Chennakeshava Temple, Somanathapura

Getting there

• By air

  Mysore Airport is a domestic airport about 10 km south of Mysuru city centre.

• By train

  Mysore Junction station has lines to KSR Bengaluru, Mangaluru Central and Chamarajanagar.

Rules to know

• No active worship takes place here, so visitors can closely observe the carvings.

Why devotees come here

The Chennakeshava Temple stands on the banks of the River Kaveri at Somanathapura, 38 km east of Mysuru city. It is a Vaishnava temple in the Hoysala style, and its walls carry long friezes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana.

The temple was consecrated in 1258 CE under Somanatha Dandanayaka, a general of the Hoysala King Narasimha III. Its ornate design is a model of Hoysala architecture, and it is one of the finest surviving examples of that style in Karnataka.

The main temple stands on a high star-shaped platform, with three symmetrical sanctums set in a square. Each sanctum is dedicated to a form of Vishnu. The Keshava shrine no longer has its image, while the other two house Janardhana and Krishna as Venugopala. The temple is carved from soapstone, a green-grey stone that is soft in the quarry and hardens after exposure to air.

The walls, pillars and ceilings carry friezes from the Ramayana on the south, the Mahabharata on the north and the Bhagavata Purana on the western section of the main temple. Vijayanagara emperors gave grants for repairs in the 16th century. Damage in the 19th century was repaired in the early 20th century by the Mysore government. The sanctum no longer houses its original idols, but the temple still holds spiritual importance as a historic Vishnu temple.

Tips for your visit

• Natural daylight shows the depth of the carvings, especially in the morning and afternoon.
• The quiet rural setting suits photography and heritage walks.
• Talakad and Shivanasamudra are nearby heritage places that can be combined with a visit.

Questions people ask