Karnataka is full of interesting and architecturally supreme Hindu temples. Each comes with its own distinctive history and account of reigning deities. One such outstanding temple is the Chennakeshava Temple, in Belur. Even today, it stands testimony to the architectural design and knowledge of the builders of those times and is a top tourist spot for its uniqueness.
Location
Although located in district of Hassan this architectural marvel is just a couple of kilometers away from Chikmagalur. The Hoysala ruler, King Vishnuvardhana commissioned its construction in 1117 CE, on the banks of River Yagachi, Belur, the then capital of the Hoysalas.
About Chennakeshava Temple
The Chennakeshava Temple, also called the Keshava or Vijayanarayana Temple, is situated in Belur, Karnataka, India. This 12th century temple was built in a span of three generations of the Hoysala rulers and took 103 years to complete. During its construction, it was repeatedly attacked and plundered and rebuilt soon after.
The reigning deity here is Lord Vishnu. It finds a mention in the sacred Hindu texts and is exceptional for its ornate architecture, reliefs, sculpture and friezes, as much as its inscriptions, iconography and overall history. This Vaishnava temple depicts several themes from Shaivism and Shaktism, while also depicting images from Buddhism and Jainism. There are also pictorial narratives of the Mahabharata, Ramayana and the Puranas.
Temple timings
The temple remains open for worship and viewing from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
History
King Vishnuvardhana commissioned the building of the Chennakeshava temple in 1117 CE after he won a significant war in 1116 CE. After 103 years of building and rebuilding due to invasions by the Mughals, it was finally complete 1258 CE. The temple is built in the Karnata Dravida tradition.
Again, we’d like to make it clear that this temple isn’t in Chikmagalur, but we just couldn’t give this spectacular temple a miss. Being a couple of kilometers away from Chikmagalur we highly recommend paying it a visit, you won’t return disappointed – we promise!
If you like off-the-beaten-track kind of holidays, make a trip to Chikmagalur and visit sights like this temple. Of course, here we can offer you many types of holidays, not just religious. To know more call us on +91-82965-38447 or email us at contact@incrediblemalnad.com or you could even send us a message.