Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Haranhalli – The Temple

Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Haranhalli – The Temple

The temple is facing towards east with a mahadvara. The temple is built on a jagati (platform), a feature common to many Hoysala temples. The platform provides the devotees a path for circumambulation (pradakshina patha) around the temple. The platform has three flights of steps, one leading to the entrance to the hall and the other two that lead only up to the platform.

The temple consists of sanctum, antrala and navaranga. The four pillars of the navaranga have the usual lathe turned bell-shaped designs with fine beaded work. The ceilings are artistically done in various shapes such as concentric circles, eight-pointed star, eight-petalled concentric padmas etc. The navaranga has niches of Saraswathi, Ganesha, Lakshmi and Bhudevi.

The temple is constructed in trikutachala style, consisting of three shrines, one each on north, south and west. The western shrine houses Kesava, northern shrine houses Lakshmi Narasimha and southern shrine houses Venugopala. The central shrine (western shrine) is the most prominent one. This shrine has a antrala (vestibule) that connects the shrine to the navaranga.

The vestibule has a superstructure called sukhanasi. It looks like a shorter extension of the main tower. The towers over the central shrine is intact and intricate. The kalasa on top of the tower (the decorative water-pot at the apex of the tower) is however missing. The other two shrines are located in navaranga. These two shrines directly connect to the navaranga without sukanasi.

Since these shrines do not have a tower and are directly connected to the hall (without a vestibule and its corresponding tower like projection), they do not appear like shrines at all from the outside but rather as a part of the hall. The doorway of the southern shrine is flanked by dvarapalas has finely carved jambs with star-shaped pilasters. This shrine houses an intricately carved image of image standing on the Garuda pedestal.

The doorway of the northern shrine has a finely carved sculpture of Lakshmi Narasimha, flanked by Prahlada, Garuda and several others. The eaves runs around the sanctum where the superstructure meets the wall of the shrine. The eaves projects about half a meter from the wall. Miniature decorative towers can be seen below this eaves. Second eves can be seen below this decorative towers.

Friezes of Hindu deities and their attendants can be seen below the second eaves. It has 140 sculptures in total. Some of the prominent sculptures are Dharani Varaha with Hiranyaksha, Govardhanadhari, Durga, Harihara, Dakshinamurthy, Bhairava, Kalinga Mardana, Rati Manmatha, Vamana, the six-handed Veena Saraswathi, Brahma, Lord Vishnu with Lakshmi, Mahishasuramardhini, Kodanda Rama, Lakshmi Narasimha, Parashurama, Balarama, Trivikrama, Kesava, Mohini and Arjuna etc.

The sculptures in the panels are mostly attributed to well-known Hoysala sculptor Mallitamma. A set of six moldings can be seen below the frieze which forms the base of the wall. The first horizontal molding from the jagati depicts rows of elephants, second molding depicts rows of horses, third molding depicts floral motifs, fourth normally depicts scenes from the Hindu epics but it has been blank here, fifth molding depicts rows of makara and sixth molding depicts rows of swan.