 Kedareswara Temple is a Hoysala era construction in the historically important town of Halebid, in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India. It is a located a little to the south of the Hoysaleshwar temple. Kedareswara temple is known for its mix of architecture. The temple was constructed by Hoysala King Veera Ballala II and his queen Ketaladevi in the 12th Century and the main deity is Lord Shiva. Kedareswara Temple is one of the popular religious shrines of the region that depicts Chalukyan style of architecture. The shrine features two beautifully decorated Hoysala emblems. It has a bucolic setting. Many parts of the temple have lost its charm due to several collapses half a century ago. The frescos on the outer walls are similar to those of the other temples. There are around 180 sculptures. The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Architecture of the Kedareswara Temple The temple is believed to be built in 1319 A.D and is constructed with Soap stone. The temple stands on the platform called "Jagati" which is typically 5-6 ft in height and which can be reached by a flight of steps. Massive monolithic black columns support a highly decorated stone ceiling in a more intimate setting than its more famous sister temples. The inner shrine appears to have been vandalized at some point. However, the platform provides this convenience in addition to giving the onlooker a good view of the wall relief and sculptures. The outlay of the main shrine known as "Vimana" is star shaped with two smaller shrines that have perforated windows on the sides. The basement of the temple exhibits a plethora of carvings illustrating stories of epics such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita. The walls and ceiling of Kedareswara Temple are beautifully decorated. Lord Shiva is enshrined in the sanctum in the form of a Shiva Linga of Krishnashila, a black stone. Along with Shiva Linga, Brahma Linga and a figurine of Janardhana are also housed in the shrine. Since the temple has three shrines, it qualifies as a "Trikuta", a three shrined structure. In Trikutas, only the central shrine has a tower while the lateral shrines are virtually hidden behind the thick outer walls and appear to be a part of the hall itself. The three sanctums are connected to a "staggered square" central hall called "Mahamandapa" by individual vestibules called "sukanasi". A porch connects the central hall to the platform.  The base of the temple wall around the common hall and the two lateral shrines consist of moldings, each of which is treated with friezes in relief that depict animals and episodes from the Hindu Purana. The image of the deity of worship is missing in all three sanctums and the super-structures of all three shrines are lost.
Sculptures in the Kedareswara Temple On the south eastern wall there are images of Ram with the monkey army, the churning of the ocean, Prahlada, images of Ram and his brother Lakshman and a dancing Lord Shiva. On the south western wall there are images of Sampati looking at Lanka with binoculars in order to find Sita and a scene of the battle for Lanka. Another sculpture depicts Arjun who has to shoot a fish, looking at its reflection in oil if he wants to win Draupadi. Two monkeys fighting for fruit; Krishna and the flute; Durga dancing, Shiva as Bhairava; Mohini are the other images depicted. On the north western wall there are images from the epic of Mahabharata. It includes fight between Arjun and Shiva; Arjuna saving the cows of Virat; the battle of Mahabharata; Kali, Krishna, Mahishaasuramardini Durga, Vishnu in Vamana avatar walking across the universe in three steps. On the north eastern wall there are images Manmath and his consort Rati. To the south of it is Brahma Linga and the statue of Janardhana is situated at the north. Near by Temples to Visit In about 30 kms radial distance there are several temples located at Hassan, Karnataka. Some of them are listed below: Visiting Infomration Road from Bengaluru to Halebid is well connected via NH 48 upto Hassan and then by State Highway. Hassan and Arsikere is the nearest rail Junction. Bengaluru International Airport is the nearest accessible airport to proceed towards Hassan. (Last Updated on : 16-03-2015) |
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