Chennakeshava Temple, Belur – Chennakeshava Shrine (Main Shrine)

Chennakeshava Temple, Belur – Chennakeshava Shrine (Main Shrine)

The main shrine is situated in the middle of the temple complex. It combines elements of North Indian Nagara and South Indian Karnata style architecture. The shrine stands on a wide platform (jagati) about 3 feet high and faces towards east. The platform follows the staggered square design of the navaranga and the star shape of the shrine. The platform provides ample space for the devotess to circumbulate the shrine. There is one flight of steps leading to the jagati and another flight of steps into the navaranga. It is constructed in ekakuta (single shrine) style of 10.5 m by 10.5 m size.

The temple consists sanctum, antrala and navaranga. The navaranga is of triratha diamond-shaped layout. It is the largest navaranga of any of the Hoysala temples. The navaranga has three entrances and their doorways are guarded by dvarapalas on either side. The outer wall on the side of the eastern entrance shows Bhairava and Durga. The outer wall on the side of the southern entrance into the temple shows Thandaveswara and Brahmani. The outer wall on the side of the northern entrance show Vishnu and Mahishasura Mardini.

The navaranga was originally open on all sides except the west where the sanctum is located, but all sides were later closed with perforated screens. This reduced the amount of light significantly and made difficult to appreciate the intricate art work inside the temple. The navaranga is supported by forty-eight pillars. All the pillars except the central four were lathe turned. The central large domed ceiling is about 10 feet in diameter and 6 feet deep supported by the four central pillars. The dome has a lotus bud with carvings of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva at the top.

The bottom has series of friezes with the Ramayana story. Salabhanjikas (Madanikas) can be seen on the capitals of the four pillars. One represents dancing Saraswathi and others are regular dancers. The central four pillars were hand carved and added later in 1381 CE during the Vijayanagara Empire era, to support the internal structure of a damaged temple. The pillars are generally of three different sizes and designs, except for the four pillars are of the centre. Two pillars namely Narasimha pillar and Mohini pillar are particularly notable.

The Narasimha pillar is carved with miniature figures from top to bottom. It is said that this pillar could earlier be rotated but now it cannot be rotated. A small space has been left on it to be sculpted by anyone who has the talent. It remains untouched. The Mohini pillar is fluted vertically on a sixteen-pointed star plan. The eastern side of the pillar has a large bas-relief of Lord Vishnu in the enchanting form of Mohini, flanked by a Chauri bearer and a garuda. It also has eight band of carvings, including those of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, ten avatars of Vishnu, the eight direction deities, mythical animals with the body of a lion but the face of other wildlife.

There is an inscription dated to King Vishnuvardhana of Hoysala dynasty near the northern entrance of the navaranga. It records that the temple was built by King Vishnuvardhana and installed the presiding deity Vijaya Narayana in 1117 CE. The navaranga is separated from the antrala by an intricately carved gateway. The beam in front has carving of the twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The doorway is guarded by dvarapalas, Jaya and Vijaya on either sides.

The pediment of the doorway has Lakshmi Narayan in the center. Musicians playing musical instruments can be seen below it. Two makaras with Varuna and Varuni riding on them can be seen on either sides of the Lakshmi Narayana. The sanctum is star shaped. The sanctum enshrines an image of Chenna Keshava or Vijaya Narayana as per the inscriptions. The image is about 6 feet tall with a halo and stands on a 3 feet high pedestal. He is four armed. He holds chakra & shankha in the upper hands and a gada & lotus in his lower hands.

The halo has cyclical carvings of the ten avatars of Vishnu (Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki). He is flanked by his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. The sanctum might have had a bhumija style shikara but currently there is no shikara over the sanctum. The sanctum has two-storeyed devakoshtas with images of Narayana, Vasudeva and Madhava. There are miniature shrines found at the entrances of the mandapa. A set of nine bands can be seen from the jagati.

The first horizontal band from the jagati contains elephants with different expressions, empty layer on the second, cornice work with a periodic lion face on the third, scroll works on fourth, cornice work except at the back of the temple where a row of horsemen in various riding positions are depicted on the fifth, female figurines with various expressions with yakshas periodically and dancers & musicians on the sixth, pilasters with carvings of females & couples on the seventh, floral motifs with scenes from Ramayana on the eighth and scenes from common life depicting couples in courtship, eroticism and sexual scenes, followed by couples with children, economic & festive activities and scenes from the Mahabharata are portrayed towards the north outer wall on the ninth.

There are 10 perforated stone windows and screens to north side and 10 to the south side of the temple has been added at later period above these bands. Purana scenes has been carved in ten of the windows and floral designs in the other ten windows. Madanikas (Salabhanjika) figures can be seen on capitals of the supporting pillars above the perforated screens. There were originally 40 Madanikas, of which 38 have survived in damaged or good form. Two of these are Durga, three huntresses (with bow), others are dancers in Natya Shastra abhinaya mudra (acting posture), musicians, women dressing or doing make up, a woman with a pet parrot, men making music. 

A majority of these madanikas figures are also carved into miniatures in the sixth band of the outer wall around the pradakshina patha.  There are about 80 large intricately carved reliefs around the external walls of the main shrine. Of these 32 are of Vishnu, 9 of his avatars (Narasimha, Varaha, Vamana, Ranganatha, Balarama); 4 of Shiva in various forms including Nataraja (with or without Parvati); 2 of Bhairava (Shiva); 2 of Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu); 4 of Surya (Sun god); 5 of Durga and Mahishasura Mardini; 1 of Kama and Rati; 1 of Ganesha, Brahma, Saraswathi, Garuda and Chandra. Other major reliefs are of Arjuna shooting an arrow to win Draupadi; Ravana lifting the Kailasha; Daksha, Bali and Sukracharya.

It is interesting to note that a number of sculptures in the shrine are inscribed with the names of the sculptors. It reveals details about the sculptors, their families, guilds and place of origin. Ruvari Mallitamma, Dasoja & his son Chavana, Malliyanna, Nagoja Chikkahampa and Malloja are the sculptors inscribed their names to their respective sculptures. The Hoysala royal emblem flanking the doorway on either side at the eastern entrance is a unique feature in this temple wherein the other Hoysala monuments have the royal emblem over sukanasi.