Changes

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.

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>[[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.

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.

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 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.[[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|450.996x450.996px]]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.

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.