Hoysala Trails - Hosaholalu

Posted by Nbhat

Laxmi Narayana temple at Hosaholalu Side view

After canceling multiple times, on 5th August again we planned to visit another Hoysala temple. This time plan was to cover Hosaholalu and if possible cover Somnathpura. I reached Prem's place around 8:00 AM and we started off in his car. At 8:55 AM we reached Kamath Lok ruchi(KL) for the breakfast.It was crowded and it took us nearly 45-50 mins to complete. Though there was buffet breakfast which can be had quite fast we did not opt for that as we wanted to have neer dosa. But to our surprise KL had changed the design, look and feel of neer dosa and was serving crisper and longer version of it but with same kind of chutney as earlier.
After briefly studying the maps and info downloaded from google we left to Mandya. Reached Mandya around 10:00 AM and started asking directions. Our first attempt was futile as one of the traffic police told us to go to sharavanabelagola or srirangpatna and then reach K.R. Pet. But then we took help from tempo guys to find out the best possible route. Just after the Mandya city on SH 17 we had to take right for MeluKote road to.
We stopped at Jakkanhalli(On right Cheluvaraya Swami temple as seen from Jakkanahalli). On the way there are quite few old styled jaggery manufacturing units. We decided to visit one of them on the way back, but we were hungry on the way back and did not think of anything other than food.
At Jakkanahlli we realized it was not as close as we had thought. We were thinking it will be around 25km from Mandya. As per the signboard at Jakkanahalli, K.R. Pet was 31km ahead. But it turned out to be 24km. Funny part was through out the road we came across milestones few meters apart but showing different readings that too a difference of 4km I guess. Dont know who was trying to fool whom. At one place there were three. But we could not drive fast as the priority goes to the sheep and cow being taken for grazing. After Melukote the road has patches of recently built to lot pot holes to under construction. Moreover there will be village cattle, so driving was slow and it took 1-1.5 hours to drive 24km. At one point we came across a goat feeding its 2 kids in the middle of the raod. From K.R. Pet we took Hosaholalu raod to reach the temple

This time though we found a better guide. But we could not utilise him as he was occupied with somebody else already. But he pointed us to sculputres and the we tried to relate to the Ramayana stories.

Vishnu depicted as Govardhana(left) and Vamana (Right)

This Puja is being carried out on a daily basis, so we were not supposed to take the photographs inside temple. Inside the temple cielings have carving and there are beutiful pillars. Idols carved on black stone are beutiful. We prayed at the temple and started our return journey.
We had to wait till Mandya to get a nice place to eat. We came out with many resolutions on how to plan the next trip better, like packing food etc. Got to wait till the next trip see the results. On the return journey it was raining at many places. We could drive at better pace on Melukote Mandya road as it was empty allthrough.We had lunch at Hotel Amaravathi on SH17 after the Mandya city and stopped at KL again to have refreshing sugar cane juice. Amaravathi just reminded of the locking the car with keys inside near the tea shop just opposite of Amaravathi.

Hoysala Trails - Hosaholalu

Aug 5, 2006 - 26 Photos

The Laxminarayana Temple This temple has trikuta structure with deities being Laxmi Narayana(Main dieti), Laxmi Narasimha(Right Side) and Venu Gopala(Left side). Temple does not have Kalasa and Hoysala emblem (Sala fighting with lion) on top. The outer walls have 24 figures of Vishnua such as Keshava, Maddhava, Vamana .. Below the figures there are 6 strips with intricate carvings of Horses, Peacock etc. One of the strips has illustrates Ramayana. Gerard Foekema classifies this as new style temple built during later era of the Hoysala's. New style temples have 6 strips of carvings running around the temple. Where as the old style have only 5 strips running. In the new style temples one of the strips contains the depiction from epics like Ramayana, Mahabharath. We could manage to figure out stories like Sugreeva meets Rama. Rama asks for help from Sugreev. But Sugreeva wants to check Rama's strength and asks him shoot 7 plam trees with one arrow. Sugreeva realizes Rama's strength. Vali and Sugreeva fight. Rama kills vali. All these and more stories from ramayana were depicted on a strip of height 12-15 cm running around the temple.

Info that can be of help ... Getting There: Drive on Mysore Road, just after Mandya city take right on the MeluKote road. There is board giving directions to Melukote and sharavanabelagol just before the right. Once you take right there will be a railway crossing a few hundred meters ahead. From Mandya to Melukote it was 35 km. In between u will come across Jakkanahlli which is around 6km before Melukote. 4km from Jakkanahlli there will be a deviation to Melukote, this deviation is just after climbing 2-3 hair pin curves. Take the raod to K.R. Pet. Till Melukote the road is in good condition. After that its not good. On reaching K.R. Pet, drive towards Bus stand from there take the Hosaholalu road(The road is named like that). Jakkanahlli is around 6km from Melukote. Hosaholalu is around 2km from K.R. Pet, on the road first you will get a small lake and then there is a Anjaneya temple. Take the right just before the Anjaneya temple to reach the Laxmi Naryana temple. On the Melukote road there is also diversion for reaching Basaralu which also has Hoysala Temples Facilties: After Mandya Jakkanahalli is the only place where one can buy some food like fruits, biscuits, water etc. Rest all are small villages.On the Hosaholalu road there is a petrol bunk. After Mandya this is the only Petrol Bunk we came across, though petrol is sold in bottles in some shops on the way. On the way breakfast can be had at Kamat Lokruchi and if u can wait a few minutes more then at Maddur Tiffanys.