Somnathpur is situated in Mysore district in the state of Karnataka. The Kaveri River flows through this small city. Somnathpur is a small ancient village and is situated at a distance of 45 kilometres from Mysore and about 140 kilometres south-west of Bangalore. Somnathpur is considered as the village of temples and every year attracts many pilgrims to this holy place.
About Somnathpur :
Somnathpur is situated in Mysore district in the state of Karnataka. The Kaveri River flows through this small city. Somnathpur is a small ancient village and is situated at a distance of 45 kilometres from Mysore and about 140 kilometres south-west of Bangalore. Somnathpur is considered as the village of temples and every year attracts many pilgrims to this holy place.
Somnathpur was set up during the 13th century and was ruled by rich and powerful rulers. The Hoysalas were the last dynasty that ruled this region. They had played a major role in constructing temples in the region and surrounding places. The name of the village was derived from the name of a Hoysala general, who commissioned the temple’s construction.
The temples in this village represent the Hoysala architecture, which makes this place a significant village in the history of India. Somnathpur is renowned for its Chennakesava Temple, also known as Kesava or Keshava temple, which was constructed by Soma. He was a dandanayaka (commander) in 1268 CE under Hoysala king, Narasimha III.
The Keshava temple is one of the important tourist spots of Somnathpur. The temple is built on a star-shaped platform and has three carved pinnacles and shrines. The temple is dedicated to Lord Janardhana, Venugopala and Kesava.
Somnathpur is a place renowned for its culture, art and craft. Goravara Kunitha is one of the important folk dances of the village and is performed by locals. Gaarudi Gombe is also a folk dance and is performed during major festivals and the procession held during the celebrations of Dussehra. During this dance, dancers wear giant doll-suits made of bamboo sticks.
Nagamandala, another popular dance form, is a ritualistic dance performed by the locals. The folk artists perform other popular folk arts like Bessu Kamsale, Somanakunitha and Yasksghagana, as well.
Attractions Of Somnathpur In Karnataka :
Somnathpur is a small village on the banks of the river Cauvery that was founded by the commander of the Hoyasala army, Somnath. The village is famous for its splendid and grand Keshava temple that has been built in the Hoyasala style. The temple is famous for its elaborate and intricate sculpturing. The temple is enclosed in a walled courtyard that has a gate and a porch. The temple is built on an elevated star shaped platform.
The sides of the raised platform are decorated with richly carved friezes, portraying rows of cavalry, elephants and scenes from the epics. The rows above have sculptures of Gods mainly Vishnu in various forms. The shrine has three shrines and three sanctums. The temple has three intricately carved pinnacles and a common Navranga. The northern sanctum has the idol of Lord Janardhana and the southern sanctum has the idol of Lord Venugopala. The main hall has exquisitely turned pillars and ceiling panels. The image of Lord Keshava that once adorned the main hall is missing today.
The temple is an example of the grand and glorious temples built by the Hoysala rulers. The names of the sculptors are inscribed on their works, which was a common practice during the reign of the Hoysalas. This temple is as beautiful as the world-renowned Belur and Halebid temples and is worth visiting while is Mysore.
Features Somnathpur In Karnataka :
A visit to Somnathpur in Karnataka is a must for the people who have a passion for art and architecture. This is because in Somnathpur you can witness a style of architecture unique to the region.
Somnathpur is 38 kilometers from Mysore. Whenever you go to Somnathpur visit the Hoysala Temple. The temple is devoted to Prasanna Chennakeshava. The temple in Somnathpur was constructed in the 12th-13th centuries by Hoysala rulers and their officials.
The Hoysala temple in Somnathpur in Karnataka is unique in its style and presentation. It is comparatively stunted. The temple is small, compact and structural. It is lavishly adorned with sculpture. The sculptures probably cover each and every inch of the wall space. This particular style of intensely packed sculptural scheme is the characteristic exclusive to the Hoysala art. This was not copied by any other temple architecture in future.
One of the reasons for this intricate and decorative artwork in the temple at Somnathpur was the type of the stone used in this site. The temple is made of a stone called chlorite.
The chlorite is so nice a stone that a bangle can be made to rotate on a sculpted hand and stone bells can be made to ring on a statue. Some critics opine that the intricacy here is nothing but an over exaggeration and that the rich sculptural decoration is only too ornate and baroque. But it goes without saying that it requires a lot of hard work and expertize to arrive at such an excellence of each individual statue. The Hoysala artist at Somnathpur must be a perfectionist.
Location :
Somnathpur is a small village located in southern Karnataka. This village is situated on the banks of river Cauvery, is some 35 from Mysore. Somnathpur has the famous Chennakeshava temple. The history of the Chennakeshava temple is inscribed on the stone slab at the main gateway of the temple. The construction of the Chennakeshava temple, is the one dedicated to lord Keshava was started by Somanatha, a high-ranking officer under Hoysala King Narasimha III (1254-1291 AD.). He founded a village on the banks of the Cauvery and then embarked on constructing temples in a bid to further his immortality. It is a splendid example of Hoysala style of architecture, is the last major temple of the Hoysala dynasty.
Somnathpur History :
Somnathpur has a brief history which dates back when the Hoysalas ruled in India during the 11th and 12th century and were the makers of some of the beautiful architectural marvels in India. After every victory in the battlefield, the Hoysalas built temples as an act of thanksgiving. In this way the Keshava Temple in Somnathpur was built. During the rule of Narasimha III (AD 1254-1291), this village of Somnathpur was established and in AD 1268, this is one of the temples in Karnataka that explicitly reflects the design and architecture of Hoysalas.
The Gangas, the Chalukyas, the Cholas, the Hoysalas, Vijayanagar Empire, Kings of Mysore, Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and British.
Somnathpur is famous for the Sri Channa Keshava Temple.
Vishnuvardhan, Pratapa Chakravarti, Hoysala Bhujabala, Sri Vira Narasimha, Maharajadhiraja, Raja Parameshwara, Ramanuja, Sanivarasiddhi, Giridurgamalla etc.
How To Reach Somnathpur :
By Air : The nearest airport is Bangalore at a distance of around 140 Kms. There are buses that connect Somnathpur to Srirangapatna to Bangalore as well as Mysore.
Railway route Mysore Railway station is the closest railhead to Somnathpur.
Bus route : KSRTC and private buses ply on a regular basis to Somnathpur from Mysore as well as Srirangapatna.
Road route : Somnathpur is well connected by road to all the major cities in Karnataka.