Turuvekere Chennakeshava Temple, Karnataka

Address

Turuvekere Chennakeshava Temple, Turuvekere, Tumkur district, Karnataka 572227

Diety

Chennakeshava

Introduction

The Chennakeshava temple (also Known as “Chennakesava” or called “Chennigaraya”), dedicated to the god Vishnu is located in Turuvekere, a small town in the Tumkur district, Karnataka state, India. Turuvekere, founded as an Agraharam town (a place of learning) in the 13th century is located about 77 miles from the state capital Bangalore.

Puranic Significance

The temple you mentioned was constructed around 1263 A.D. during the reign of King Narasimha III of the Hoysala Empire. It holds the status of a protected monument under the Karnataka state division of the Archaeological Survey of India. The primary building material used for its construction is the standard soapstone, and the temple features a closed hall (mantapa).

This Hoysala temple follows the typical architectural elements of such structures, comprising a sanctum connected to a closed hall through a square vestibule known as sukhanasi. The entrance into the hall from the exterior is facilitated by a porch (mukhamantapa). Usually, closed halls in Hoysala temples do not have windows.

The temple’s sculptures have unfortunately fallen into a state of disrepair. The porch itself includes an awning supported by two ornamental half pillars, and it is flanked by two parapets on both sides. The shrine has its own tower, referred to as the shikhara, while the vestibule has a tower of its own, also called sukhanasi. This sukhanasi tower is often described as a low extension of the main tower over the shrine, resembling a “nose” according to art critic Gerard Foekema. From an external perspective, the walls of the vestibule are not very prominent and seem like a short extension of the shrine wall.

Inside the closed hall, the ceiling is supported by four lathe-turned pillars, which divide the ceiling into nine intricately decorated bays.