Keshava Temple at Somanathapura
On a long motorcycle ride again. This time to closely observe a beautiful temple, read on. The Keshava Temple at Somanathapura, near Mysore, is an UNESCO world heritage monument along with Belur and Halibedu as the Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas. The Keshava temple, was consecrated in 1258 CE by Somanatha Dandanayaka, a general of the Hoysala King Narasimha III. The Kesava temple is one of some 1,500 Hindu and Jain temples built by the Hoysala Empire kings in different parts of their kingdom. The other well studied Hoysala temples include those at Belur and Halebidu. In my view, it's among the best examples of Hoysala Architecture. It's the high noon of Kannada culture. The Inscriptions are in Hale (old) classical Kannada. The sculptures here are one of a kind. Sadly this was destroyed, plundered and looted by the Islamic barbarian invader of Malik Kafur. The first attack was by Malik Kafur, Alauddin Khilji's general in 1311 and in 1326 Muhammad Bin Tughlaq destroyed the rem...