India is knowingly famous for land of temples and its historic culture carried since ages. Especially temples belonging to the ancient and medieval age period are renowned on account of their architectural and sculptural excellence. Hindu temple architecture can be broadly classified into as Nagara (or the north Indian style); Dravida (or the south Indian style), and Vesara (which contains elements of both). Each region of temples in India as its own history and a unique style of temple architecture; due to the availability of stone, keeping in mind with the climatic conditions and other auspicious factors.
Vastu Shastra visualizes the abstract representation of temple architecture as a square in the form of a yantra (symbolic diagram). The philosophy behind this concept is based on equivalence behind the macrocosm. The universe; represented by the various gods or powers in the mandala and the microcosm, the temple, often taken to be in the image of the human body. One central objective of Indian temple architecture is thus to connect the human being to the universe.
The Architectural Signs is its 'Beauty'
Halebidu temple design is a tremendous sculpted art form. The study says variety of outline in the plan and even as a greater variety in detail projects that all the pillars of the Parthenon are identical, while no two facets are the same and every convolution of every scroll is different. No two canopies in the whole building are alike and every part exhibits a joyous exuberance of fancy scorning each mechanical restraint. All wild nature in human faith or warm in human feeling is found portrayed on these walls; but of pure intellect there is little less than there is of human feeling in the Parthenon.
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Rich sculptural decoration is a mark of the highest artistic achievement of the Hoysalas. The exterior walls at Halebidu are intricately decorated with stone sculptures and carving. These sculptures are rich with religious and cultural iconography depicting gods and goddesses, wars and victories, dance and music, hunting, games, processions, and the dress, jewellery, and daily life of human begins. Mantapa are pavilions or pillared halls of all sizes are a typical feature and occurred with common in all temples.
A rare and beautiful Garuda pillar erected in memory of a devoted officer of Vira Ballala II, at the Hoyasalesvara temple, Halebidu. When the Vaishnava complex, with the most ornate of Vishnu temples emerged in Belur in A.D. 1117, it obviously converted Belur into the most enviable religious centre in the Hoysala kingdom, even overshadowing the metropolis, Dorasamudra, or present day Halebidu.
Second, the architectural style of the Hoysala temples, followed the dravidian style of southern India, also incorporated elements from the North Indian Nagara style of temple architecture. This was a unique effort at integrating Nagara and Dravidian style of temple architecture to create syncretism new forms.
At a time when temples were rectangular based on ancient treatises, the Hoysala temples were temples were unique in their star-shaped plans, complex forms, and raised platforms. Their formal geometry and unparalleled in the artistry of their sculptural details have earned them recognition as outstanding masterpieces of South Asian art.
Kalyani or stepped wells are commonly found in the Hoysala sacred ensembles. These wells served as an important source of water and were an important architectural structure. The lakes were places for bathing and ritual cleansing, worship, meditation, and water management for the agricultural areas surrounding the temple and town. Open Mantapas, present around the water bodies, provided shelter to visitors. A pushkarani or well was often located within the temple premises and a tank or lake adjacent to the temple.
Halebid lost most of its inhabitants at the time of the city's destruction in the 14th century and worship at the main temple had ceased for a period of time and revived in recent years. However, the smaller temples and shrines have remained in continuous use. The friezes, sculptures, and brackets on the exterior of the main temples in Halebid depict female forms in a variety of dance positions, an invaluable resource to dancers to this day. The integration of the navaranga or a performance pavilion adjacent to the main temple hall is an important evidence of this support for the temple dance form of Bharatnatyam.
First Pilot Project
In 2006, Karnataka is one among the few states to be selected to launch pilot projects under the Hertiage Passport Programme (HPP) by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to improve the quality of tourism. The Hoysala Heritage was to be taken to promote HPP in Karnataka, whereas Halebidu was the first place to spread its glory to the world.
The aim was to increase tourism department by exhibiting its rich features (architectural, cultural and historical). Tourists not only want to see the sights but also to experience and understand local traditions. The paper on Hoysala Heritage was presented to the Government of Karnataka in 2007, on the occasion of an inter-departmental meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary of the Government of Karnataka. According to the coordinating Committee included interactions with Departments of Tourism, Town Planning and Public Works as well as the Archaeological Survey.
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