Hoysala architecture

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As Hoysala architecture refers to the Hindu and Jain temples of Hoysala , the dynasty from the 12th to the 14th century over large parts of southern India prevailed. In Indian architecture , the Hoysala art and its temporal and stylistic predecessor, the architecture and sculpture of the late Chalukyas , represent a high point of medieval artistic creation, in which stylistic elements of the North Indian Nagara style are mixed with those from the South Indian Dravida style . In total there were probably around 1500 temples in approximately 950 sites, of which only a good 100 survived the time. The two temples complexes of Belur and Halebid were from the 2014 UNESCO in the Tentative List of World Heritage added.

Chennakesava Temple in Somanathapura (around 1268)

history

Belur temple complex. The main shrine (left) dates from the Hoysala period of the 12th century, the gate tower ( gopuram ) from the Vijayanagar period of the 14th century.

The Hoysala were vassals of the Chalukya dynasty in the early 12th century , but as early as 1117 their leader Vishnuvardhana (ruled approx. 1108–1142) founded the Chennakeshava temple in Belur after a success against the Chola ruling over large parts of southern India , their capital at the time. Around the year 1122 he even attacked - but ultimately unsuccessfully - the Chalukya king Vikramaditya II (ruled 1076–1127). After his death, however, the Chalukya empire fell apart and the Hoysala were able to win under Vishnuvardhana's grandson Vira Ballala II (r. Approx. 1173-1220) with victories over the Chalukya under King Someshwara IV and the Yadava king Sevuna Bhillama V. He succeeded him in 1190. A marriage alliance with the Chola served to further safeguard their claim to power. Vira Ballala II continued to build his grandfather's temple in Belur.

Neighbors of the Hoysala were the Yadava kings of Devagiri and the Pandya kings of Madurai in the south. The latter succeeded the Chola in the early 13th century and finally presented a serious threat to the Hoysala under Jatavarman Sundara (ruled 1251-1268). The Hoysala king Someshvara II (ruled 1234-1263) fell in one The battle against Jatavarman Sundara and the question of succession caused a division of the empire that lasted about thirty years, from which the Hoysala empire ultimately did not recover - in the 14th century the rulers lost several battles against Islamic armies from the north; King Vira Ballala III. suffered a heavy defeat in the battle of Trichinopoly against Ghiyas-ud-din, the sultan of Madurai, in 1342 (or 1343); he himself was captured and executed. Gradually, the Hoysala Empire was absorbed into the Vijayanagar Empire .

architecture

temple

Lakshmi Devi Temple in Doddagaddavalli (around 1115)

Typical of the early period are towerless temples , mostly made of soapstone , surrounded by a wall and with only one cella ( garbhagriha ) and a row of porches; later horizontally tiered tower structures ( vimanas ) were added over the temple complexes, sometimes comprising three cellae ( trikuta ). In individual cases, the horizontal gradation was also overlaid by small accompanying towers ( urushringas ) taken over from the north of India , which, however, converge in a 'umbrella dome' typical of southern India, which in turn is elevated by a jug ( kalasha ) on top. While the early buildings are mostly at ground level, the later buildings rise on an approx. 1 m high platform ( jagati ), the floor plan of which often follows the strongly structured temple structure. The entrance is mostly in the east-facing part of the building, whereas the cellae are mostly in the west of the complex; The vestibule ( mandapa ) supported by turned or carved soapstone columns is - especially in the cloverleaf-shaped buildings - harmoniously integrated into the temple and therefore hardly recognizable as a separate component from the outside.

Hoysalesvara Temple, Halebid

Details

While the largely straight outer walls of the early temples often show the turned columns typical of the late Chalukya and Hoysala architecture, between which stone window bars ( jalis ) are stretched, the later temples are much more structured and with sculptural elements (Figures, ornaments) decorated. The stone material used was mostly a kind of soapstone , which was relatively easy to work with. The interior of the temple is dominated by the turned and / or richly carved columns standing on cubic plinths, above which stone architrave beams form square fields, which in turn are in many cases provided with richly ornamented cantilever domes .

  • Wall outline at Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura

  • Pillar in the Chennakesava Temple, Belur

  • Cantilever dome in Amrutesvara Temple, Amruthapura

  • Cantilever dome in Chennakesava Temple, Belur

sculpture

The sculpture of the Hoysala is also one of the finest that medieval Indian sculptors were able to achieve. The almost fully plastic figures of gods and demigods are extremely detailed and appear elegant and lively. Victory columns and figural steles are sometimes part of the sculpture program of a temple district .

List of important temples

Bucesvara Temple, Koravangala
Jain temple in Halebid
Temple pond ( kalyani ) in Belur
Temple pond ( kalyani ) in Hulikere
Surname place Construction time / approx. king Deity
Kaitabheshvara Temple Kubaturu 1100 Vinayaditya (?) Shiva
Lakshmi Devi Temple Doddagaddavalli 1113 Vishnuvardhana Lakshmi
Chennakesava Temple Belur 1117 Vishnuvardhana Vishnu
Hoysaleswara Temple Halebidu 1120 Vishnuvardhana Shiva
Basadi temple complex Halebidu 1133 Vishnuvardhana Parshvanata
Rameshvara Temple Kudli 12th century Vishnuvardhana Shiva
Brahmeshvara temple Kikkeri 1171 Narasimha I. Shiva
Bucesvara temple Korvangla 1173 Vira Ballala II. Shiva
Akkana Basadi Temple Shravanabelagola 1181 Vira Ballala II. Parshvanata
Amrutesvara Temple Amruthapura 1196 Vira Ballala II. Shiva
Shantinatha Basadi Temple Jinanathapura 1200 Vira Ballala II. Shantinatha
Nageshvara Chennakeshava Temple Mosale 1200 Vira Ballala II. Shiva, Vishnu
Veera Narayana Temple Belavadi 1200 Vira Ballala II. Vishnu
Kedareshwara Temple Halebidu 1200 Vira Ballala II. Shiva
Ishvara Temple Arsikere 1220 Vira Ballala II. Shiva
Harihareshwara Temple Harihar 1224 Vira Narasimha II. Harihara (Shiva, Vishnu)
Mallikarjuna Temple Basaralu 1234 Vira Narasimha II. Shiva
Someshvara temple Haranhalli 1235 Vira Someshwara Shiva
Lakshminarasimha Temple Haranhalli 1235 Vira Someshwara Vishnu
Panchalingeshwara Temple Govindanahalli 1238 Vira Someshwara Shiva
Lakshmi Narasimha Temple Nuggehalli 1246 Vira Someshwara Vishnu
Sadasiva temple Nuggehalli 1249 Vira Someshwara Shiva
Lakshminarayana Temple Hosaholalu 1250 Vira Someshwara Vishnu
Lakshminarasimha Temple Javagal 1250 Vira Someshwara Vishnu
Chennakeshava Temple Arala group 1250 Vira Someshwara Vishnu
Chennakesava Temple Somanathapura 1268 Narasimha III. Vishnu

literature

  • Henry Cousens: The Chalukyan Architecture of Kanarese Districts. Archaeological Survey of India , New Delhi 1996, OCLC 37526233 .
  • Gerard Foekema: Complete Guide to Hoysala Temples. Abhinav Publ., New Delhi 1996, ISBN 81-7017-345-0 .
  • Gerard Foekema: Architecture decorated with architecture. Later medieval temples of Karnataka, 1000-1300 AD. Munshiram Manoharlal Publ., New Delhi 2003, ISBN 81-215-1089-9 .

Web links

Commons : Hoysala Architecture  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry in the UNESCO tentative list