Lakshmidevi Temple – A Hidden Gem!

In one of my previous blogs, I mentioned that Karnataka is my favourite state and that I have been there many times. In one of many multiple visits there, I stumbled upon this magnificent temple!

Tucked in the quaint village of Doddagaddavalli, district Hassan of Karnataka lies a yet-undiscovered Hoysala Dynasty jewel, the “Lakshmi Devi temple”. Built during the reign of King Vishnuvardhan of the mighty Hoysala Empire in c. 1114 C.E., this temple uniquely houses four deities in four separate shrines with a common prayer hall or mandapa. Such temple structures are known as “chatuskuta”, where “chatuh” means four and “kuta” means shrines.

But before we talk about the temple, let’s get acquainted with the Hoyasala dynasty. Starting with the

Dynasty symbol:

The Hoysala Dynasty symbol depicts a legendary warrior “Sala” fighting a lion/tiger. As always, there’s a story attached to its origin. Kannada folklore tells a legend of a young man named Sala who saved his Jain guru Sudatta by killing a tiger (sometimes also described as a lion) that they encountered in a forest. This incident is said to have happened near the temple of the goddess Vasantika at Angadi. The teacher is supposed to have thrown Sala an iron rod and cried “Poy Sala” which translates to “Strike Sala”. “Poy” or “Hoy” are the words for a strike in old Kannada. That’s why the dynasty established by this legendary warrior Sala was called “Hoy-Sala”.

This legend is popular and finds mentions in a few Hoysala inscriptions, especially in those of King Vishnuvardhana. Interestingly, he is also the King who famously won against the Cholas in c. 1116 CE. The symbol then gets another theory of interpretation that it represents the victory of King Vishnuvardhana over the Cholas as the tiger was the emblem of the Chola dynasty.

Historically speaking, the dynasty was established in 1026 CE by King Nripa Kama II, almost a century before Vishnuvardhan’s victory over Cholas.

Brief Dynastical History:

The Hoysalas ruled a large part of modern-day Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu from the 10^th to the 14^th century. They were feudatories under the Chalukyas of Kalyana and later formed an early alliance with the Western Ganga dynasty. Vishnuvardhana was the greatest ruler in the Hoysala dynasty. He completely defeated Cholas from Gangavadi in the battle of Talakadu, for this he got the title Talkadugonda. In commemoration of this victory, he built the Kirtinarayana temple at Talakadu and Chennakesavar temple at Beluru.

This dynasty had their capital at Belur which was later moved to Dwarasamudra (Halebidu) after their victory over the Cholas. The dynasty is remembered for temple architecture which in itself has been classified as a part of the Karnataka Dravida Style of temple architecture.

Lakshmi Devi Temple at Doddagaddavalli

Lakshmi Devi temple, as the name suggests, is primarily a Lakshmi temple – dedicated to the consort of Lord Vishnu. It is a unique temple complex that houses 4 shrines with a common mandapa (prayer hall). Such temple structures are known as “chatuskuta”, where “chatuh” means four and “kuta” means shrines. The temple is known locally as ‘Kalammana Devasthana’.

The shrine dedicated to Lakshmidevi stands out from the rest three because of its beautifully decorated “vimana” or “shikhara” (spire). The temple complex also houses a fifth separate shrine of Bhairava (an avatar of Lord Shiva) along with other four other minor deities stationed in four cardinal directions. So there are a total of nine temples in this prakara (temple complex/compound). Along with the astonishing number of temples, what is interesting in this temple is that one can find both Shaiva and Vaishnava deities, another uncommon feature from other Hoysala temple complexes.

The temple is said to be commissioned by a rich merchant named Kullahana Rahuta and his wife Sahaja Devi and is built in steatite or soapstone.

Architectural Details

As the temple does not have a “Jagati” or an ornate plinth, a feature common to Hoysala style of architecture, this temple is regarded to be the earliest known temple built during the Hoysala rule. The entire temple structure boasts the Karnataka Dravid style of temple architecture with beautiful craved bas-reliefs on the temple walls, pilasters, and the typical ‘Kadamba Shikaras’ topped with a ‘kalasa’ or a ‘stupi’.

In the shrines facing north, south, east, and west respectively are the murtis of Kali (a form of Durga), Vishnu, Lakshmi, and Boothanatha Linga (the universal symbol of Shiva). Of the four towers, three are undecorated and are of stepped pyramidal design with a pile of dented horizontal mouldings and a kalasa on top. The fourth tower is intricately decorated (in typical Hoysala design) and is above the main shrine that houses the Lakshmi Devi murti.

The central hall’s ceiling is exclusively and intricately carved. The northern part of the hall has the image of Indra that is carved on the ceiling. Lord Indra riding on Airavat (the white four tusked elephant) has been beautifully depicted. Indrani, Indra’s consort can also be seen in the carvings holding a vajra.

The dancing Shiva is beautifully depicted in the hall. Similarly, Agni the Fire God is placed towards the South east direction. Agni rides on a one horned Ram holding his weapon Shakti. The South is the abode of the Lord of Death, Yama who rides his buffalo and holds his Danda. Southwest is held by Goddess Nirruta and her human form has been depicted very beautifully.

The sea lord, Varuna holds the West direction and rides a crocodile. The main deity faces the East direction.

The main shrine facing east has a 3-foot-tall murti of Lakshmi with an attendant on either side. She holds a sankah (conch) in her upper right hand, a chakra in her upper left hand, a mala (rosary) in her lower right and a mace in her lower left hand. It is a rare sculpture of goddess Lakshmi in standing posture, since she is mostly depicted in a sitting posture.

Opposite the shrine of Lakshmi is the shrine of Shiva as Bhootanatha Linga, facing west, with his sons Karthik (Subramanya) and Ganesh on his either side. There is a large pond adjacent to the Lakshmi Devi temple.

There is just so much more to write about this temple. The entire temple complex is like frozen music! No words or photos will ever be enough to describe the absolute serene beauty of this temple complex. I urge you all to please visit this gem of a site and then maybe you will understand what I’m saying…

Accessibility:

Travel –

By Rail –

The nearest railway station would be Hassan.

By Road –

The Lakshmi Devi temple is about a half an hour drive from the city of Hassan. Hassan is well-connected with Mysore, Bangalore and Mangalore. There are a number of State Road Transport buses that ply from Hassan to Belur. You have to get down at Doddagaddavalli which is on the way to Belur. The temple is to the south side of the modern village, on the banks of a historic water reservoir.

By Air –

Mangalore Domestic Airport and Bangalore International Airport

Timings

The temple is a protected monument under ASI and can be visited from 8 am to 6 pm. It is a living site i.e. it’s still in use.

Best Time to Visit –

Monsoon or winter months are best to visit. This way you can avoid the heat.

Nearby Hotels-

Stay – Doddagaddavelli doesn’t have any hotels but Hassan is just 30 minutes drive away and Hassan has a lot of options for you to choose from!

Food – Doddagaddavelli is a small village with negligible eating options. Please plan your day accordingly and carry food and water when visiting.

Please do not litter around. Respect the historic monument and refrain from vandalising it.

PS: For the people who think why I keep visiting Karnataka… this is the reason why – It’s just beautiful! This state is home to most of the places on my bucket list. Because beauty is immortal in art and music!