Built by Kethamalla, the military chief and minister of the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana.
Credits: Wikimedia / Ms Sarah Welch
The temple took a whopping 118 years to be build!
Credits: Wikimedia / Vasukrishnan57
Credits: Wikimedia / Ms Sarah Welch
Here are 7 things you must keep an eye for ...
Look at the two sanctums, Lord Shiva is present in 2 forms: Lord of the Hoysala King and the Queen
Credits: Wikimedia / Anks.manuja
01. Inner Sanctums
Credits: Wikimedia / Dineshkannambadi
Inside the temple, look at the smooth pillars, ceilings and the intricate carvings, sculptures. These are 900 years old!
02. Pillars and carvings
Walls between the two sanctums have ancient Sanskrit & Old Kannada inscriptions of the names of the donors
03. Inscriptions
04. Nandi Statues
Two of India's largest Nandi statues rest in adjacent spaces to each other.
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Credits: Wikimedia / Ms Sarah Welch
04. Nandi Statues
One of the statues is 8 feet in height and the second is 9 feet! They are two of India's largest Nandi statues
Credits: Wikimedia / Bikashrd
05. Carvings, Sculptures on Outer Walls
Spotlight
Krishna Lifting Govardhan mountain
The carving depicts Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountain to protect the people of Vrindavan. The depiction of fine life forms below the mountain is hypnotic!
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Spotlight
Shiva killing Gajasur
The amazingly detailed carving of Shiva killing Gajasur. The elephant demon's skin is a boundary around the carving. The 4 feet of the elephant are on four corners of the carving. Its tail is at the top.
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Spotlight
Arjuna aiming at the fish eye
Arjuna, at Draupadi's swayamvar, aims at the fish eye at the ceiling. A recurring theme at many Southern Indian temples.
Spotlight
06. Garuda Pillar
Garudas were the bodyguards of Hoysala kings.
Credits: Wikimedia / Dineshkannambadi
Kuvera Lakshma, leader of Garudas, chopped off own head when his King died.
The carvings on the pillar depict Kuvera commiting suicide.
900 acres of a vast, man-made ancient lake.
The lake was built by the Rashtrakuta King Dhruva Maharaja, before Hoysalas!