Hoysala Art and Architecture

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The Hoysala period (1026 CE – 1343 CE) is remembered as one of the most illustrious phases in the history of Indian art and architecture, during which temple construction reached a high level of artistic refinement and architecture grew increasingly ornate, complex, and decorative. For UPSC History Optional aspirants, Hoysala temple architecture is a high-value topic: it represents the mature culmination of the Karnata Dravida tradition, and is distinguished by its stellate ground plans, intricately lathe-turned pillars, and an unparalleled density of sculptural ornamentation in soapstone. This article examines the origins and important centres of Hoysala temple architecture, its distinctive architectural features, its major temples at Halebidu, Belur, and Somanathapura, and the sculptural art that adorns them.

Hoysala Temple Architecture: Origins and Overview

• The Hoysala period (1026 CE – 1343 CE) is remembered as one of the most illustrious phases in the history of Indian art and architecture.
  • During this time, temple construction reached a high level of artistic refinement, and architecture became more ornate, complex, and decorative.
  • The Hoysalas emerged as great builders, and their temples are noted for their precision of workmanship, rich surface decoration, and distinct regional character.
• A later and major phase of temple architecture in the Deccan is associated with the Hoysala dynasty, who ruled over southern Karnataka with their capital at Dwarasamudra (modern Halebidu).
• The temple architecture developed under the Hoysalas did not arise suddenly; it was a continuation of architectural patterns that had developed earlier under the Chalukyas of Kalyani (Western Chalukyas).
  • The Karnata Dravida tradition was first developed in the 7th century under the patronage of the Badami Chalukyas, and reached a stage of maturity under the Western Chalukyas (Kalyani Chalukyas) in the 11th century.
  • Under the Hoysalas in the 13th century, the Chalukya style achieved perfection and emerged as a distinct and independent architectural style, known for its highly detailed sculptural work, balanced proportions, and sophisticated structural planning.

Important Centres of Hoysala Temple Architecture

• The remains of the most important Hoysala temples are found at Halebidu, Belur, and Somanathapura.
  • These centres became major hubs of temple construction and symbols of Hoysala artistic excellence.
  • The temples at these places reflect the culmination of the Karnata Dravida style and display the full maturity of Hoysala architectural skill.

Features of Hoysala Temple Architecture

Shrines (Garbhagriha Units)

• Hoysala temples generally contain one or more shrines, depending on the size and importance of the temple. On the basis of the number of shrines, temples are classified as:
  • Ekakuta — temples with one shrine;
  • Dvikuta — temples with two shrines;
  • Trikuta — temples with three garbhagrihas; in some cases, even more shrines are found.
• The shrines are mostly built on a stellate (star-shaped) plan, a distinctive feature of Hoysala architecture; in some temples, a staggered square plan is also seen.

Garbha Griha (Sanctum Sanctorum)

• The garbha griha is a cuboid-shaped cell forming the most sacred part of the temple; it houses a centrally placed murti (enshrined image), installed on a pitha (pedestal).
  • The sanctum is simple in structure and internally plain, but forms the spiritual core of the temple.

Shikhara and Amalaka

• The shikhara (superstructure) rises directly over the garbha griha; together, the shikhara and sanctum form the vimana or mulaprasada of the temple.
  • The shikharas in Hoysala temples are not very high, and are more compact and proportionate; some represent a hybrid of Nagara and Dravida styles, while others appear pyramidal in shape.
  • At the top of the shikhara is placed a ribbed stone known as the amalaka, with a kalasha (finial) at the very top.

Antarala (Vestibule)

• The antarala is an intermediate chamber connecting the garbha griha with the mandapa in front, acting as a transitional space between the sanctum and the pillared hall.
  • Most temples are oriented facing the east, sometimes also the north.

