Lakshmi Narayana Temple, Hosaholalu – The Temple

Lakshmi Narayana Temple, Hosaholalu – The Temple

The temple is facing towards east with a mahadvara. The temple stands on a raised platform (jagati) of about 4.5 feet high. The platform provides ample space for the devotess to circumbulate the temple. The temple is constructed on a sixteen-pointed star plan, contours of which are followed by the platform below. Stone elephants were placed on the star points, five of which are still seen at the site.

The temple is constructed in trikutachala style, consisting of three shrines, one each on north, south and west. The western shrine houses Lakshmi Narayana, northern shrine houses Lakshmi Narasimha and southern shrine houses Venugopala. The western shrine connects to the navaranga via vestibule while the other two shrines connects directly to the navaranga. The central shrine (western shrine) is the most prominent one.

This shrine has an antrala (vestibule) that connects the shrine to the navaranga. The tower over the central shrine and the vestibule are intact and highly decorative. The main cell is a square room with projections on south, west and north. Due to these projections, this cell appears to be the main or prominent one. An image of Narayana is carved on its doorway lintel.

An image of Narayana holding shankha, chakra, padma and gada is placed inside the sanctum. Vishnu’s ten incarnations are also engraved on this image. The tower over the sanctum is crowned with kalasa on top and is of five tiers. The vestibule has a superstructure called sukhanasi. It looks like a shorter extension of the main tower. The Hoysala crest (emblem of the Sala stabbing a lion) over the sukhanasi is missing.

This exterior of the western shrine has projected mini shrine attached to it on three sides. These mini shrines follow the style of the main temple however they only display four bands instead of six. The southern shrine is guarded by dvarapalas. Venugopala can be seen on the lintel of the doorway. There is a cornice depicting seven turrets above the lintel.

The original image enshrined in the sanctum was removed to Kannambadi in 1936 CE and its place had been taken by the utsava murtis made of metal as per Mysore Archaeological Report. However, there is an image of Venugopala currently in the shrine. The lateral shrines are square in construction with five projections and no special features. The lateral shrines are without towers and sukanasis.

The navaranga (closed hall) is supported by four polished lathe turned pillars. The four central pillars divide the hall into nine equal bays (compartments) and nine decorated ceilings. Madanikas (dancing females) sculptures in different mudras adorn the capitals of these pillars. The navaranga is extended with an extra section on its eastern side to provide space for a porch which has not survived. 

There are two niches on the western side of the navaranga, one each on either side of the antarala doorway. The south niche contains an image of Ganesha while the north niche has an image of Mahishasuramardhini. The niches has turrets on top, five in numbers. There is a row of miniature temples with various styles of shikharas (towers) to the right and left of the navaranga entrance, above the Hoysala bands.

Each miniature temple either has a Yaksha or Yakshi seated inside. There is another row of stone railings, slanting forward and carved with scenes from Krishna stories as narrated in Bhagavata Purana above the row of miniature temples. There is a mukha mandapa fronted by the navaranga. It is a modern structure built in 17^th century CE. This mandapa is divided into twelve compartments.

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. There are about 120 intricately carved sculptures.

There are 32 images of Lord Vishnu in various forms can be seen among the sculptures. Notable among them are Yoga Madhava, Dhanvandhri, Dakshinamurthy, dancing Saraswathi, Kalinga Mardana, Para Vasudeva, Indra riding Airavata etc. Unlike the other temples of this kind, most of the sculptures and images at this temple are intact and have been very well preserved.

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 in the fourth, friezes of makara in the fifth and friezes of swans in the sixth.