Thread by @PankajSaxena84

1. Lakṣmī Narasimhā Trikūṭa, Nuggehalli, Hassan, Karnataka

One of the most famous & beautiful Hoysaḷa trikūṭas, the Lakṣmī Narasimhā temple is truly a gem. It is dedicated to Lakṣmī Narasimhā in the main shrine and Keśava and Veṇūgopāla in the other two.

#Hoysalatemple

2. Only the main shrine has a Hoysaḷa vimāna (superstructure). The other two did not have the vimāna originally and were later added, perhaps during the Vijayanagara times. The temple was built in 1246 CE.

3. The temple was constructed by Bomanna Dandanayaka, a commander of the Hoysaḷa king Veer Someshwara. It is notable for its exquisite quality of sculpture and some of these pieces, very uncharacteristically of Hindu artists, are signed by the artist Malitamma.

4. The vimāna is tri-tala (three tiers) and topped by a massive kūṭa (square shaped draviḍa roof). The plan is panca ratha (five projections in temple wall) with the central ratha converted into a subsidiary temple like in many other big Hoysaḷa temples.

5. The temple is an example of the later Hoysaḷa style where the jaṅghā (walls) is divided into two stories by a chhādya (eaves). The lower story is profusely decorated with deva paṭṭa (band of niches with deities in them) with 120 such sculptures in the temple.

6. The lowermost part of the wall is decorated by an exquisite series of six bands: gaja, aśva, puṣpa, mahākāvya, makara, mayūra. It is a feature of greater Hoysaḷa temples. And it adds immeasurable beauty and symmetry to the structure.

7. A wall depicting Trivikrama and Vāmana in a side by side panel. In one panel King Bali is shown with Vāmana and in the other panel, Vāmana has expanded to the Trivikrama form. In Hoysaḷa temples these panels are often shown at the turn of a corner.

8. A side shrine housing Durgā inside. These miniature temples on the outer walls mimic all the feature of the great temple itself. And this is a pattern in the Hindu temple. Ideas, aedicules like fractals repeating themselves at ever smaller levels.

9. The vimāna of the main shrine depicting paṇjara housing various forms of Viṣnū inside it. The structure is profusely decorated with kūta, śāla and paṇjara motifs along with many others giving the appearance of a mountain ascending to the highest heavens.

10. Indra along with Indrāṇī on his divine elephant.

11. Arjuna shooting an arrow to kill the fish by looking only at its reflection in the water. For some reason this is perhaps the most famous theme in all Hoysaḷa architecture.

12. Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa in the central ratha along with many other depictions of the Caturviṃśati Viṣnū and a panel depicting Kāliyā Mardana Ṣri Krṣna.

13. The frieze of six bands.

14. Kāmadeva and Ratī.

15. Exquisite Nāṭya Gaṇapati.

16. Viṣnu sitting on Śeṣnāga.

17. The eternal student of the Hindu temple at Nuggehalli.

@artist_rama This must be one of your favorite temples too.