The turn of the 2nd Millennium A.D. witnessed a marked resurgence of temple building traditions in South India furthering the new styles and techniques developed in the latter half of the first millennium when cave temples gave way to towering monuments of granite and sandstone. Though this era was mired in dynastic feuds between the Chalukyas of Kalyan and Cholas of Thanjavur, heralded the decline of Gangas of Talakad and beheld the rising Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra (present day Halebid) temple architecture reached new heights surpassing the glory of the bygone days. Kings and nobles showered patronage on gifted artisans and architects commissioning grants and lands for building temples. These temples which were the center of religious and social life also served another purpose of ensuring that the legacy of the Kings survived for a thousand years long after the winds of time razed their pompous kingdoms to dust. Today some of these temples lie forlornly in quiet villages sitting on the shore of a placid lake and reminisce of their heydays; the bustling capitols of the yore have lost their sheen but the temples still stand steadfast narrating the tales of proud Kings who have been forgotten.
Somanathapur is a non-descript village
located 30kms from the heritage city of Mysore. However its narrow muddy lanes
and lush green paddy fields harbor a well kept secret – the Kesava Temple.
Dating back to 1268 A.D it is a classic example of Hoysala architecture and is
considered to be one of the most striking Hoysala temples matching in poise and
beauty to the Chennakesava Temple in Belur and Hoysaleshwara Temple in Halebid.
The monument is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and a nominal
entry fee is charged for all visitors. Here on a weekend one can observe a
teeming crowd consisting of school children seemingly on a picnic, foreign
tourists, pious devotees, enthusiastic photographers and budding historians. Historically
this temple was revered by the Maharajas of Mysore and records show that even
in the late 1880s and early 1900s various dignitaries visited this marvel of
human engineering and craftsmanship.
The temple is accessible from the eastern
side by a doorway, in a high boundary wall, which opens into a gallery running
around the temple. The sight of the shining black towers rising against the
cloudy blue sky is a delight; though watching the rain wash over the sculpture
studded walls during the monsoons is equally enjoyable. A flight of steps
descend to the stone-paved courtyard surrounding the temple which is raised on
a raised platform (Jagati). Another flight of steps rise to the platform and
then to the intricately carved entrance flanked by heavily ornamented Dwarpalas
(Gate-keepers). The doorway leads to a dark closed hall supported by rounded
pillars bearing minute carvings. A narrow vestibule connects the hall to the
three shrines dedicated to Vishnu in the form of Kesava, Venugopala and
Janardhana. The ceilings are covered with sculptures of gods and goddesses,
blooming lotus flowers, stories from epics and mythical beasts.
A soothing calm permeates the surroundings
complimented by the filtered sunrays creeping through the perforated stone
windows bathing the hall in a dim light. One can sit on the stone benches which
are projections on the outer wall and escape into the nothingness experiencing
a fleeting moment of unadulterated peace.
This temple, as all other Hoysala temples,
is truly remarkable for the thousands of sculptures which adorn the outer walls
rendered possible by the use of soapstone as a building material. Soapstone has
a unique quality – it is soft when mined and becomes hard on exposure to air
thus making it possible to be carved into meticulous idols and shapes. A
circumambulation of the temple gives an insight into the skill and precision of
the erstwhile artists as not an inch is spared with carvings spread over the
outer walls of the star-shaped cella, hall and the towers. An eave runs along
the outer wall separating the upper section decorated with towers on pilasters
and the lower half covered by images of myriad gods, goddesses and demi-gods.
Vishnu resting on Shesh Nag in Baikuntha, Krishna playing his flute, Lakshmi
with Narasimha, Durga slaying the demon Mahisasura and Saraswati playing the
Veena are some of the noteworthy sculptures. Six friezes also run along the
temple walls depicting birds, riders atop elephants and horses, makaras
(mythical aquatic beasts), floral designs and tales from Ramayana and
Mahabharata. One can spend days analyzing and understanding the significance of
these artistic relics as they not only reflect upon the religious aspect of
that era but also shed light on the social norms and how creative expressions
evolved over time.
Visiting the temple is being led down the
annals of history though the grandeur has been swallowed by the forces of
nature and man. The stoic sculptures on the walls stare into the past and hark
back to a period when a vibrant settlement flourished in this region and the
sweet water of Cauvery nurtured the hopes of budding artists who aspired to
leave their mark on this world. And although these nameless dreamers have long
since been gone their ambitions live on unfazed by the incessant march of time.
Deeptangan Pant
April 2014
