FW: Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi, Karnataka

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FWD...Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:52:05 +0300ramasubrSubject: Veera Narayana Temple, Belavadi, Karnataka; The Veera Narayana temple is located in Belavadi (Kannada: ಬೆಳವಾಡಿ), also known as Ekachakranagara, a village in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.This ornate trikuta (three toweres) temple was built in 1200 CE by Hoysala Veera Ballala II. The material used is Chloritic schist. Each of the shrines has a complete superstructure (tower on top of shrine) and is one of the largest examples of Hoysala architecture. While the famous temples at Belur and Halebidu are known for their intricate sculptures, this temple is known for its architecture. The plan of this temple is unique in that two of the shrines face each other on either side of a wide and spacious open mantapa (hall) containing 37 bays. There is also an older shrine containing a closed mantapa with 13 bays and a closed mantapa with 9 bays at the end of which is a central shrine. This third shrine is an older construction and exhibits a perfect Hoysala architectural idiom containing all the basic elements of Hoysala temple