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Karnataka is probably
the only state in India where a number of
exquisitely made rock cut monuments of the
historical period are present. Infact, Karnataka is
rightly called the cradle of stone architecture by
historians. One temple which gives ample testimony
to the above claim is the Somnathpur temple near
Bangalore.
Accommodation and Connectivity
Somnathpur is a small village located in southern
Karnataka near the Karnataka-Kerala border. The
village is situated on the banks of river Cauvery
and lies 140 kms south-west of Bangalore. The
village is some 45 kms from Mysore. The other big
town of Karnataka nearer to the village is Mandya.
Somnathpur is directly connected through road to
Bangalore via Mandya and Mysore.
It must be clearly
mentioned that fewer accommodation facilities are
available in Somnathpur. The tourist would either
have to come from Bangalore or make the trip from
nearby Mysore. Needless to say here that the
accommodation facilities in both Mysore and
Bangalore are excellent.
The
Somnathpur Temple
History
All the historical facts relating to the Somnathpur
temple could be seen inscribed in a stone slab at
the very entrance of the temple. Written in Kannada,
it informs that the reigning monarch at the time was
Narasimha III (1254-91 A.D.). The brainchild behind
the temple was the master architect and sculptor of
Hoysala period Jakanachari.
Architecture
The Hoysala temple at Somnathpur is regarded as
perfect in symmetry with exquisite stone carvings.
The Somnathpur temple stands in the middle of a
walled compound. All around the temple is an open
verandah having 64 cells. The stellar shaped temple
has carved pinnacles and a common Navranga. It
stands on a raised platform. During the initial
period, the three sanctums had beautifully carved
idols of Kesava, Venugopala and Janardhana . Though
the idols of Venugopala and Janardhana are still
there, the one of Kesava is missing.
There are a number of
star shaped folds on the outer walls of Somnathpur
Temple. The surface is covered with plaques of
stone. In the walls above the plinth also, very
beautiful figures of gods and goddesses have been
carved out. Most of these images have been inspired
from Hindu puranas.
Another striking feature of the temple is that it
has 16 different ceilings - each ceiling depicting
different stages of a blooming plantain.
There are two other Hoysala temples at Belur and
Halebid, but the one at Somnathpur stands apart for
its much superior architecture. It may also be
mentioned here that the temple attracts a number of
foreign tourists too.
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