Hoysala Empire | UPSC

Hoysala Empire | UPSC | Why In The News ?

Recently, a Hoysala-era idol of Mahakali at the Lakshmi Devi temple, Karnataka was found damaged

• An inscription of the Hoysala period and pedestals, said to be of an ancient structure, were found close to the site where a government engineering college is coming up at Kellengere near Arsikere.

About Temple  : 

• Lakshmi Devi temple, built in a chatuskuta style (four shrines), is one of the earliest known temples built by the Hoysalas.  
• It was built by the Hoysala Empire King Vishnuvardhana in 1114 C.E.  
• The building material is Chloritic schist, more commonly known as soapstone.  
• The temple does not stand on a jagati (platform), a feature which became popular in later Hoysala temples.  
• It is an archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monument.

Hoysala empire:

• This empire ruled almost all of present-day Karnataka between the 11th to mid 14th centuries. 
• Their capital was Belur which was later shifted to Halebidu. 
• This period was a very important era for the development of art, architecture, and religion in the Southern countries. 
• The Hoysala Empire contributed to the growth of both Kannada and Sanskrit literature.
• The earliest known king of this empire is Nripa Kama II who lived around 1026-1047 AD. He was probably a feudatory of the Western Ganga Dynasty and is known to have indulged in futile wars against the Cholas.
• However, another early Hoysala ruler Vinayaditya was a feudatory of Chalukyas of Kalyani. 
• Vinayaditya was having family ties with Western Chalukyan King Someshwara I. His son Ereyanaga tried to establish himself as an independent monarch but was not successful. 
• He was succeeded by Veera Ballala-I who was also an unimportant ruler. 
• The first notable great Hoysala king was Vishnuvardhana, who was also known as Bittiga.

Learning Schools : Govind Ballabh Pant | UPSC

• Ghatikas 

Religion :  

• Jainism, Vaishnavism and Lingayatism 

Contemporary Philosophers : 

• Basava, Madhvacharya and Ramanuja in Karnataka 

Rajaditya : 

• Mathematician who wrote Vyavahara Anita and Lilavati during Vishnuvardhana‘s reign 

Last Ruler :

• Veera Ballala III

Hoysala Temple Architecture:

• It is the building style developed under the rule of the Hoysalas and is mostly concentrated in southern Karnataka.
• Hoysala temples are sometimes called hybrid or vesara as their unique style seems neither completely Dravida nor nagara.

Some of their famous temples are:

• Hoysaleswara (Lord of the Hoysalas) Temple :  At Halebid, Karnataka, and built-in dark schist stone by a Hoysala king in AD 1150.
• Chennakeshava Temple :    At Somnathpur, Karnataka and was built around AD 1268 under Narasimha III.
• Kesava Temple : At Belur, Hassan district of Karnataka built by Vishnuvardhana

Source : The Hindu