Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli

2021-06-24T15:44:36Z

120.63.4.135: /* Architecture */

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
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; Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli
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File:Lakshmi Devi Temple.jpg|Lakshmidevi temple at Doddagaddavalli during sunset.
File:Ariel view of Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|Aerial view of Lakshmidevi temple at Doddagaddavalli (1114 CE).
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File:Spectacular Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli.jpg|Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli.
File:Front Door Entrance of the Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli.jpg|Front Door Entrance of the Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli.
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Image:Entrance to Lakshmidevi Temple in Doddagaddavalli.jpg|Lateral entrance into Lakshmi Devi Temple at Doddagaddavalli.
File:Close up view of Lakshmidevi temple at Doddagaddavalli.jpg|Kadamba ''[[shikhara]]'' (tower) with ''[[kalasha]]'' (pinnacle) on top in Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli.
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The '''Lakshmi Devi temple ''' is located in Doddagaddavalli, a [[village]] in [[Hassan District]] of [[Karnataka]] state, [[India]]. It is located 16 km from the district capital [[Hassan, India|Hassan]] and lies on the Hassan city - [[Belur, Karnataka|Belur]] highway. The Lakshmi Devi temple, was built by the [[Hoysala Empire]] King [[Vishnuvardhana]] in 1114 C.E.

==Architecture==
[[File:Close up view of shrines at Lakshmi Devi temple complex at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|thumb|upright|250px|Kadamba ''shikhara'' (rear, left and right) and ''dravida'' ''shikhara'' (front) Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli]]

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]].<ref name="stone">Quote:"An idiom common to Western Chalukyas as well", Kamath (2001), p.136. Quote:"The Western Chalukya carvings were done on green schist (Soapstone). This technique was adopted by the Hoysalas", ''Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent'', Takeo Kamiya</ref> The temple does not stand on a ''[[Jagati (temple)|jagati]]'' (platform), a feature which became popular in later [[Hoysala architecture|Hoysala temples]].<ref name="innovate">Quote:"The ''jagati'' is a Hoysala innovation", {{cite web|title=History of Karnataka-Religion, Literature, Art and Architecture in Hoysala Empire |url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm |author=Arthikaje, Mangalore |publisher=© 1998-00 OurKarnataka.Com, Inc |access-date=2006-11-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104095148/http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm |archive-date=2006-11-04 }}</ref> The temple was commissioned by a merchant called Kullahana Rahuta and his wife Sahaja Devi. The temple is a unique ''chatuskuta'' construction (four shrines and towers)<ref name="shrine">Quote:"Most Hoysala temples are ''ekakuta'' (one tower), ''dvikuta'' (two towers) or ''trikuta'' (three towers)", Foekema (1996), p.25</ref> built inside a {{convert|7|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} stone wall enclosure with the entrance through a porch whose roof is supported by circular lathe-turned pillars.<ref name="pillar">Quote:"The lathe turned pillars are a common feature of Western Chalukya-Hoysala temples", Kamath (2001), p.117</ref> Three of the ''[[vimanam (tower)|vimanas]]'' (shrines) have a common square ''mantapa'' (hall) with nine "bays" or compartments.<ref name="bay">Quote:"A bay is a square or rectangular compartment in the hall", Foekema (1996), p.93</ref> 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 Dynasty|Kadamba]] ''nagara'' style.<ref name="nagara">Quote:"The most prominent feature of the Kadamba architecture is their [[Shikhara]] called Kadamba [[Shikhara]]. The Shikhara is pyramid shaped and rises in steps without any decoration with a apex called ''stupika'' or ''kalasa'' at the top, Kamath (2001), p.38 . Quote:"This type of tower is common throughout Karnataka and is also called a ''Pamasana'', Foekema (1996), p.58</ref> Each ''vimana'' has a vestibule connecting it to the central ''mantapa''. On top of the vestibule is its own tower called ''[[sukanasi]]'' (or "nose" because it looks like low extension of the main tower over the shrine). The ''sukanasi'' is a tier lower than the main tower over the shrine. All the four ''sukanasi'' are intact and so are the ''[[kalasha]]'' (decorative water pot like structure) on top of the main towers.<ref name="waterpot">Quote:"The ''kalasa'' is a water pot like structure that forms the highest point of the tower", Foekema (1996), p.27</ref> The Hoysala emblem (the sculpture of a legendary warrior "Sala" fighting a lion) is mounted atop one of the ''Sukanasi''. 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.<ref name="waterpot"/>
[[File:Hall and Shrine in Lakshmidevi temple at Doddagaddavalli.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Doorjamb and [[lintel]] relief decoration in Lakshmidevi temple at Doddagaddavalli]]
The ''mantapa'' is open and square. The reason for the square plan is the presence of shrines on all four sides of the ''mantapa'' with no side open for "staggering".<ref name="stagger">Quote:"The open ''mantapa'' of Hoysala temples are generally in a staggered square pan, called a cross in square", Foekema (1996), p.22</ref> There is a separate fifth shrine of [[Bhairava]], an [[avatar]] of the Hindu god [[Shiva]]. The shrine is complete with its own ''vimana'' and tower with a ''kalasa'' on top, a ''sukanasi'' with a Hoysala emblem on it. 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.<ref name="sala">Quote:"The Hoysala emblem depicts the legendary warrior "Sala", the mythical founder of the empire, fighting a Lion", C. Hayavadhana Rao, [[J Duncan M Derrett|J. D. M. Derrett]], B. R Joshi in Kamath (2001), p.123; {{cite web|title=History of Karnataka-Hoysalas and their contributions |url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm |author=Arthikaje, Mangalore |publisher=© 1998-00 OurKarnataka.Com, Inc |access-date=2006-11-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104095148/http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm |archive-date=2006-11-04 }}</ref> In all, the temple complex has nine towers which is unusual for a Hoysala temple.

