Someshvara Temple, Haranhalli – The Temple

Someshvara Temple, Haranhalli – The Temple

The temple is facing towards east with a mahadvara. The temple stands on a raised platform (jagati), a feature common to many Hoysala temples. The platform provides ample space for the devotess to circumbulate the temple. The platform has three flights of steps, leading to the three entrances at the navaranga. The temple is constructed in ekakuta (single shrine) style but made to look like a trikuta (three shrined) due to the two simple lateral shrine like structures. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala and navaranga.

The navaranga has nine bays and three extensions to the east, south and north. The four central pillars are in the shape of a round bell, while the remaining six pillars are star-shaped. The two pillars near the doorway (east) are more ornate and their bases have sculptured panels of Kailasa lifting Ravana, Govardhanagiridhari, Venugopala etc. The navaranga has six niches enshrining Sapta Matrikas, Saraswathi, Mahishasura Mardhini, Ganesha, Shanmuka etc. The navaranga has twelve artistic ceilings in varied shapes such as octagonal circles, concentric circles and octagons.

The sanctum doorway has a flat padma ceiling. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Someshvara, in the form of Shiva Linga. The main shrine is stellate (star-shaped), has a complete superstructure (tower or shikhara) and a sukhanasi (nose or tower over the vestibule) similar to the Lakshmi Narasimha temple. The tower over the shrine and its vestibule (sukhanasi or nose) are intact. The kalasa on top of the tower (the decorative water-pot at the apex of the tower) is however missing. 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. Notable among them are Tandava Ganesha, Mohini, Dharani Varaha, Harihara, Trivikrama, Lakshmi, Durga, Bhairava, Govardhanadhari, Mahishasura Mardhini, Venugopala, the eight-armed dancing Saraswathi, Parvati standing with Ganesha & Kumara, six armed Nataraja, Kalinga Mardhana, the three-headed beardless Brahma and the six-armed Tandaveshwara etc.

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 contains procession of elephants, second contains horsemen, foliage on the third, depictions from the Hindu epics and puranic scenes are missing in the fourth which has been left blank, friezes of makara in the fifth and friezes of swans in the sixth. A large Nandi can be seen above the southern entrance. A small shrine is attached to the lateral entrance of the temple. The goddess shrine can be seen in the temple premises. It is in ruined state.