CHENNKESHAVA TEMPLE, Haranahally

Grandeur Etched In stone (Part-2)

Haranahally is a small town which is noted for the remains of an old fort has been erected in 1070 A.D by a Chief named Someswaraya and the 13th century Hoysala temples which are good specimens of Hoysala architecture. Among the more important temples at this place are Chennakeshava and Someshwara, which are good specimens of Hoysala Architecture.

CHENNKESHAVA TEMPLE- Haranahally

Keshva Temple is another fine Hoysala temple in Harnahalli situated at the center of the village.Constructed at 1234 by Nijeswara Bhatta,Sankanna & Gopanna brothers in memory of their father. Keshava Temple is popularly known as Lakshminarasimha Temple. The main sculptor of this temple is Mallithama, one of the best-known Hoysala sculptors of the 13th century.

The temple stands on a raised platform which is about four feet tall. The garbhagriha has the beautiful sculpture of Lord Lakshminarasimha flanked by Prahlada, Garuda and a large numbers of devotees. The soap stone tower has four tiers of turrets carved with images of Yaksha and Tandaveshwara.

The walls above the basement bear the beautifully carved images of different deities. Navaranga, the four pillared hall, enshrines the images of Saraswati, Ganesh, Lakshmi and Bhudevi.

The basement has five flat-faced cornices with friezes of elephants, horsemen and swans.On the outer wall there are the usual architecture bands & above them are 24 forms of Lord MahaVishnu along with the miniature images of several other deities.