The Mallikarjuna temple, dedicated to the Hindu god

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

, is in Basaralu, a small town in the

Mandya district Mandya District is an administrative district of Karnataka, India. The district is bordered on the south by Mysore and Chamarajangar districts, on the west by Hassan District, on the north by Tumkur District and on the east by Ramanagara di ...

, Karnataka state, India. Basaralu is close to

Nagamangala Nagamangala is a PuraSabhe in Mandya district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The history of the town dates back to the period of Mahabharatha. Arjuna' son Babruvahana is said to have ruled this area, the town was earlier known by names Uluchi ...

and about 65 km from 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 ...

. The temple was built by Harihara Dhannayaka around 1234 A.D. during the rule of the Hoysala Empire King

Vira Narasimha II Vira Narasimha II ( kn, ಇಮ್ಮಡಿ ವೀರ ನರಸಿಂಹ) (r. 1220–1234) was a king of the Hoysala Empire. During his reign the Hoysalas gained much influence in the affairs of the Tamil country. He defeated the Kadavas and P ...

.Foekema (1996), p43 This temple is protected as a monument of national importance by 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 Alexand ...

Temple plan

Overview

The temple is highly ornate example of

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 pe ...

. The temple plan is that of a ''trikuta'' (three shrined),Foekema (1996), p25 though only the middle one has a superstructure (tower or ''

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'' chambe ...

'') and a ''sukhanasi'' (nose or tower over the vestibule).Foekema (1996), p22Foekema (1996), pp43-45Kamath (2001), p134 The three shrines are connected by a common hall (''

mantapa A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture. Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...

'') which is unique in that it mixes characteristics of an open and a closed hall. The lateral shrines are connected directly to the hall while the middle shrine has a vestibule that connects the sanctum (cella or ''vimana'') to the hall.Foekema (1996), p21Foekema (1996), p45 Since the lateral shrines have no tower over them and are directly connected to the hall without a vestibule and its corresponding tower like projection, they do not appear like shrines from the outside. Rather, they are absorbed into the walls of hall. The central shrine on the contrary is highly visible because of its tower and the ''sukhanasi'' that projects prominently from the tower. The cella in the central shrine has a ''

linga A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional ...

'' (the universal symbol of the god

) while the lateral shrines contain an image of '' surya'' (the sun) and a pair of '' nagas'' (snakes). The temple stands on a platform called '' jagati'', a feature common to many Hoysala temples. The platform, in addition to its visual appeal, is meant to provide devotees a path for

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 ...

(''

pradakshina 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 alon ...

patha'') around the temple. It closely follows the outline of the temple, giving it a good elevated look. It has two flights of steps leading to each lateral entrance of the temple.Foekema (1996), p25Kamath (2001), p135 The tower over the central shrine and the vestibule (''sukhanasi'' or nose) are intact and highly decorative. The other standard features of a Hoysala temple; the large domed roof over the tower (called "helmet" or ''amalaka''), the ''kalasa'' on top of it (the decorative water-pot at the apex of the helmet) and the Hoysala crest (emblem of the Hoysala warrior stabbing a lion) over the ''sukhanasi'' are all intact, adding to the decorative look.Foekema (1996), p27 The dome is actually a heavy, well sculptured "helmet" over the tower and is the largest piece of sculpture in the temple (2x2 meters). Its shape usually follows that of the shrine and hence can be either square or star shaped.

Decoration and sculptures

Close up of molding panel frieze in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu

The decorative plan of the walls of the shrines and the ''

'' (hall) is of the "new kind", with two eaves that run around the temple. The wall panel images have the same quality of workmanship seen in the more famous temples at Belur and

Halebidu Halebidu ( IAST: Haḷēbīḍ, literally "old capital, city, encampment" or "ruined city") is a town located in Hassan District, Karnataka, India. Historically known as Dorasamudra (also Dwarasamudra), Halebidu became the regal capital of the ...

, though the images are smaller and simpler.Foekema (1996), p46 In the "new kind" of decorative articulation, the first heavy eaves runs below the superstructure and all around the temple with a projection of about half a meter. The second eaves runs around the temple about a meter below the first. Between the two eaves are the miniature decorative towers (

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, ...

) on

pilaster In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wal ...

s. Below the second eaves are the wall panel of images of Hindu deities and their attendants in

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 th ...

.Foekema (1996), pp28-29 Below this, at the base are the six equal width rectangular moldings (

frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...

). Starting from the top, the friezes depict ''hansa'' (birds) in the first frieze, ''

makara ''Makara'' ( sa, मकर, translit=Makara) is a legendary sea-creature in Hindu mythology. In Hindu astrology, Makara is equivalent to the Zodiac sign Capricorn. Makara appears as the vahana (vehicle) of the river goddess Ganga, Narmada, a ...

'' (aquatic monsters) in the second (though often interrupted with ''

kirtimukha Kirtimukha (Sanskrit: कीर्तिमुख ,', also ', a bahuvrihi compound translating to "glorious face") is the name of a swallowing fierce monster face with huge fangs, and gaping mouth, very common in the iconography of Hindu temple a ...

s'' in this temple), epics and other stories in the third (which in this case is from the Hindu epic

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...

, the

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...

, and stories of

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

), lions in the fourth (instead of the more commonly seen leafy scrolls), horses in the fifth and elephants at the bottom.Foekema (1996), p29, p46 At the entrance to the hall are elephant balustrades. Notable among the wall panel sculptures and depicting scenes from the epics and puranic stories are the 16-handed Shiva dancing on the head of a demon called Andhakasura, dancing images of a 22-armed

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 c ...

and

Saraswati Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati. The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a g ...

, King

Ravana Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations. In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. ...

lifting Mount

Kailash Mount Kailash (also Kailasa; ''Kangrinboqê'' or ''Gang Rinpoche''; Tibetan: གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; ; sa, कैलास, ), is a mountain in the Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It has an altitude of ...

, the Pandava prince Arjuna shooting the fish target, and Draupadi rushing forth with garland, and the slaying of the demon Gajasura.

Gallery

File:Rear of Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu, Mandya district.jpg, Rear of Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Profile of vesara shikhara (tower) and shrine of Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu, Mandya district.jpg, Profile of vesara shikhara (tower) and shrine of Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Old Kannada inscription (1235 AD) in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu.JPG, Old Kannada inscription from the Hoysala period (1235 A.D.) at the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Molding frieze articulation on outer wall in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu.JPG, Molding frieze articulation in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Molding frieze and wall panel relief under eves in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu 1.JPG, Wall relief articulation in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Elephant baluster and decorative towers over minature shrines in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu.JPG, Elephant baluster entrance into the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Ganesha sculpture in the entrance mantapa of Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu.JPG, Sculpture of Ganesha in the entrance mantapa in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Relief sculpture the Hindu god Brahma and goddess Saraswati in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu.JPG, Relief of Hindu god Brahma with

in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Relief sculpture of Hindu deities in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu.JPG, Panel relief of Hindu deities in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Relief sculpture of a Hindu deity in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu 1.JPG, Relief of Hindu deity in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu File:Relief sculpture of a Hindu deity in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu.JPG, Relief of Hindu deity in the Mallikarjuna temple at Basaralu

Notes

References