The temple was built in the early 12th century by the Hoysala ruler, Vishnuvardhana, when the town of Belur was capital of the Hoysala kingdom. The Hoysalas ruled the region for more than three centuries. This temple, is a shining example of the Hoysala dynasty architecture and also, Indian architecture.

History of Chennakeshava Temple, Belur

Nine hundred years ago, the Chennakeshava Temple was a centre of the Hoysala kingdom. The main temple called the Vijaya Narayana was consecrated by the famous Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana to mark his victories in 1116 AD against the Cholas. The Hoysalas ruled this region between the 44th and 13th centuries. King Vishnuvardhana is believed to have dreamt about Lord Keshava during his night stay at the Baba Budan Forest and chose to build the Channakeshava temple at Belur. It took 103 years by the three generations of the royal family to complete this architectural masterpiece. It is said that over 1000 artists were involved in creating this wonder on stone. Each sculpture is a lifetime work of these artists.

Belur is Known as “modern Vaikuntha (heaven) of the earth” because of their incredible architecture and sculptures. In the middle of the temple lies a 42m high pillar standing on a star-shaped construction. The interesting thing about the pillar is that it stands on its own without any foundation and is called a gravity pillar. There are more than 80 Madanika sculptures in the temple, dancing, hunting, standing under canopies of trees, and so on. The 4 Madanika figures of Nava Ranga are special designs of Hoysala workmanship.

The temples of Kappe Chennigaraya, Soumyanayaki, Andal, and other Vaishnava manifestations surround this main temple. It is believed that Shantaladevi, the queen of King Vishnuvardhana is the design for among the sculptures in the Vavaranga– Darpana Sundari.

The mandapa on the west side leads to the Garbhagriha. Inside the garbhagriha a 6ft high idol of Lord Vishnu with four-armed mudra halo, standing on a 3 feet pedestal. The upper 2 hands hold the discus and the conch whereas the lower 2 hands hold the lotus and the mace. The halo has cyclical carvings of the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu. There is a figure of Lord Vishnu and Devi Lakshmi on the top of the entrance. On both sides of the door are the 2 Dwarapalas– Jay and Vijay.

Belur also has a samadhi considered to be of Raghavanka, the celebrated Kannada poet of the 13th century. Travellers on a trip to Talakadu can also visit Somanathapuram Village, which is located on the banks of River Cauvery. The village is famous for its Shree Venugopala Swamy Temple and Sri Chennakeshava Temple. The carved temple takes us back to the days of glory when each and every carving shows the effort of the artisan and the royalty.