Chennakeshava Temple, Somanathapura, Karnataka.

This temple, not to be confused with the Belur Chennakeshava temple, was built during the Hoysala period by a Hoysala general named Dandanayaka Somanatha. The temple dedicated to lord Vishnu was consecrated in 1258.

Dandanayaka Somanatha established a village named Somanathapura on the banks of river Kaveri. He sought the permission of King Narasimha III, to begin construction of a grand temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu that would also showcase the might of Hoysalas.(1)
The temple rests on a high star shaped platform (jagati) with 3 sanctums (garbha griha) making it a trikuta, set in a square matrix oriented along the east west and north south axes.(2)
The western sanctum is dedicated to Kesava, the northern sanctum to Janardhana and the southern sanctum to Venugopala, all are forms of lord Vishnu.(3)
The sanctums share a common community hall (sabha mandapa) with many pillars. Above each of these sanctums rise the 16 pointed star shaped tower called vimana or shikara.(4)
The raised jagati platform circles around the main temple with a pradakshina patth (circumambulation path), and is supposed to be walked in a clockwise way in order to read the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana in the correct sequence.(5)
The entire outer wall of the temple is decorated with carved parallel horizontal bands of artwork. It has 3 major sections, the basement band, the wall band and the top band.(6)
The lowest band in the basement section is about 6 inches tall and shows a row of elephants mostly marching to the left in the clockwise direction. The band above the elephants is of horses with armed riders, depicting a military march.(7)
In some spots, camels substitute for horses suggesting that the Hoysala had adopted camels into their army.(8)
The band above the horsemen shows flowers, fruits, some peacocks and wildlife. The band above it is the religious one depicting spiritual stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. The same spiritual theme continues inside temple interiors as well.(9)
All 3 shikharas are of same height. Their plan uses lotus with an oblong projection, four sets of ornamental turrets, and capped by a stone kalash. The carvings on the tower include dancers, gandharvas, yakshas, kirtimukhas, lion faces and mythical animals such as makaras.(10)
The top of each tower is shaped as an inverted blooming lotus flower. The original tower tops each had a large stone kalasha.(11)
Somanathapur temple was damaged during !slamc attacks on the Hoysalas. The first one was by Malik Kafur, Alauddin Khilji’s general in 1311 and in 1326 by Md Bin Tughlaq. Some parts of the temples were restored by Vijayanagara Kings and later by Wodeyars of Mysore.(12)
SOUTH SHRINE

The idol of Krishna in Venugopala form in the sanctum is 4.5 feet high. He dons ear rings, necklaces, armlets, bracelets, finger rings, toe rings, anklets, girdle and jewelled diadem.(13)
NORTH SHRINE

The garbha griha has a 6 ft high statue, wherein the Garuda pedestal is 1.5 feet, and the image of Janardhana is 4.5 feet high. He adorns jewelry, and on the fringe of his sculpture's torana are carved the 10 avatars of Vishnu.(14)
WEST SHRINE

The garbha griha has a Garuda pedestal that is 1.5 feet high but the installed idol isn't deemed to be an original one. Just taken from somewhere in the temple and placed in the sanctum. The original statue was lost during time. (15)
Ravana abducting maata sita and Jatayu trying to save her eventually meeting his end.
Lord Krishna as a shepherd
Krishna and Balrama taking on the demons sent by his uncle Kansa
Lord Krishna stealing butter while Yashoda maa churning it.
Rama left, parshurama right!
From left:
Dancing goddess lakshmi
Dhanvantri
Saraswati playing veena in both depictions
From left
Narsimha bhagwaan
Vishnu and lakshmi seated on a garuda
Lakshmi with lotus
Indira riding aeraavat
Left
Lord krishna playing a flute
Right
Lord vishnu with mace and sudarshana
https://t.co/YMZisNjOmS
Left
Indira
Right
Vishnu
Peacock band
Left
Dancing ganesha
Right
Vishnu resting on sheshanaga
From left
Dancing goddess durga
Mahishasurmardini
Another form of dancing goddess
Bhakt prahlaad chanting vishnu mantras while hiranyakashyap subjects him to various forms of torture.
Left holika dehen
From left
Matsya avatar (fish)
Varaha avatar (boar)
Kurm avatar (turtle)
From left
Meditating lord vishnu (yoga narayana)
Lakshmi holding lotus
Chaturmukhi brahma

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🌿𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 : 𝑫𝒉𝒓𝒖𝒗𝒂 & 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒏𝒖

Once upon a time there was a Raja named Uttānapāda born of Svayambhuva Manu,1st man on earth.He had 2 beautiful wives - Suniti & Suruchi & two sons were born of them Dhruva & Uttama respectively.
#talesofkrishna https://t.co/E85MTPkF9W


Now Suniti was the daughter of a tribal chief while Suruchi was the daughter of a rich king. Hence Suruchi was always favored the most by Raja while Suniti was ignored. But while Suniti was gentle & kind hearted by nature Suruchi was venomous inside.
#KrishnaLeela


The story is of a time when ideally the eldest son of the king becomes the heir to the throne. Hence the sinhasan of the Raja belonged to Dhruva.This is why Suruchi who was the 2nd wife nourished poison in her heart for Dhruva as she knew her son will never get the throne.


