HOYSALA ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE
Hoysala
(hoysaLa, ಹೊಯ್ಸಳ) is a royal dynasty that flourished in Karnataka in
the period between 11th and 14th centuries. It was based
in
It
was the considered opinion of art historians such as Percy Brown, Vincent Smith
and Furguson that the Hoysala school of architecture and sculpture was merely a
continuation of the modes adopted by the artists of the later Chalukya dynasty
and it had precious little that was unique. Later scholars have refuted this
point of view and presented arguments and evidences to prove the unique
identity of the Hoyasala school. However
there is no gainsaying the fact that these two schools do have many common
features.
Hoysala
architecture is a combination of the ‘nAgara’ style from the north and the
indigenous styles of
Depending
on the number of shrines (and hence on the number of towers), the temples are
classified as ekakuta (one), dvikuta (two), trikuta
(three), chatushkuta (four) and panchakuta (five). Most Hoysala
temples are ekakuta, dvikuta or trikuta. In temples with
multiple shrines, all essential parts are duplicated for symmetry and balance.
For instance sOmanAthapura is a trikUTa temple. On the other hand the temple at
haLEbIDu is a dvikUTa temple with two Gods. Usually the Gods have separate
shrines. Occasionally other details such as mukha manTapa and sukanAsi are
shared among them.
It
is the opinion of experts that the sculptural achievements of the Hoysala style
far out weigh its architectural grandeur. This was possibly due to the
malleability of the material chosen by them.
Some
salient features of the Hoysala style are enumerated here before venturing in
to a very brief survey of the important temples.
1.
The
raw material:
2.
Star
shaped foundation
3.
Jagathi
and Upapeetha
4.
Decoration
of the walls
5.
The
towers on the Vimana
6.
Pillars
Hoysala architects took a
revolutionary step when they opted for soapstone in light green and blue black
tinges for a consistent use in their temple architecture as well as their
sculpture. This stone which is very soft and pliable when cut out from the
mines hardens with the passage of time. These twin advantages of pliability and
durability were crucial for the success of Hoysala sculpture and architecture.
Many a time, the miniature carvings and minute attention to details are treated
as the distinctive features of these craftsmen.
Star shaped foundations and a
similar movement right up to the top (shikhara) is a unique feature of Hoysala
architecture. Consequently the walls of the temple recede backwards and
protrude forward periodically.
Most of these temples are
built on an elevated platform called ‘jagathi’ or ‘upapeetha’ which is also
star-shaped. This became necessary because it was not possible to build tall
and strong walls from soap stone. These platforms are about 5 feet above the
ground level. There is sufficient space left on the platform to move around the
temple. This compensated for the fact that Hoysala temples do not have a
circumlocutary path (Pradakshinapatha) inside the temple. Every corner of this
platform is found resting on many statues of lions or elephants, in order to
give the impression that theanimals are carrying the temple.
The intricate carvings on the
external sides of the walls constitute another important feature of these
temples. Many layers of carvings, one above the other succeed in creating an
impression of height. Elephants, horse riders, creepers, lions, anecdotes
selected from mythology, history and very rarely contemporary life constitute
the first five layers of these carvings. Mythological themes are carved at the
eye level to facilitate better viewing. Mythical animals called ‘yALis’
(Hippogriphs)/’makara’ and swans are carved in the sixth and seventh levels.
“The highest point of the
temple (kalasa) has the shape of a beautiful water pot and stands on top
of the tower. This portion of the vimana is often lost due to age and
has been replaced with a metallic pinnacle. Below the kalasa is a large,
highly- sculptured structure resembling a dome which is made from large stones
and looks like a helmet. It may be 2 m by 2 m in size and follows the
shape of the shrine. Below this structure are domed roofs in a square plan, all
of them much smaller and crowned with small kalasas. They are mixed with
other small roofs of different shapes and are ornately decorated. The tower of
the shrine usually has three or four tiers of rows of decorative roofs while
the tower on top of the sukanasi has one less tier, making the tower
look like an extension of the main tower (the "nose"). One decorated
roof tier runs on top of the wall of a closed mantapa above the heavy
eaves of an open mantapa and above the porches. Hoysala temples are
distinguished by the icons of ‘kIrthimuKAs’ found on the towers of the sanctum
sanctora. (vimAna)” (From the ‘Wikipedia’)
The pillars of these temples
are lathe turned and they are either circular or bell shaped. They are carved
with deep fluting (A decorative motif consisting of a
series of uniform, usually vertical flutes, as those incised in the surface of
a column) and moulded with decorative motifs.