Mandapa (Hall)

• Hoysala temples possess both an open mantapa (outer hall) and a closed mantapa (inner hall), serving as gathering places for devotees and spaces for ritual and ceremonial activities.
  • The ceilings of the mandapas are highly ornate, decorated with mythological figures and floral and geometric designs; each ceiling panel is carved with great precision and minute decorative detailing.

Pillars

• The mantapas of Hoysala temples contain circular, lathe-turned pillars, each generally carrying four sculpted brackets at the top bearing finely carved figures of divine beings, attendants, or dancers.
  • The bases and capitals of the pillars are especially noted for their beautiful mouldings and polished surface finish.

Gopurams (Entrance Towers)

• Entry into the temple complex is often through gigantic and ornate gopurams, which tower over each doorway and serve as monumental entrance gateways.
  • Though not as massive as later South Indian gopurams, they still mark the ceremonial approach to the shrine.

Minor Shrines and Prakaram

• Within the prakaram (temple courtyard), several minor shrines and outbuildings are often present.
  • These subsidiary shrines house attendant deities and add to the ritual and architectural complexity of the temple complex.

Vimanas and External Ornamentation

• The vimanas in Hoysala temples are stellate, semi-stellate, or orthogonal in plan; the interior of the vimana is plain and unadorned, while the exterior is profusely elaborated with sculptures.
• A striking feature of Hoysala temples is a strong sense of horizontality, clearly visible through continuous horizontal lines and repeated mouldings; large-scale use of mouldings on walls, pillars, and platforms is a unique feature — as seen, for instance, in the outer wall panels at Somanathapura, with their six horizontal mouldings.
  • The banded plinths at the base of the temples consist of a series of horizontal courses running as rectangular strips, with narrow recesses in between.
• Many temples are erected on a raised platform called the jagati, which serves as a pradakshinapatha (circumambulatory path) and leaves a broad, flat surface all around the temple.
• The temples are especially noted for extremely fine, delicate, and highly detailed carvings executed on walls and ceilings; almost the entire temple surface is covered with figure sculpture.
  • This reflects a return to extensive iconographic representation, especially of episodes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas — narrative decoration more elaborately developed than in later Western Chalukyan architecture.

Building Material: Soapstone

• A special type of stone, greenish or blackish chloritic schist — commonly known as soapstone — was extensively used in Hoysala temples.
  • This stone is fine-grained and soft when quarried, and easily carved into intricate forms; with prolonged exposure to air and sunlight, it gradually becomes very hard.
  • Large deposits of this stone were available in the southern districts of Karnataka, ensuring that the Hoysalas never faced a shortage of building material.
• Very rarely, Hoysala temples were constructed in granite — for example, the Hoysala temples at Tonnur are built of granite.
  • In regions near Tamil Nadu, Hoysala temples were also built in granite, probably because granite was locally available in abundance, and local craftsmen were skilled in granite carving owing to the earlier Chola tradition of temple architecture.

Sculptural Themes and Decorative Panels

• The walls of Hoysala temples are richly decorated with scenes from the Ramayana, episodes from the Mahabharata, and figures from the Puranas.
  • At the main entrance, mythological scenes are arranged in sequential order, in a clockwise direction.
• Apart from mythological themes, the walls also display panels of musicians, dancers, animals, and scenes of everyday life.
  • In some Hoysala temples, erotic sculptures are also found, associated with the influence of the Shakta tradition prevalent during the period.

Salabhanjika Figures

• A Salabhanjika is a mythical female figure with stylised feminine features, usually shown standing near a tree or grasping a branch — a distinctive feature of Hoysala sculpture whose artistic origin can be traced back to the Buddhist sculptural tradition.
  • In some cases, Salabhanjikas are shown playing musical instruments, dancing, or engaging in other artistic activity.
  • These figures are carved on the four brackets at the top of each pillar, and on both sides of the main entrance in large numbers.

