Chennakeshava Temple, Aralaguppe – The Temple

Chennakeshava Temple, Aralaguppe – The Temple

This Temple is facing towards east and follows ekakuta style (single shrine with a tower. The temple is built over a raised stellate platform of about 4 feet high. The Sanctum Sanctorum consists of Sanctum, Sukanasi and Navaranga with an entrance porch. The entrance porch can be accessed through flight of steps. The entrance to the raised platform is flanked by two mini shrines at the ground level.

The raised platform is in shape of a sixteen-pointed star. Every alternate point of the star shape of the platform housed a sculpture of an elephant, only four have survived. The navaranga is square on plan. Its central ceiling is supported by four lathe turned pillars. There are two niches on the western wall of the navaranga housing Ganesha and Mahishasura Mardhini.

An idol of Kesava can be seen in the Navaranga. This idol might be the original image housed in the sanctum. The ceilings of the Navaranga is divided into nine compartment. All the nine ceilings of this hall are executed in different styles. Lord Vishnu reclining over Adisesha can be seen on the lintel of the entrance of antrala. The sanctum entrance door is flanked by dvarapalas. The lintel of the door is depicted with Lakshmi Narayana.

The sanctum enshrines the idol of the presiding deity, Chennakesava raised on a large pedestal. The shikara over the sanctum is of four tiers. The kalasa on top is missing now. The tower starts with a topping roof which is also 16-star pointed and is followed by four tiers of square roofs, some of which still have their decorative kalasa. The exterior walls have two eaves.

The first eave runs below the shikara and the second eave runs around the temple about a meter below the first eave. Miniature decorative towers can be seen in between the two eaves. A large frieze of Hindu deities with their attendants can be seen below the second eave runs around the temple. There are about ninety sculptures depicting various forms of Lord Vishnu, Ganesha, Garuda, Mahishasura Mardini, Sapta Matrikas, Sarasvati, Mohini etc.

The names of the sculptor had been inscribed on fifteen of these sculptures. The Adishtana has six bands runs around the temple. The topmost band depict birds, depicts makara in the second, Ramayana & Krishna Leela in the third, creepers scrolls in the fourth, horses in the fifth and elephants at the bottom. The shrine of Ugra Narasimha was added to the temple on the southern side at later stage.