According to art critic Gerard Foekema, overall the temple has the "older style", where there is only one [[eaves]] running round the temple where the main towers meet the wall of the shrine.<ref name="eaves">Quote:"An eaves is a projecting roof overhanging the wall", Foekema (1996), p.93</ref> At the base of the wall of the shrines are five [[molding (decorative)|molding]]s, a standard in the "old style" of Hoysala architecture; between the moldings and the eaves, the usual panels of Hoysala sculptures depicting [[Hindu]] [[gods]], [[goddess]]es and their attendants is however missing. Instead, the entire space is taken up by decorative miniature towers on pilasters (called [[Aedicula]]). The ceiling of the main hall is supported by eighteen lathe-turned pillars. Inside the main hall, there are two sculptures of large demonic or impish spirits/ghouls called ''betaala''. The main shrine facing east has a {{convert|3|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} image of the goddess Lakshmi with an attendant on either side. The image holds a conch in the upper right hand, a ''chakra'' (discuss) in the upper left, a rosary in the lower right and a [[Kaumodaki|mace]] in the lower left. In the shrines facing north, south and west respectively are the images of [[Kali]] (a form of [[Durga]]), the god [[Vishnu]], and ''Boothanatha'' [[Linga]] (the universal symbol of the god [[Shiva]]). A sculpture of ''Tandaveswara'' (dancing Shiva) exists in the circular panel at the center of the ceiling of the ''mantapa''. Other important sculptures are those of ''Gajalakshmi'' (form of [[Lakshmi]] with elephants on either side), Tandaveshwara and [[Narasimha|Yoganarasimha]] ([[avatar]]s of [[Vishnu]]) found on the doorway of the temple.<ref name="eaves"/><ref name="splendor">{{cite web |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar162004/spt6.asp |title=Resplendent with sculptural beauty|access-date=2006-11-29|work=Spectrum, Deccan Herald, Tuesday, March 16, 2004 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060528132407/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar162004/spt6.asp |archive-date = 2006-05-28}}</ref>

==Gallery==
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File:View of Chatuskuta shrine towers over bounding wall in the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|''Chatuskuta'' ("four") shrine towers seen over bounding wall in Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli
File:Decorative water spout in Lakshmi Devi temple complex at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|Decorative water spout to discharge water from a shrine in the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli
File:A view of shrine with Kadamba nagara sikhara (tower) in Lakshmi Devi temple complex at Doddagaddavalli.jpg|Kadamba ''nagara'' ''shikhara'' (tower) in the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli
File:Ornate lintel over entrance into sanctum in Lakshmi Devi temple complex at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|Ornate lintel over entrance into sanctum in Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli
File:Old Kannada inscription (12th-13th century) at Lakshmi Devi temple complex at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|Old Kannada inscription (12th-13th century) in the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli
File:Shivagana sculpture inthe mantapa of the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|Sculpture of a devotee (and guardian to sanctum entrance) of Shiva in the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli
File:Shrines with Kadamba nagara sikhara (tower) in Lakshmi Devi temple complex at Doddagaddavalli.JPG|Shrines with Kadamba ''nagara'' ''shikhara'' (tower) in the Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli
File:An ornate elephant statue at Lakshmi Devi Temple,Doddagaddavalli.jpg|An Ornate Elephant balustrade at the entrance of the temple
File:Ornated ceiling inside Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli.jpg|Ornated bay ceiling inside the temple
File:Decorated Ceiling of Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli.jpg|Ornate ceiling inside the Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli
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==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* Gerard Foekema, A Complete Guide To Hoysala Temples, 1996, Abhinav, {{ISBN|978-81-7017-345-8}}
*{{Cite book |last=Kamath |first=Suryanath U. |title=A concise history of Karnataka: from pre-historic times to the present |orig-year=1980 |year=2001 |publisher=Jupiter books |location=Bangalore |oclc=7796041 |lccn=80905179}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar162004/spt6.asp |title=Resplendent with sculptural beauty|access-date=2006-11-29|work=Spectrum, Deccan Herald, Tuesday, March 16, 2004 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060528132407/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/mar162004/spt6.asp |archive-date = 2006-05-28}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.indoarch.org/|title=Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, Takeyo Kamiya|access-date=2006-11-29|work=Gerard da Cunha, Architecture Autonomous, Goa, India}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm |title=History of Karnataka-Religion, Literature, Art and Architecture in Hoysala Empire-Arthikaje |access-date=2006-11-29 |work=© 1998-00 OurKarnataka.Com, Inc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104095148/http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm |archive-date=2006-11-04 }}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://hassan.nic.in More information]
* [http://www.tripwip.com/an-incomplete-guide-to-hoysala-temples/ Routemap & photos of Hoysala temples in Karnataka]

{{coord missing|Karnataka}}
{{Hindu temples in Karnataka}}

[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1114]]
[[Category:12th-century Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Devi temples in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Hassan district]]

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Lakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli