Lakshmi Narasimha Haranahalli temple

This temple is in Karnataka, India. Nearest railway station is Arasikere. It is well connected by buses. Haranahalli is a small town situated about eight kilometers to the south of Arsikere on the main road leading towards Hassan. This town is called by various other names. While some people call it Haruvanahalli, the others refer to it as Hiriya Somanathapura. Haranahalli is well known for its beautiful temples, the prominent ones among them being the Kesava and the Someshvara temples that are renowned for the Hoysala style of architecture.








The Kesava temple (popularly known as Lakshmi Narasimha temple) is situated in the center of this old Hoysala town. The records reveal that three brothers -Peddanna Heggade, Somanna and Keshanna- obtained a free site from the natives and constructed the temple in 1234 AD. The Hoysala king Narasimha II bestowed the brothers with more acres of land later for the development of the temple.



Mallitamma, one of the best-known Hoysala sculptors of the 13th century, is the main sculptor of the Kesava temple. He is believed to have worked for the Nuggehalli, Hosaholalu and Somanathapura temples also.



The Chennakeshava temple is a State monument. This temple sits on a star shaped foundation & is very similar to the Belur temple. But the maintenance is bad. This picture was taken on 4,April, 2010. The renovation of the temple premises was going on.

Few more scultpures of haranahalli (mostly appears to be broken intentionally)























Felt a lot of pain on seeing the damanged condition of this lakshmi narasimha statue ...