Jalandharas (Pierced Stone Windows)

• Another important feature of Hoysala temples is the presence of pierced stone windows, known as jalandharas; similar windows were earlier seen in the early Chalukyan temple at Ladkhan, Aihole.
  • The main purpose of jalandharas was to allow sufficient air and provide natural light to the interior of the temple.
  • The Hoysala sculptors transformed even these functional windows into highly ornamental and sculptural elements, with the jalandharas displaying geometric perforations, figurative decorations, and floral patterns — as seen, for example, in the pierced stone window screens at Somanathapura.

Major Hoysala Temples

Hoysaleshvara Temple, Halebidu

• The most imposing shrine at Halebidu is the 12th-century Hoysaleshvara temple, principally constructed under the patronage of wealthy local merchants and aristocrats.
  • It consists of two separate shrines (dvikuta) with a cruciform plan, resting on cruciform-shaped (star-shaped) plinths; the two shrines are almost identical to each other and are joined together by a covered passage.
  • Built of grey soapstone, well suited to fine carving, each of the shrines has star-shaped vimanas with projections on three sides — a feature also well illustrated by the star-shaped vimana at Somanathapura.

• The inner arms connect the two shrines; there are four entrances to the twin temple, with miniature vimanas flanking them on either side.
  • Two adjunct shrines — one for Nandi (bull) and another for Surya (sun) — are also built on the same jagati.
  • Both shrines are preceded by a Nandi pavilion, containing profusely ornamented, yet sympathetically and realistically carved, sculptures of Nandi bulls.
• The shikharas of the two temples are missing, though the mandapa ceilings and the pillars in the hall are intricately carved.
  • The entire base is covered with running friezes of tigers, elephants, horses, birds, and celestial beings — each frieze more beautiful than the last.
  • The ceilings and the interior and exterior walls of the temple are covered with beautiful sculptures; the exquisite friezes on the temple walls eloquently render stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavata Purana.

Chennakeshava Temple, Belur

• The Keshava temple at Belur consists of a complex of shrines in a large courtyard; it is an ekakuta, a temple with one shrine.
  • The main shrine was built in the early 12th century by Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala dynasty, to commemorate a victory won over the Cholas at Talkad; it is dedicated to the deity Chenna Kesava.
  • Inside the sanctum sanctorum is a 2-metre-high idol of Chenna Kesava.
• The temple stands in a spacious courtyard surrounded by a covered passage and a compound with a gopura entrance; other, smaller temples were later built in the courtyard around the main temple.
  • The whole complex stands on a wide, raised, star-shaped terrace with space enough for circumambulation; the star-shaped base has elephants in different poses adorning it.
  • The pillared mandapa is cruciform in plan and rests on a plinth of the same shape, with an east–west orientation set on a jagati.
• The intricate carvings on the outer and inner walls, pillars, screens, and bracket figures are remarkable for their finesse.
  • The basement of the vimana is profusely carved with narrative friezes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bhagavata Purana; the walls are covered with sculptures of miniature shrines, animated female figures, and animals.
  • The main entrances have a flight of steps from the courtyard and are flanked by two small vimanas; the ceiling and the pillars inside are elegantly carved.
• The superstructure on the main vimana is lost, and the shikhara of the shrine is no longer extant.

Keshava Temple, Somanathapura

• The 13th-century Keshava temple at Somanathapura represents the high point of temple architecture and sculpture of the Hoysala period; its plan is more complex than that of earlier temples.
  • It is a triple shrine, with the three shrines consisting of star-shaped projections on three sides, the shape of the plinth following the intricate outline of the shrine.
  • The shikhara is of moderate height, standing stylistically midway between the Nagara and Dravida temple towers.
• The walls and ceilings of the temple are richly carved in the manner of other Hoysala temples, including a number of erotic themes.
  • The three images housed in the three shrines are Keshava (the main image), Krishna as Venugopala (playing the flute), and Janardhana Vishnu.