There are many instances of
Hoysala architecture and sculpture spread across the length and breadth of
Karnataka. However the temples at Belur, Halebeedu,
Somanthapura
and Doddagaddavalli
are among the best specimens of the schools. Of course, each one of these
marvels is dealt with in a separate entry. Places such as beLavADi, amritapura,
hosahoLlu and arasIkere contain some more temples that are of importance while
discussing the achievements of Hoysala architecture. The sculptural glory of
the Hoysala temples is much more renowned than its architecture. Soap stone the
medium chosen by these artists lent itself to onnovations and very intricate
miniature work. Sculptural details needed in the depiction of Hindu epics, the
yALis, deities, kItimukhas, (Gorgoyles), eroticism or details of every day life
are carved realistically. well known motifs such as ‘sAlabhanjika’s,
‘madanikA’s and ‘kIrthimukha’s are exquisite.
The sthamba
buttalikas are pillar images that show traces of Chola art in the Chalukyan
touches. Some of the artists working for the Hoysalas may have been from Chola
country, a result of the expansion of the empire into Tamil-speaking regions of
General life themes such as the manner in which horses were reined, the
type of stirrup used, the depiction of dancers, musicians, instrumentalists,
and rows of animals such as lions and elephants (where no two animals are
identical) are portrayed on wall panels. Perhaps no other temple in the country
depicts the Ramayana and Mahabharata
The is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetrys of History of India, the other being the '. The epic is part of the Hindu itihasa , and forms an important part of Hindu mythology.... epics more effectively than the Hoysaleshwara temple at haLEbIDu.
Erotica was a subject the
Hoysala artist handled with discretion. There is no exhibitionism in this, and
erotic themes were carved into recesses and niches, generally miniature in
form, making them inconspicuous. These erotic representations are often
associated with the Shakta practice. The temple doorway is heavily
engraved with ornamentation called Makaratorana (makara being an
imaginary beast) and each side of the doorway exhibits sculptured Salabhanjika
(maidens“
This is but a cursory introduction to the
architecture and sculpture of the Hoysalas. The biblography provides ample additional material.
Further reading and links:
1.
Hoysala sculptures: a cultural study
2.
A
complete guide to Hoysaḷa temples - Page 54
By Kirsti Evans – 1997
4... ‘hoysaLa vAstushilpa’, S.
Srikantha Shastri, 1965, (‘ಹೊಯ್ಸಳ
ವಾಸ್ತುಶಿಲ್ಪ’)
ON KANARA - The Hoysaḷa
Dynasty, 1972 - Prasaranga, University
of
7. "History
of Karnataka-Religion, Literature, Art and Architecture in Hoysala Empire". 1998–2000
OurKarnataka.Com, Inc. http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm. Retrieved on 2006-11-13.
8. "Here, the past unfolds itself in all its glory &
might—Hoyasala architecture in
Somanathapura". Deccan Herald, Tuesday, May 11,
2004. Chitralakshana. http://www.chitralakshana.com/hoysalas.html. Retrieved on 2006-11-13.
9. "Hoysala Heritage". (Article by S. Settar in
Frontline, 2003)
10. Hardy, Adam. ‘Art History.’ http://www.jstor.org/pss/3250027. Retrieved on 2006-11-12.
11. howyoudoin.wordpress.com/.../ (
12. outdoors.webshots.com/photo/15287984610743880... (