The famous sculptures of temples –Hoysala rose to power in Karnataka
The sculptures of the Mallikarjuna temple nearby narrate the incidents in the life of sri Krishna according to the Bhagavata Purana.
Several centuries Chalukyan rule, Hoysalas rose to power in Karnataka in A.D. 12 th century. Their temples in Belur and Halebid are widely known. But a lesser- known temple, that of Kesava in Somnathpur dated A.D. 1268 near Mysore, is believed to be the most exquisite of the lot.
It is a triple shrine or trikutchala standing on a low star –shaped platform. The plinth is filled with elaborate carvings of makaras, swans, lotuses and elephants. The pillar brackets contain delicately wrought carvings of beautiful women- dancing, dressing and playing instruments. The ceiling panels in the main half consist of large pieces of minutely chiseled stones combined to form complicated patterns. Of the three shrines, two contain life-size statues of Janardana and Venugopal.
The intricate, exquisite and elaborate style of those Hoysala sculptures represents the baroque period of Indian art.