- The three Hoysala temples in Karnataka were declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- This inclusion marks the 42nd UNESCO World Heritage Site in India and fourth site in Karnataka to get the world heritage tag.
- The Sacred Ensembles of Hoysala includes:
- Keshav Temple of Somnathapura
- Chennakeshava Temple in Belur
- Hoyasaleshwara Temple in Halebid
- All these three temples are protected monuments of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
About:-
- Chennakeshava Temple, Belur:
- It was built by Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana to commemorate his victory over the Cholas in 1116 AD.
- It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, which contains richly sculptured exterior depicting scenes from Vishnu's life.
- "Chenna" means beautiful and "Keshav" means Vishnu.
- Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebid:
- The sculptures depicts various aspects of Shiva, as well as scene from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana.
- It is known for more than 240 sculptures depicting various themes.
- Halebid has a walled complex with three Jain basadi (temples) and a stepped well.
- Keshava Temple, Somnathapura:
- It was built during the regime of Narsimha III in 1268 CE.
- It is a beautiful Trikuta temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in three forms- Janardhana, Keshava and Venugopala.
- The main Keshav idol is missing, and the Janardhana and Venugopala idols are damaged.
Hoysala Architecture:-
- Hoysala architecture, developed between the 11th and 14th centuries in Southern Karnataka, under Hoysala Empire.
- This has a unique style blending elements of Dravida and Nagara architectures and also influences from Bhumija, Nagara and Karntata Dravida architectures.
- Distinctive Hoyasala temples form with multiple shrines around a centered pillar hall in a star-shaped layout.
- They are made out of soapstone which is a relatively soft stone, the artists were able to carve their sculptures intricately.
World Heritage Sites:-
- A world heritage site is an area or object listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, recognized for its "outstanding universal value" under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972.
- These sites are categorized into three types- Cultural, Natural and Mixed.
- As of 2023, there are 42 World Heritage Sites in India. out of these, 34 are cultural, 7 are natural, and one, the Khangchendzonga National Park, is of mixed type.
- India has the sixth largest number of sites in the world.
Source - Indian Express