Hoysalas temples

• The unique architectural marvels of the 12^th century Hoysala era temples in Karnataka were recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage Site: 42nd in India and fourth site in Karnataka to get the world heritage tag.
  • Other 3 are- monuments at Hampi (1986) and Pattadakal (1987) along with the Ecological hotspot Western Ghats (2012).
• The 45^th session of the World Heritage Committee which met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia approved India’s recommendation of the ‘Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysals’ comprising three temples —
  • Channakeshava temple at Belur,
  • Hoysalesvara Temple in Halebidu in Hassan district and
  • Kesav temple at Somanathpur of Mysuru district as the latest addition to the list of World Heritage Sites.
• All three temples are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the nominations were entered as ‘The Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas’.

ABOUT THE TEMPLES

• The temples of Belur and Halebidu have been on UNESCO’s world heritage tentative list since 2014.
• The ensembles of the Hoysalas consisting of temples, shrines and associated structures, rich in innate carvings on the stone, are scattered across South Interior districts of Karnataka and have been globally acclaimed tourist destinations in Karnataka.
• The Hoysala-style architecture was created through a careful selection of contemporary temple features and those from the past to create a different identity from neighbouring kingdoms.
• The Hoysala temples are known for evolving a distinct style that is ornate with temple architecture following a stellate plan built on a raised platform.
• The material used in temple construction is choloritic schist which is also known as soapstone that are soft and amiable to carving.
• Shrines are characterized by-
  • hyper-real sculptures and stone carvings that cover the entire architectural surface,
  • a circumambulatory platform,
  • a large-scale sculptural gallery,
  • a multi-tiered frieze and
  • the sculptures of the Sala legend.
• The Hoysala rulers ruled over parts of Southern India from the 11th Century to the 14th Century with Halebidu (Dwarasamudra) as their capital.
  • The Hoysala era was considered an important period in the development of South Indian art, architecture and religion.
  • About 100 plus surviving temples are scattered across Karnataka till date.
• While the construction of the Chennakeshava temple at Belur in commenced during the period of king Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE and took 103 years to complete, the Hoysaleshwara temple was commissioned in 1121 CE while the Keshava temple at Somanathapur in Mysuru district was commissioned by Somanatha Dandanayaka during the regime of Narasimha III in 1268 CE.