Starting from top to bottom, a whole aedicule is multiplied successively, starting from top and then descending in ever increasing numbers.[[File:Progressive Multiplication.png|thumb|Progressive Multiplication|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Progressive_Multiplication.png|233x233px]]The vimanas are decorated with these aediculae. A ''hara'' is a chain of the aediculae comprising ''kuta, shala'' and ''panjara'' and their staggering. Starting from one end a ''vimana tala'' may have a ''kuta'' at the corner, a ''shala'' in the center and a ''kuta'' at the other corner. This scheme would be called a k-s-k scheme. If a ''panjara'' is added at the center of the ''shala'' then the scheme would be: k-s-p-s-k. But most of the Hoysala temples are more complex than this and the central ''shala'' is staggered and its center is occupied by a ''panjara'' which nestles the image of a deity or a celestial figure. The staggered ''shala'' would add more ''shala'' elements. If it is staggered once then the scheme would be k-s-s-p-s-s-k and so on.
This is the terminology in which the ''hara'' decoration of the parapet and ''vimana'' of a Hoysala temple are described. In light of this, it would be easy to understand the description of the ''vimana'' of the oldest shrine housing Veera Narayana, by Gerard Foekema, in following words:<blockquote>“The square ''vimana'' shows k-sspss-k in three talas and is crowned with giant vedika and kuta roof; the latter, in turn, is crowned by a ''kalasa''. The ''sukanasi'' exhibits –p- in the first tala and –k-spsk in the second. The closed hall shows k-sp-sssspssss-ps-k. The open hall shows k and sps as a hara of pavilions only.”</blockquote>There is an eave running round it. Above the eave, the ''vimana'' is profusely decorated and below it the walls are plain. There are two explanations of it.
1. That the ''vimana'' was decorated later, when the other two shrines were created.
2. That it was done purposefully to show that the ''garbha-griha'' is a place for meditation, even from the outside and hence does not reflect the complexity of the world.
The two lateral shrines are completely decorated from top to bottom, except the moulding of the base. The ''vimanas'' are profusely decorated, and so are the wall sections below the second eave. These two ''vimanas'' were built in the later Hoysala period and hence they have two eaves, one directly below the parapet and second a little below it. Between the two eaves are ''stambha'' frames of different kinds. Both the shrines have ''antarala'' and ''shukanasika''.
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.
These two ''vimanas'' are different in a crucial way. The southern shrine of Venu-Gopala facing north has a Dravida ''vimana''. It is 4.9 metre of height. It is a ''triratha'' square with k-sspss-k articulation. The northern shrine of Yoga-Narasimha facing south has a Vesara ''vimana''. It is a ''triratha'' half star with k-.-ksspssk-.-k articulation on its vimanas. Its height is 4.7 metre.
While the ''shukansika'' of the southern shrine is square with k-sps-k articulation in its second tala, the ''shukanasika'' of the northern shrine is more complex as its plan is of a full star. The center of both the vimanas are decorated with the ''panjara'' aedicule and an additional decorative ''panjara'' is added in the ''vedika'' and ''vyalamala'' section, interrupting them, but consequently giving the impression of a vertical band of panjara aedicule in the forum of ''kirtimukha''.
===Hoysala Sculpture===
In the Hindu temple, sculpture is inextricably enmeshed with architecture to the point where the boundary between them becomes unrecognizable. This is another feature which distinguishes the Hindu temple from other sacred architectures in the world. In the Hoysala architecture this feature becomes even more exaggerated. As Gerard Foekema says, in Karnataka, mainly in Kalyani Chalukya and Hoysala temples, architecture is decorated with architecture. These architectural parts are both functional and decorative. Since most of these parts are constructed by chiseling hence they are technically sculpture but play the function of architecture as well.[[File:Hoysala sculpture at Somnathapur, Mysore, Karnataka.png|thumb|Hoysala sculpture at Somnathapur, Mysore, Karnataka|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Hoysala_sculpture_at_Somnathapur,_Mysore,_Karnataka.png|left|400x400px]]Beginning from the top, the Hoysala temple has the quintessential ''kalasha'', containing the temple seed. It was built in stone, but in most temples it was lost during Islamic invasions, but some like temples at Mosale have their ''kalasha'' intact. The Veera Narayana temple, Belavadi also has the ''kalashas'' intact in all three of its shrines. The temples that have lost their ''kalasha'' have replaced it with a metal one.
