The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas is a group of three temples in South India that are recognized as a World Heritage Site. These temples, located in Somanathapura, Belur, and Halebidu, were built between the 12th and 13th centuries during the rule of the Hoysala Empire. In 2023, these temples were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List because of their remarkable architecture, very lifelike sculptures, and detailed stone carvings.
The architectural style of these temples was created by early Hoysala rulers, who established new kingdoms in South India. This style became a unique and innovative form of sacred architecture, making the temples different from those built by other kingdoms and dynasties of the same time. These temples include:
Location
The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas are found in three locations across two districts in Karnataka. There are two temples in the Hassan district and one temple in the Mysore district.
The Chennakeshava Temple is located in Belur, which is about 35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Hassan, the main city of the Hassan district. This temple is approximately 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) away from the Halebidu Temple. The closest airport to the Chennakeshava Temple is Bangalore Airport, which is 220 kilometers (137 miles) away by car, taking about 3.5 hours to reach via National Highway 75 heading west.
The Hoysaleswara Temple is located in Halebidu town, which is in the Hassan district of Karnataka. It is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) northwest of Hassan and 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) from the Chennakeshava Temple in Belur. To reach this temple from Bangalore Airport, a car journey of 210 kilometers (130 miles) along National Highway 75 heading west takes about 4 hours. The nearest city to both temples in the Hassan district is Hassan, which is connected to major cities in Karnataka by train.
The Keshav Temple is located in Somnathpura, which is 38 kilometers (24 miles) east of Mysore, the main city of the Mysore district.
History
The Hoysala dynasty ruled large parts of what is now Karnataka from the 11th to the 14th centuries. By the end of the 12th century, they improved their farming system and created systems for collecting taxes, managing money, and running the government. This helped their kingdom become more organized. At the same time, the Hoysala kings supported art, buildings, and writing to create a unique identity for their kingdom. As a result, a new style of temple design developed. These temples had beautiful carvings, decorations, and creative layouts that combined styles from different parts of India with new ideas.
One Hoysala king was Vishnuvardhana, who ruled starting in 1110 AD. He built the Chennakeshava Temple, which honored Vishnu, in 1117 AD. This temple was one of five important projects from his time. The main Chennakeshava Temple at Belur was completed in 1117 AD, but the surrounding area kept growing for over 100 years. Ketamalla, a worker for Vishnuvardhana, built the Hoysaleswara Temple in 1150 AD. The king also gave land for a Shiva temple in 1121 AD. This temple, the largest built by the Hoysala kings for Shiva, is now in ruins. The Keshav Temple at Somanathapura was finished in 1258 AD by King Somnath. He also built a wall around the land, but these walls no longer exist. The Hoysala kings hired many skilled architects and workers, who created a new style of building called the Karnata Dravida tradition by art historian Adam Hardy.
The temples were damaged by armies from the Delhi Sultanate, including Alauddin Khalji in the early 14th century and Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq in 1326 AD. A 15th-century record says the Keshav Temple was also badly harmed. It was fixed in the 16th century with money from the Vijayanagara Empire. Evidence of repairs includes differences in the color and quality of stones in parts of the temple. The temple was damaged again in the 19th century and rebuilt by the Mysore Government in the early 20th century.