Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli

Karnataka , Hassan, Bengaluru

The Lakshmi Devi Temple is one of the earliest known temples built in the Hoysala style .The building material is Chloritic schist, more commonly known as soapstone. The temple was founded by Kullahana Rahuta, a merchant and his wife Sahaja in 1113 AD during the reign of Hoysala Vishnuvardhana (1106-1142 AD). It is the only example of the chatuskuta (four-shrined) order of temples built during the Hoysala period.

Architecture

The building material is Chloritic schist, more commonly known as soapstone.The temple is a unique chatuskuta construction (four shrines and towers) built inside a 7 foot tall stone wall enclosure with the entrance through a porch whose roof is supported by circular lathe-turned pillars. Three of the vimanas have a common square mantapa with nine "bays" or compartments. The fourth vimana is connected to the mantapa via an oblong extension consisting of two "bays". The extension has two lateral entrances into the temple. All the vimanas have their original tower (superstructure) intact. The towers are in Kadamba nagara style. Each vimana has a vestibule connecting it to the central mantapa. Of the four towers, three are undecorated and they look stepped pyramidal with a pile of dented horizontal mouldings with the kalasa on top. The fourth tower is very well decorated (which is typical of Hoysala designs) and this is the tower of the main shrine that houses the Lakshmi Devi image. The mantapa is open and square. There is a separate fifth shrine of Bhairava, an avatar of the Hindu god Shiva. Another unusual feature of the temple is the existence of four more minor shrines at each corner of the temple complex with two sides of each shrine attached to the courtyard wall. Each of these minor shrines has its own tower, kalasa and Hoysala emblem. In all, the temple complex has nine towers which is unusual for a Hoysala temple.

Darsan Info

Temple timings : 6:00 A.M to 8:00 P.M

Darsan Dresscode

Clean and conservative clothing is preferred.(Please avoid shorts, skirts, tanktops)

Famous Festival

Dussera

Culture

Doddagaddavalli is a small village near Hassan town and is located on the way to Belur highway. The place is surrounded by lots of historical and monument temples surrounded by green fileds and trees.