Below the ''kalasha'' there is the domed roof, which is actually a sculpted stone and given the shape of the roof. It is square if the plan of the ''garbha-griha'' and ''shikhara'' is square and star if the plan is that of a star. “Below this giant topping roof, the tower consists of many more domed roofs with square plan, all of them much smaller, and also crowned by ''kalasas''. They are mixed with other small roofs of different shapes, most of them finely decorated. The top of the wall of a closed hall also shows this kind of decorated miniature roofs, but only one single row of them, and also above the heavy eaves of open halls and porches one row of them can be found. The tower of the shrine mostly consists of three or four of this kind of rows, the top of the nose mostly of two or three of them.”<ref>Ibid. p. 28.</ref>
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. [[File:Hoysala Sculpture, Aralaguppe, Tumkuru, Karnataka.png|thumb|Hoysala Sculpture, Aralaguppe, Tumkuru, Karnataka|link=http://dharmawiki.org/index.php/File:Hoysala_Sculpture,_Aralaguppe,_Tumkuru,_Karnataka.png|409.238x409.238px]]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.
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 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.
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.
=== Temple Deities ===
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.
== Veera Narayana Temple ==
== Veera Narayana Temple ==
The Veera Narayana temple, Belavadi is built in soapstone like all other Hoysala temples. Soapstone is of three kinds: whitish, greenish and blackish. Most of the more famous Hoysala temples like the Chenna Keshava temple at Belur and the Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu are built in primarily black and greenish soapstone. But the Veera Narayana temple is built in whitish soapstone. The whitish soapstone is of an inferior quality than the green or black soapstone. The fact that Belavadi temple is built in whitish soapstone, has given it a completely different look. Its hue is pinkish white with a tinge or orange and black at some places.
The [[Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi, Chikmanguluru, Karnataka|Veera Narayana Temple]] is dedicated to Veera Narayana, a form of Lord Vishnu, in the village of Belavadi, Chikamagalur district, Karnataka. The temple was built in the 12<sup>th</sup> century CE by the Hindu dynasty of the Hoysalas, based at Halebidu which was then called Dwarasamudra. They also built the famous temples at Belur and Halebidu. It is a trikuta temple, but with a peculiar and novel plan which separates the two lateral shrines from the original shrine with two mandapams and a lateral open gallery and thus its facade is the most beautiful of all Hoysala temples. It has the largest joint ''mandapam'' of any Hoysala temple with 59 bays. There are 108 pillars in the temple and no two are alike.
This temple at Belavadi is built in soapstone like all other Hoysala temples. Soapstone is of three kinds: whitish, greenish and blackish. Most of the more famous Hoysala temples like the Chenna Keshava temple at Belur and the Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu are built in primarily black and greenish soapstone. But the Veera Narayana temple is built in whitish soapstone. The whitish soapstone is of an inferior quality than the green or black soapstone. The fact that Belavadi temple is built in whitish soapstone, has given it a completely different look. Its hue is pinkish white with a tinge or orange and black at some places.
After weathering of at least 800 years the effects are to be seen. While the sculpture at Belur and Halebidu is almost intact after all these years, the sculpture at Belavadi has deteriorated with time. The images of the three deities, Veera Narayana, Venu Gopala and Yoga Narasimha are built in black soapstone. The priest at Belavadi claims that they are built in Shaligrama.
After weathering of at least 800 years the effects are to be seen. While the sculpture at Belur and Halebidu is almost intact after all these years, the sculpture at Belavadi has deteriorated with time. The images of the three deities, Veera Narayana, Venu Gopala and Yoga Narasimha are built in black soapstone. The priest at Belavadi claims that they are built in Shaligrama.
== References ==
== References ==