Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura

Karnataka , Mysore, Bengaluru

On the banks of Kaveri River, in a town called Somanathapura near Mysore, stands the finest example of Hoysala architecture, the Chennakesava Temple. The Chennakesava Temple in Somanathapura was built by a general of the Hoysala army in the 13th century. The Hoysalas had been in power in the region for about 260 years. Dandanayaka Somanatha had just established a village named Somanathapura on the banks of the Kaveri River. He sought the permission of his Hoysala overlord, King Narasimha III, to start work on a grand monument dedicated to the Lord that would also show off the might of the Hoysala Empire.

Architecture

The Keshava temple is one of the finest and most complete examples of Hoysala architecture and is also one of the best preserved Hoysala temples. The material used for the temple is soapstone.The temple is a trikutachala (a three celled structure), with the three sanctums or shrines connected by a vestibule. The temple is housed inside an impressive high walled enclosure and the entrance to the complex is through a porch with tall lathe-turned pillars. The temple stands on a jagati (platform) and the three vimanas are located at the back and are connected by a common rectangular closed mantapa. Of the three shrines, one shrine has the image of the god Keshava, but the image is missing from the sanctum. The other two shrines house images of Janardhana and Venugopala.

Picture Courtesy : commons.wikimedia.org

Darsan Info

Temple timings : 9:00 A.M to 02:00 P.M and 4:00 P.M to 8:00 P.M

Darsan Dresscode

Clean and conservative clothing is preferred,

Famous Festival

Vaikunta Ekkadasi
Krishna ashtami

Culture

Along with its many historical attractions, Somanathapura is also replete with its rich cultural heritage. These cultural attractions are suitable for all ages and can prove to make your trip to Somanathapura a fruitful one.