One day when Dhruva was just 5 years old he went on to sit on his father's lap. Suruchi, the jealous queen, got enraged and shoved him away from Raja as she never wanted Raja to shower Dhruva with his fatherly affection.


Dhruva protested questioning his step mother "why can't i sit on my own father's lap?" A furious Suruchi berated him saying "only God can allow him that privilege. Go ask him"
IMPORTANCE, ADVANTAGES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BHAGWAT PURAN

It was Ved Vyas who edited the eighteen thousand shlokas of Bhagwat. This book destroys all your sins. It has twelve parts which are like kalpvraksh.

In the first skandh, the importance of Vedvyas


and characters of Pandavas are described by the dialogues between Suutji and Shaunakji. Then there is the story of Parikshit.
Next there is a Brahm Narad dialogue describing the avtaar of Bhagwan. Then the characteristics of Puraan are mentioned.

It also discusses the evolution of universe.(
https://t.co/2aK1AZSC79 )

Next is the portrayal of Vidur and his dialogue with Maitreyji. Then there is a mention of Creation of universe by Brahma and the preachings of Sankhya by Kapil Muni.


In the next section we find the portrayal of Sati, Dhruv, Pruthu, and the story of ancient King, Bahirshi.
In the next section we find the character of King Priyavrat and his sons, different types of loks in this universe, and description of Narak. ( https://t.co/gmDTkLktKS )


In the sixth part we find the portrayal of Ajaamil ( https://t.co/LdVSSNspa2 ), Daksh and the birth of Marudgans( https://t.co/tecNidVckj )

In the seventh section we find the story of Prahlad and the description of Varnashram dharma. This section is based on karma vaasna.
First thread of the year because I have time during MCO. As requested, a thread on the gods and spirits of Malay folk religion. Some are indigenous, some are of Indian origin, some have Islamic


Before I begin, it might be worth explaining the Malay conception of the spirit world. At its deepest level, Malay religious belief is animist. All living beings and even certain objects are said to have a soul. Natural phenomena are either controlled by or personified as spirits

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Two known examples of such elemental spirits that had god-like status are Raja Angin (king of the wind) and Mambang Tali Arus (spirit of river currents). There were undoubtedly many more which have been lost to time

Contact with ancient India brought the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism to SEA. What we now call Hinduism similarly developed in India out of native animism and the more formal Vedic tradition. This can be seen in the multitude of sacred animals and location-specific Hindu gods

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THE MEANING, SIGNIFICANCE AND HISTORY OF SWASTIK

The Swastik is a geometrical figure and an ancient religious icon. Swastik has been Sanatan Dharma’s symbol of auspiciousness – mangalya since time immemorial.


The name swastika comes from Sanskrit (Devanagari: स्वस्तिक, pronounced: swastik) &denotes “conducive to wellbeing or auspicious”.
The word Swastik has a definite etymological origin in Sanskrit. It is derived from the roots su – meaning “well or auspicious” & as meaning “being”.


"सु अस्ति येन तत स्वस्तिकं"
Swastik is de symbol through which everything auspicios occurs

Scholars believe word’s origin in Vedas,known as Swasti mantra;

"🕉स्वस्ति ना इन्द्रो वृधश्रवाहा
स्वस्ति ना पूषा विश्ववेदाहा
स्वस्तिनास्तरक्ष्यो अरिश्तनेमिही
स्वस्तिनो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु"


It translates to," O famed Indra, redeem us. O Pusha, the beholder of all knowledge, redeem us. Redeem us O Garudji, of limitless speed and O Bruhaspati, redeem us".

SWASTIK’s COSMIC ORIGIN

The Swastika represents the living creation in the whole Cosmos.


Hindu astronomers divide the ecliptic circle of cosmos in 27 divisions called
https://t.co/sLeuV1R2eQ this manner a cross forms in 4 directions in the celestial sky. At centre of this cross is Dhruva(Polestar). In a line from Dhruva, the stars known as Saptarishi can be observed.