The Group of temples at

Talakadu Talakadu (ತಲಕಾಡು) is a town on the left bank of the Kaveri river 45 km (28 miles) from Mysore and 133 km (82 miles) from Bangalore in Karnataka, India. Latinizations of the towns name vary, but include Talkād, Talakadu, Ta ...

, located about 45 km south-east of the culturally important city of

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

in the Karnataka state of India are ancient Hindu temples built by multiple South Indian dynasties. Archaeological excavations of the sand dunes at Talakad (or Talakadu) have shown the existence of several ruined temples built during the rule of the

Western Ganga dynasty Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga (mo ...

(c.345-999). However, according to historian

I. K. Sarma Inguva Kartikeya Sarma (15 October 1937 – 29 November 2013) was an Indian archaeologist and a director of the Salar Jung Museum. Education and career I. K. Sarma was born in the village of Pallipadu in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh ...

, only two temples, the Pataleshvara (also spelt Patalesvara) and Maraleshvara (also spelt Maralesvara), built during the reign of King Rachamalla Satyavakya IV (r.975-986) are intact.Sarma (1992), pp111-113 According to the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...

(ASI), the Vaidyeshvara temple (also spelt Vaidyesvara), the largest, the most intact and ornate of the group bears

Ganga The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...

Chola The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...

Hoysala The Hoysala Empire was a Kannada people, Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, India, Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially loca ...

architectural features. Its consecration is assignable to the 10th century with improvements made up to the 14th century. According to the art historian Adam Hardy, the Kirtinarayana temple (also spelt Keertinarayana) was built in 1117 A.D. by the famous Hoysala King

Vishnuvardhana Vishnuvardhana (r. 1108–1152 CE) was a king of the Hoysala Empire in what is today the modern state of Karnataka, India. He ascended the Hoysala throne after the death of his elder brother Veera Ballala I in c.1108. Originally a followe ...

to celebrate his victory over the Cholas in the battle of Talakad.Hardy (1995, p347 It has currently been dismantled by the ASI for renovation. Only its ''mahadwara'' ("grand entrance") is intact. The Sand dunes of Talakad are protected by the Karnataka state division of the ASI. The Vaidyeshvara and Kirtinarayana temples are protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

Plan of the temple

Both the Pataleshvara and Maraleshvara temples have on their original base (''adhishsthana'') a sanctum (''

garbhagriha A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the ''murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ''M ...

'') and a vestibule (''ardha mantapa'') from the Ganga period. The tower over the shrine may be a Chola period renovation. The pillars and the pilasters in the main hall (''maha-mantapa'') are similar to those in the Rameshvara Temple, Narasamangala. High quality Ganga workmanship with late

Pallava The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana dynasty, with whom they had formerly served as fe ...

influences is seen in the images of Hindu gods in these temples. These images include the four handed

Mahavishnu Mahavishnu (Sanskrit: महाविष्णु) is an aspect of Vishnu, the principal deity in Vaishnavism. In his capacity as Mahavishnu, the deity is known as the Supreme Purusha, the absolute protector and sustainer of the universe, th ...

Durga Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around co ...

standing on the horned head of the demon king (''

Asura Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...

'') Mahisha and

Kartikeya Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha ...

in the Maraleshvara temple; and the images of Dakshinamurthy (a form of Shiva), Trimurti Brahma (three faced Brahma), Simhavahini Durga (Durga riding a lion) and Shiva at the Pataleshvara temple.Sarma(1992), p113 The Vaidyeshvara temple comprises a sanctum with a ''

Vesara Vesara is a hybrid form of Indian temple architecture, with South Indian plan and a shape that features North Indian details. This fusion style likely originated in the historic architecture schools of the Dharwad region. It is common in the survi ...

'' tower (a ''

shikhara ''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...

'' which is a fusion of south and north Indian styles) in

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

, a vestibule that connects the sanctum to a short hall (''ardhamanadapa'', ''lit'', "half-hall"), a six-pillared hall (''mahamandapa'' or ''navaranga'') and two entrance

porch A porch (from Old French ''porche'', from Latin ''porticus'' "colonnade", from ''porta'' "passage") is a room or gallery located in front of an entrance of a building. A porch is placed in front of the facade of a building it commands, and form ...

s (''mukhamandapa'') facing east-west and southern directions. To the north, within the temple is another large hall (''mahamantapa'') with shrines for deities. The entire complex is built on a platform (''jagati''). The outer walls of the temple are articulated with

pilaster In classical architecture Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes even more specifically, from the ...

s, deities from the

Shaiva Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

faith and

aedicula In ancient Roman religion, an ''aedicula'' (plural ''aediculae'') is a small shrine, and in classical architecture refers to a niche covered by a pediment or entablature supported by a pair of columns and typically framing a statue,"aedicula, n." ...

relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...