Kedareshwara Temple, Halebidu

• This Shaiva trikuta (temple with three shrines) is located near the Hoysaleshvara temple; it was built under the patronage of King Veera Ballala II and Queen Ketala Devi.
  • Designed on a stellate plan, the central shrine is connected to the other two, laterally positioned shrines by a common mandapa.
  • The sculptural details beautifully illustrate Bhairava, Vishnu as Bharadwaj, and Kaliyadamana, among others.

Kalyani Tank, Hulikere

• In the suburb of Halebidu, present-day Hulikere, this splendidly decorated tank was built for a Shaiva temple during the reign of Narasimha I (1152 CE – 1173 CE).
  • Ironically, no trace of the temple survives today, but this tank still remains; the stepped pond is adorned with 27 miniature shrines, some even carrying a superstructure atop.

Jain Temples, Bastihalli

• Further south from Kedareshwara, in Bastihalli, lies a group of three Jain temples, dedicated to the Jain tirthankarasAdinath, Parsvanath, and Shantinatha; each temple enshrines an image of the respective tirthankara in its garbha griha.
  • The Parsvanath Basti was built in 1133 CE by King Vishnuvardhana to celebrate the birth of his son, Narasimha I.
  • Aligned along the north–south axis, all these structures faithfully follow the general architectural pattern of the Hoysalas.
  • Of these, the Adinath Basti, built in the late 12th century CE, is the smallest in size; it carries a beautifully decorated image of Saraswati inside its vestibule.

Sculpture in Hoysala Temples

Materials, Craftsmanship, and Chola Influence

• Hoysala artists achieved great fame for their extraordinary sculptural detail. Their sculptures depict a wide range of themes, such as episodes from the Hindu epics, the yali (a mythical creature), deities, the kirtimukha (a gargoyle or demon face), erotic figures, and scenes from daily life.
  • Their chief medium was soft soapstone, which allowed extremely fine and delicate carving and enabled the artists to achieve a virtuoso carving style.
  • The workmanship reflects extreme attention to precision — every minor detail, such as fingernails, toenails, facial expressions, and ornaments, was carved with absolute perfection.
• Kirtimukhas (demon faces) are seen adorning the towers of the vimana in some temples — for instance, on the tower of the Amrutesvara Temple at Amruthapura. In some sculptures, the artists have also left their personal signatures.
• Sthamba buttalikas refer to pillar sculptures; these images show a clear influence of Chola art while retaining Chalukyan stylistic features.
  • Some of the artists working under the Hoysalas are believed to have come from Chola country, possibly as a result of the expansion of the Hoysala empire into the Tamil-speaking regions of Southern India.
  • The famous image of Mohini on one of the pillars, located in the mantapa (closed hall) of the Chennakeshava temple, represents a fine example of Chola artistic influence.

Iconographic and Narrative Themes

• Wall panels depict scenes from everyday life, such as the act of reining horses, the type of stirrup used, dancers in performance, musicians and instrumentalists, and rows of animals such as lions and elephants.
  • The Hoysaleshvara temple at Halebidu presents perhaps the best sculptural depiction of the Ramayana and Mahabharata in temple art.
• The Hoysala artist handled erotic sculpture with restraint and discretion, avoiding open exhibitionism; erotic themes were usually carved into recesses and niches, miniature in size, and made deliberately inconspicuous — these representations are associated with the Shakta tradition.
• The temple doorway displays heavy engraved ornamentation called the Makaratorana, consisting of makara (imaginary beast) motifs; on each side of the doorway, sculptured Salabhanjika (maidens) are displayed.
  • Apart from individual figures, entire narrative sequences from the Hindu epics — commonly from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata — are sculptured, arranged in a clockwise direction beginning from the main entrance.
• Common mythological depictions include Arjuna shooting fish, Ganesha (the elephant-headed god), Surya (the Sun God), Indra (the weather and war god), and Brahma with Sarasvati.
  • Durga appears frequently, shown with several arms, holding various weapons, depicted in the act of killing a water-buffalo demon.
  • Harihara, the composite form of Shiva and Vishnu, is shown holding a conch, a wheel, and a trident.