Harihareshwara Temple: The Divine Amalgamation

Pragya Nagar

Harihareshwara Temple: The Divine Amalgamation

The Harihareshwara temple in the Harihar district of Karnataka and built under the Hoysala Dynasty is a rare example. The complex was built over centuries by different rulers and is an amalgamation of different architectural styles.

Entrance to the central shrine; Source- WIkimedia

The Harihareshwara Temple was built on the right bank of River Tungabhadra by Polalva, a minister of the Hoysala King Narasimha II, in 1224. Harihar, located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, is also known as Guharanya Kshetra or Dakshina Kashi.

## The legend

According to legend, Guhasura spent years performing tapas (austerities and penance) for the Tungabhadra. Lord Brahma was delighted with him and bestowed a boon upon him. Guhasura, yet to conquer his arrogance, requested Lord Brahma that he did not want to be killed by either Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu in battle. Lord Brahma consented and bestowed upon him the boon. Guhasura was overjoyed and went on a rampage, pestering the sages who were in the forest, as well as the animals and trees.

The sages appealed to Lord Brahma to save them from his tyranny. On hearing their plight, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu decided to descend to the earth at the sacred land of Harihar as one and kill Guhasura.

The Harihareshwara Temple is unique as it is one of those rare temples with Shaiva and Vaishnava elements in harmony. The present structures are characteristically Hoysala, but the idol is much older. Harihar itself is a town that dates back to the Kadamba period and is steeped in mythology.

Lord Harihara delivered the finishing blow on Guhasura after a fierce battle hurled him into the nether world. When the magnificent light faded, a beautiful idol appeared, an amalgamation of Lord Vishnu and Shiva, embellished with the shankha and chakra of Vishnu on the right and the japamala and trishul on the left.

## The temple shrine

Evidence suggests that a small temple had been built in the 5th century, and a larger temple with an elaborate entrance gateway leading to a courtyard was built during the reign of Maharaja Veera Narasimha II in the 13th century. The sabha mandapa, with its exquisite lathe-turned pillars and intricately carved wall parapets with miniature niches and typical repetitive patterns of gods and goddesses, auspicious Hindu iconography, foliage, and floral motifs, is a visual spectacle.

The doorway to the antrala is provided with dvarapalas on either side, accompanied with Shiva on the right and Keshava on the left. The ceilings are nothing short of spectacular with stunning receding roof designs and concentric lotus motifs.

The temple is built using the locally available stone (soapstone) and had an ornate gopuram, which was destroyed by Tipu Sultan. It is said that the image was thrown into the river during subsequent invasions and restored during the Maratha rule, when it was mounted on an old pedestal. Parts of the idol below the knee were never found. The original vimana was also destroyed and later replaced by a contemporary tower in brick and lime.

Preserved within the temple premises are several old Kannada inscriptions. There is another smaller temple in the same courtyard which is dedicated to Lord Nandi, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, and Goddess Lakshmi. As the Kadambas strongly promoted the Kannada language, it can be safely said that they had some hand in the construction of this temple during the 4th-5th century. Some additions were made in the latter part of the 13th century under Maharaja Narasimha III.