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Tumakuru jilleya Hoysala devalayagalu – Hoysala Temples of Tumkur District

Author:  Dr. N. S. Rangaraju

Place: Kunigal, Tiptur, Turuvekere, Gubbi, Chikkanayakanahalli, Nonavinakere, Kaidala, Nittur, Aralaguppe,  Nagalapura, Shettikere, Vighnasante, Tumakuru

This paper discusses the origin of the name Tumakuru and the dynasties that ruled the region and important inscriptions of  these dynasties found in the district. Hoysala temples of the district are discussed in more detail.

Tumakuru district has more than 110 Hoysala inscriptions of the period 1078 AD to 1342 A.D. There are 19 Hoysala temples in 12 places of the district. Majority of them are found in Tiptur, Turuvekere, Kunigal and Tumkur taluks, and Gubbi and Chikka-nayakanahalli taluks have one temple each. Most of temples are found in taluks bordering Hassan district. The Chennakeshava and Gangadhareshwara temples at Kaidala are the oldest, built in 1150AD. Nonavinakere Venugopala is the latest, built in 1286 A. D. Nine of the temples are Shiva temples and nine others are Vishnu temples . There is a Jaina basadi at Nittur built by one Malopi Mallayya. This basadi has fine lathe-turned pillars and nine ankanas, each of separate workmanship. Six epigraphs are found at this place. The Chennakeshava temple at Aralaguppe has all the Hoysala architectural features. The Channigaraya temple at Turuvekere has a fine five feet tall Vishnu image. The shikhara of this temple features a combinations of Nagara and Vesara styles. There are  three Hoysala temples at Kunigal and have been renovated during Vijayanagara period. The Chennakeshava at Nagalapura, Yogamadhava at Shettikere, Balalingeshwara and Lakshminarasimha of Vighnasante are the other Hoysala temples, the Vighnasante temple features Trikuta.