. The ornate

doorjamb A jamb (from French ''jambe'', "leg"), in architecture, is the side-post or lining of a doorway or other aperture. The jambs of a window outside the frame are called “reveals.” Small shafts to doors and windows with caps and bases are known ...

and

lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented structural item. In the case of w ...

over the entrance doorway to the pillared hall, with the 2 m tall reliefs of door-keepers (''dwarapala'') on either side is typically Hoysala in workmanship. At the rear of the complex is a large bounding wall (''

prakara A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. As ...

'') that houses independent sculptures from the Ganga, Hoysala and

Vijayanagara Vijayanagara () was the capital city of the historic Vijayanagara Empire. Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, it spread over a large area and included the modern era Group of Monuments at Hampi site in Vijayanagara district, Bellary ...

periods. According to Adam Hardy, The Kirtinarayana temple is a granite, single ''vimana'' plan (tower over shrine), an ''ekakuta'' (single shrine) construction, with an open ''mantapa'' (hall). The temple is similar in plan to the famous

Chennakesava Temple Chennakeshava Temple, also referred to as Keshava, Kesava or Vijayanarayana Temple of Belur, is a 12th-century Hindu temple in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India. It was commissioned by King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE, on the banks o ...

Belur Belur may refer to: Places * Belur, Karnataka, a town in Karnataka, India ** Belur temple (Chennakeshava temple), Belur * Belur, Tamil Nadu, a town in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India * Belur, West Bengal, a neighbourhood of Howrah, India ** Be ...

. The temple has a typical stellate (star-shaped) plan with the sanctum, vestibule and open hall (''navaranga'' or just ''mantapa'') mounted on a platform called '' jagati''. These features are, according to historian Suryanath Kamath, standard to

Hoysala architecture Hoysala architecture is the building style in Hindu temple architecture developed under the rule of the Hoysala Empire between the 11th and 14th centuries, in the region known today as Karnataka, a state of India. Hoysala influence was at its ...

. The platform serves a dual purpose: improves visual effect as well as provides a path for ritual

Circumambulation Circumambulation (from Latin ''circum'' around and ''ambulātus ''to walk) is the act of moving around a sacred object or idol. Circumambulation of temples or deity images is an integral part of Hindu and Buddhist devotional practice (known in S ...

(''

Parikrama Parikrama or Pradakshina is clockwise circumambulation of sacred entities, and the path along which this is performed, as practiced in the Indic religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. In Buddhism, it refers only to the path along ...

'' or ''Pradakshina'') around the temple for devotees.Kamath (2001), p135Foekema (1996), p25 The sanctum has an image of

Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is co ...

(another name for Vishnu). The decorative features in the temple are notable. At the entrance to the sanctum, the

and

are ornate, and the lathe turned pillars in the spacious hall support a ceiling that is decorated with floral designs. Mallikarjuna temple at Mudukuthore and Sri Arkeshwaraswamy Temple are located little far form the main Talakadu village.

Notes

Gallery

File:Pataleshvara temple at Talakad, Mysore district.JPG, The 10th century Pataleshvara temple at Talakad has been excavated from the sand dunes. File:Profile of Kirtinarayana Temple at Talakad.jpg, profile of the renovated Keertinarayana temple, Talakad File:Dwarapalaka (door keeper to shrine) in Vaidyeshvara temple at Talakad.jpg, ''Dwarapalaka'' (door keeper) and a profile of the ''mantapa'' at the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Dwarapalakas (door keepers to the shrine) in Vaidyeshvara temple at Talakad.JPG, Ornate doorjamb at the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Profile of Dwarapalakas (door keepers to the shrine) in Vaidyeshwara temple at Talakad.jpg, Profile of ''Dwarapalakas'' (door keepers) at the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Stone vessel in Vaidyeshvara temple at Talakad.jpg, Stone vessel at the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Monolithic chain in stone in Vaidyeshwara temple at Talakad.jpg, Five headed snake and monolithic stone chain at the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Close up view of tower over shrine in Vaidyeshwara temple at Talakad.jpg, Close up view of ''Vesara'' shrine tower (''vimana'') made of stucco at the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Vaidyeshvara Temple, profile of outer wall and mouldings at Talakad.JPG, A profile of the outer wall of the mantapa at the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:View of shrine and porch with ornate pillars in Vaidyeshwara temple at Talakad.jpg, A view of the Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Ornate porch entrance into the Vaidyeshwara temple at Talakad.jpg, Ornate porch (south) entrance to Vaidyeshvara temple, Talakad File:Nandi (bull) at the Keertinarayana temple at Talakad.JPG, Nandi (bull) near the Kirtinarayana temple at Talakad

References

* * Adam Hardy, Indian Temple Architecture: Form and Transformation : the Karṇāṭa Drāviḍa Tradition, 7th to 13th Centuries, Abhinav, 1995 * Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples, Abhinav, 1996 * * * * *

External links

{{Commons category, Group of temples at Talakad, Karnataka Hindu temples in Mysore district